About: Referendum

Vince Cable: The Europe I Want, the Europe We Need

“The European Union is part of the solution; not part of the problem” said Vince Cable, in a speech at the Lisbon Council in Brussels on January 20th. The speech, titled "The Europe I Want, the Europe We Need" called for a re-invigorated digital single market. Cable, the British business secretary and Liberal Democrat MP, added that, “digital is central to growth in the European Union” and “we need to be able to show that the internal market works.”

UKIP Nigel Farage on EU elections: “Things will never be quite the same again”

Speaking to journalists waiting outside the polling station in Britain on Thursday, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said that if his party does as well as they expect in the European elections, “things will never be quite the same again."

EU widens sanctions against Russia

European Union foreign ministers expanded sanctions over Russia's actions in Ukraine on Monday, adding two Crimean companies and 13 people to the bloc's sanctions list, EU diplomats said.

EU imposes sanctions on Russian, Ukrainian officials after Crimea referendum

European ministers agreed on Monday to impose sanctions against 21 officials from Russia and Ukraine, including travel bans and asset freezes. The measures come after Sunday's controversial referendum in Crimea, when 96% of voters backed leaving Ukraine and joining Russia, according to Crimean officials. Crimea's parliament already declared independence from Ukraine on Monday and asked to join Russia.

Stubb: Finland punches above its weight in the EU

In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV's journalist Henriette Jacobsen, Finland's European affairs minister Alexander Stubb emphasised that his country had benefitted tremendously from being an EU member state, not least economically, and was punching above its weight.

Barroso criticises Switzerland after anti-immigration vote

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso warned Switzerland on Thursday that it risks loosing access to the European single market if it continues with plans to restrict EU immigration. Barroso's comments came after the Swiss government said on Wednesday it will draft legislation to limit immigration by the end of the year.

Brussels says an independent Catalonia would need to leave EU

Brussels warned on Monday that the Spanish northeastern region of Catalonia would no longer be an EU member state if it becomes independent from Spain. The European Commission decided on Monday to indirectly set out its position on the Catalan self-determination debate, after it refused to comment on last weeks' pro-independence mass protest in Catalonia. Answering increasing demands from the Catalan government and the Spanish press, a top EU official said that any new independent state would become ' a third country'.

Cameron’s EU referendum draws criticism from British MEPs

After months of anticipation, British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday delivered his much awaited-speech on the UK's role in Europe. Under intense pressure from the euroskeptic side of his own Conservative Party, Cameron promised to offer the British people an in/out referendum on EU membership. Before that, however, he hopes to re-negotiate a 'new settlement' for the UK in Europe.

UK Cameron promises in/out referendum on EU membership

In his much-awaited speech on the future of the UK in Europe, British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU. Speaking at the Bloomberg headquarters in London on Wednesday, Cameron said that he wants to agree on a 'new settlement' with Europe and vowed to hold a referendum by 2017 if he is re-elected.

EU criticises Cameron referendum plan

In what could be one of the most decisive speeches on Europe since World War Two, British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday will set out his plans to reshape the future of Britain in the EU. Facing mounting pressure from the Eurosceptic side of his own Conservative Party, Cameron aims at bringing back some of the powers that Brussels currently holds to Westminster.

EC urges Romania to respect Basescu ruling

Romania's Constitutional Court on Tuesday decided to let president Basescu return to power and the European Commission is urging Romanian authorities to comply with the Court's ruling. Earlier in July, Primer Minister Victor Ponta's leftist government called a referendum to impeach center-right Basescu. The referendum came only months before parliamentary elections. But Romania's Constitutional Court declared the referendum void as turnout failed to reach the 50% threshold required.