About: Frans Timmermans
Open letters to Commission call for action in Polish rule of law dispute
Two separate letters, signed by MEPs across the political spectrum and former Polish leaders, demand that the Commission take swift action to halt a controversial judiciary reform in Poland, already closely watched by Brussels for fears that it threatens the basic democratic rules.
Timmermans on Poland: Changes are ‘not sufficient’
Polish authorities need to address key concerns of the Commission over the independence of the country's judiciary by the end of the month, Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans told the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg on Wednesday (13 June).
Europe’s biggest challenge now comes from the US, Timmermans says
Europe’s most important task for the rest of this year is to stay strong and united in the face of challenges coming from the United States, the European Commision First Vice-President Frans Timmermans told a business forum on Wednesday (23 May), in comments likely to irk Washington.
EU prepares to say adieu to single-use plastics
The European Commission is gearing up to reveal how it plans to tackle single-use plastics as part of the much vaunted Plastics Strategy. But an initial draft of the legislation has already received mix reviews.
EU urges ‘more progress’ from Poland by next month
The EU warned Poland it could move closer next month to unprecedented sanctions, unless Warsaw makes "a lot more progress" in the row over its controversial court reforms.
EU move to protect whistleblowers gets praise from MEPs, NGOs
Whistleblowers exposing fraud, tax evasion, data breaches and other misdeeds will be given more protection from retaliation under new rules proposed by the European Commission on Monday (23 April). The move got praise from MEPs, NGOs.
Timmermans on rule of law in Poland: Concessions are still insufficient
Commission's Vice chief Frans Timmermans urges Poland to formulate its full proposal to solve the dispute over the rule of law by mid-May as previous concessions are considered as insufficient. EURACTIV Poland reports.
Timmermans urges quick solution to Poland’s court reform dispute
Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans on Monday (9 April) urged Poland to step up efforts at finding a solution to a high-pitched dispute over its controversial judicial reforms, denounced by Brussels as violating the rule of law.
EU’s Timmermans to visit Poland over court reforms
European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans will visit Warsaw on April 9, the Polish government said on Thursday, amid conflict over Poland's controversial court reforms.
Rule of law: Chance for compromise between Warsaw and Brussels?
Members of Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) party have proposed amendments to the controversial laws governing the Polish judicial system that put Warsaw in the crosshairs of the European Commission. It is still unclear if these changes will soothe the dispute or if they are just empty gestures. EURACTIV Poland reports.
Single-use plastics in the Commission’s crosshairs
The European Commission is aiming to reveal its plan to curb single-use plastics in May, in what will be the first proposal to come out of its much-vaunted Plastics Strategy. But industry and civil society are still divided over what should be its fundamental goal.
Timmermans urges Romania to avoid ‘wrong’ turn in law reform
The vice-president of the European Commission Frans Timmermans urged Romania yesterday (1 March) not to "run in the wrong direction" over controversial judicial reforms.
EU expects effective dialogue with Poland
Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans voiced satisfaction that Poland has started a dialogue with Brussels. However, such a dialogue only makes sense when it brings results, he emphasised. Meanwhile, the Polish side is preparing a White Paper to defend its position. EURACTIV Poland reports.
A plan for plastics
The EU is losing 95% of the value of the plastics it produces. But the European Commission has a strategy to make plastic packaging more sustainable, both environmentally and economically.
Leaky drinking water rules tightened by EU
The European Commission revealed on Thursday (1 February) how it plans to update drinking water rules, with the goal of improving human health, reducing emissions and tackling plastic waste high on the list of priorities.
Turkey tells EU to back their anti-Kurd campaign in Syria
Turkey's European affairs ministers told the EU yesterday (25 January) to side with Ankara in its campaign against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria.
Timmermans and Poland’s new foreign minister dig for common ground
Poland's new foreign minister, Jacek Czaputowicz, and European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans met for the first time in Brussels, where they spoke about the rule of law in Poland and the issue of refugees. EURACTIV Poland reports.
Commission maps out plastics vision in new strategy
The European Commission presented on Tuesday (16 January) its eagerly anticipated strategy on how the EU intends to approach plastic production and pollution over the next decade and beyond.
Poland banks on ‘dialogue’ to solve EU rule-of-law row
Warsaw banks on "dialogue" to solve its row with the EU over recent reforms denounced by Brussels as violating the rule of law, Poland's new Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said yesterday (15 January).
Brussels triggers unprecedented action against Poland
European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans announced with a 04:13am tweet that the EU executive had activated Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty against Poland, due to "a risk of serious breach of of the rule of law".
National and regional parliaments bet on Timmermans’ task force to gain clout
A few weeks after the European Commission launched yet another task force to look at ways to improve legislative scrutiny, national and regional parliaments representatives mulled new ideas to put more flesh on subsidiarity.
EU’s trying trilogues
MEPs want to tell the world what happens in their negotiations with member states over proposed legislation, but the EU’s national capitals are resisting. Why do governments have an impulse to hide what they do in Brussels?
EU mandatory register for lobbyists, a baby step towards full transparency
Over time, the business of influence has been honed into a fine art in Western democracies. But that art is becoming increasingly regulated, even if the average citizen perceives lobbyists as cigar-smoking men in suits wining and dining lawmakers to gain an unfair advantage.