About: future of EU
Champions grow through competition
Instead of letting governments picking ‘champions’, the EU should strengthen the single market, invest more in innovation and “assertively” pursue fair and equal trade policies, argue Dutch ministers Eric Wiebes, Sigrid Kaag and Mona Keijzer.
Tusk addresses Poles on Constitution Day
Council President Donald Tusk, a former Polish Prime Minister who is at odds with the populist government of the Law and Order party (PiS), addressed a series of messages to his compatriots on 3 May, Constitution Day.
Macron prepares to launch ‘Act 2’ of his presidency
French President Emmanuel Macron will on Thursday (25 April) reveal his long-awaited response to almost half a year of street protests in a reform plan that could prove decisive for his presidency and long-term political future.
EU27 is now free to hold summits without the UK
The EU27 will be free to hold official Council meetings and make decisions without the UK despite the country still being a member of the Union, in a move seen as a success for France’s President Macron, who led calls for the restrictions.
Joining forces for Europe’s public sphere
The EU’s tropism towards business and technology comes at the price of neglecting its most precious realm: Europe’s public sphere, the precondition of its very existence, write Pieter Boeder, Christiane Lötsch and Péter Techet.
Citizens’ expectations for Europe focus on climate and social issues
The common expectations of Europeans are actually far from the divisions fuelled by politicians. This was highlighted by the WeEuropeans initiative, which managed to mobilise 2 million people and generate 30,000 proposals. EURACTIV France reports.
Merkel distances herself from Macron’s Europe vision
Less than two months after celebrating a new Franco-German treaty, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron are diverging on the future of Europe in the run-up to European Parliament elections in May.
Merkel’s successor responds to Macron’s Europe vision
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's anointed successor outlined her vision for Europe, a German paper reported Saturday (9 March), aligning with recent French proposals on security but disagreeing on key social issues.
Czech PM raps Macron’s call for EU reforms
A call by French President Emmanuel Macron for reforms of the European Union to pave the way to a "European renaissance" won polite support in several capitals on Tuesday (5 March), but Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš called it “divorced from reality’.
Macron makes EU-wide appeal ‘for European renewal’
French President Emmanuel Macron made an appeal to all Europeans on Monday (4 March) to re-launch the EU project by holding a conference "without taboos" before year's end that could possibly lead to a new treaty.
Macron warns Europe of a return to 1930s
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned Europe of a return to the 1930s because of the spread of a nationalist "leprosy" across the continent, in an interview published Thursday (1 November).
In the next seven years Central Europe will determine the future of Europe
Central Europe could become more positive to the core EU in the likely case of another major economic crisis, which would oblige them to marry the eurozone family, writes Wojciech Przybylski, who also looks at several other, more dramatic, scenarios for the region.
Czech MEP: I want to be ECR’s lead candidate, not an EU top job candidate
Czech MEP Jan Zahradil has recently announced his intention to become the ECR's lead candidate for the 2019 European Elections. He is a supporter of a multi-speed Union, with freedom for member states to pursue a foreign policy that best suits their own interests.
Juncker’s dismal speech
At a time when Europe needs something to inspire the 2018 State of the Union speech disappointed, writes Dick Roche.
Merkel to meet Macron in Marseille amid EU immigration row
Emmanuel Macron will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille on Friday (7 September), a French official said, seeking support as he takes on nationalist EU leaders over immigration and institutional reforms.
Victor Negrescu: The Romanian Presidency will build consensus around the citizens
In a wide-ranging interview, Victor Negrescu, the Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, presents the priorities of the upcoming Romanian Presidency (1 January-30 June 2019), during which the European elections will be held, as well as the first post-Brexit EU summit.
Migrant feud casts shadow as Macron and Merkel seek EU roadmap
French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Germany tomorrow (19 June) seeking progress with Chancellor Angela Merkel on elusive eurozone reforms, but the deepening EU rifts over migration threaten to dominate an already daunting agenda.
France tells Germany ‘it’s now or never’ to save the EU
France called today (8 June) for more ambition from Germany in reforming the euro zone, saying Europe faced a "now or never" moment with rising external threats from the United States and China.
Merkel: Europe can no longer rely on US to ‘protect’ it
Europe can no longer rely on the United States to protect it, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday (10 May), urging the bloc to take its destiny in its own hands.
EU post-Brexit defences starting to take shape
A broad European military strategy involving Britain after Brexit has started to take shape with France at its centre, often in negotiations far from the Brussels spotlight and, in one top-level EU meeting, without the UK defence minister.
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.