About: future of EU
Macron takes charm offensive to Strasbourg
One year before the European elections, the French president came to Strasbourg to count his allies and convince members of all political groups. However, French ambitions seem to have been revised downward.
Furious about Brexit, Tusk calls for EU unity from Dublin
European Council President Donald Tusk confessed yesterday (10 April) he gets furious about Brexit, describing Britain's departure from the EU as very sad as he used a speech in Dublin to call for unity in Europe.
Slovakia did not hesitate to start its national EU convention
We have to value EU membership and avoid behaviour that undermines its success, writes Slovakia's European affairs chief, Ivan Korčok.
Orbán’s triumph sends shockwaves through Europe
Hungary's anti-immigration Prime Minister Viktor Orbán basked Monday (9 April) in a bulldozer election triumph that delighted other nationalists but sent a chill through civil society groups and portended fresh battles with Brussels.
Merkel to push for EU unity on delicate Poland trip
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will emphasise bilateral ties and the need for European unity when she meets with top Polish officials, amid ongoing differences between the allies over Polish judicial reforms, migration and a new gas pipeline.
Czech minister: Government to hold series of public debates on EU future
The Czech government has responded to the challenge laid down by French President Emmanuel Macron and is going to start a series of public discussions on what shape the EU should take in the future, Aleš Chmelař, Czech State Secretary for EU affairs, told Aktuálně.cz.
Merkel says she will visit Macron to discuss EU reform
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (12 March), two days before she is to launch her new government, that she will pay a quick visit to French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss EU reform proposals.
Seeking post-Brexit unity, EU leaders find more fights
EU leaders face difficult talks this week on the thorny issues of how to plug holes in the post-Brexit budget and choose a successor for European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.
Jo Leinen – Visegrad Four ‘attack European democracy’
The recent statement by the Visegrad Four on the future of Europe is “an attack on European democracy”, Jo Leinen, a respected federalist MEP (S&D, Germany), said in a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday (30 January), ahead of a key summit in February focusing on the 2019 European elections.
German parties offer first response to Macron on Europe
Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats pledged today (12 January) to work closely with France to strengthen the euro zone, in their first substantive response to President Emmanuel Macron's ambitious EU reform proposals.
Cornered Merkel seeks to revive ‘grand coalition’
Chancellor Angela Merkel is optimistic her conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) can cut a deal, she said yesterday (7 January) as the parties began five days of talks about reviving the 'grand coalition' that has governed Germany since 2013.
Romania to hold first ‘democratic convention’ on future EU
Romania could become the first country to organise a debate in the spirit of the EU-wide ‘democratic conventions’ proposed by the French President Emmanuel Macron in his Sorbonne speech, according to statements by a Romanian Minister.
Brussels to unveil eurozone reform vision despite doubts
The European Commission will unveil a raft of ideas to reform the eurozone today (6 December), despite the resistance of powerful Germany, which remains without a government.
Ireland ‘disappointed’ following Theresa May’s Brussels talks
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was "surprised and disappointed" on Monday (4 December) after Britain failed to agree to a draft deal with EU leaders on the status of the Irish border after Brexit.
EU expansion receives an unlikely boost
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has a strong motivation for giving a boost to the largely stalled EU enlargement process, writes Sir Michael Leigh.
Martin Schulz’ position as SPD leader ‘untenable’
The leader of Germany's Social Democrats came under growing pressure yesterday (23 November) to drop his opposition to a new "grand coalition" with Angela Merkel's conservatives, with senior politicians arguing the party had a duty to promote stability.
Bütikofer: In the name of EU, Steinmeier will put pressure on his comrades
Germany's failed coalition talks are hurting Europe's reform agenda so Brussels and EU capitals should lean on the country's political leaders to find an agreement and avoid another election, Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, who took part in the talks, said on Thursday (23 November).
Tusk confirms December summit on future of eurozone will be held
A summit of euro zone leaders will go ahead as planned in the middle of December, the chairman of European Union leaders said yesterday (22 November), dispelling speculation it might be postponed because of the collapse of German coalition talks.
German crisis causes EU headache
Efforts to form a coalition government have failed, Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (20 November), pitching Germany into its worse political crisis for decades, raising the prospect of fresh elections and causing the EU a serious headache.
Bulgarian President: I may be a general, but I don’t like warlike rhetoric
In a wide-ranging interview, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, whose country takes over the EU's rotating six-month Presidency in January, discussed European policies, the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency, and his contradictions with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Macron’s party launches zealous training on the EU
Emmanuel Macron's party has launched an online training programme to present its version of the EU's history, objectives and operations to French citizens before the 2019 European elections. And to defend the president's ideas. EURACTIV France reports.
Oettinger wants ‘pact’ between net payers and net recipients
European Commissioner for the Budget Günther Oettinger arrives in Sofia on Friday (27 October), as part of a tour opening the debate on future EU finances.
German coalition talks reject Macron’s eurozone budget plan
German parties exploring a coalition government have dealt an early blow to French President Emmanuel Macron's hopes for more expansive fiscal policies from Berlin, backing a balanced budget and rejecting the idea of a separate pot of cash for the eurozone.