About: Special Report
Rural innovation
Rural areas in Europe face particular challenges: lower median income than big cities, lack of social and cultural life, lack of internet infrastructure, and depopulation. By mid-2021, the European Commission wants to articulate a new long-term vision for rural areas, saying they have a special role to play in the transition to a green and sustainable Europe.
Decarbonising air travel
The coronavirus may have slashed demand for air travel but a recovery is expected and, with it, extra growth and extra greenhouse gas emissions. Options to make aviation greener exist but sorely need investment and regulatory support to take off in a big way.
Fluorinated gases
F-gases, a family of refrigerants commonly used in fridges and air conditioners, are being phased out in order to prevent global warming from spinning out of control. But efforts to gradually ban the refrigerant have also created a thriving black market, which the European Union is struggling to contain.
The importance of local governments in the transition to a Circular Economy: the example of Fryslân and Leeuwarden
When the European Commission launched its new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) last March, the world was a different place. Now, as Covid-19 is badly damaging the European economy, calls for a green recovery have become even stronger, boosting the...
Driving progress in Europe’s cancer care
With the advent of the Commission's long-awaited cancer plan rapidly approaching, now more than ever, the impetus is there for EU lawmakers to drive change in Europe's cancer care.
Modernisation in Azerbaijan
The key word in Azerbaijan in recent months appears to be modernisation, with opportunities being given to young and well-educated professionals, replacing a Soviet-time old guard.
Sustainable food systems in the Farm to Fork strategy
Embedding the concept of sustainability in the way we produce and consume our foodstuff represents a challenge for the food systems as we know them today. But it also offers opportunities for growth, once it becomes clear how to lead the transition.
Multi-vector diplomacy
Lodged between China and Russia, Kazakhstan, a country with huge territory and a modest population, pursues a 'multi-vector' foreign policy, positively engaging with its big neighbours, but also with the US and the EU and the global community.
Frontier Research – A good return on investment?
From healthy lives to sustainable cities, from food security to equal societies – frontier research is often credited to have the potential to produce paradigm-shifting discoveries with economic, societal and policy impacts. With almost 10,000 researchers supported all over Europe,...
Raw materials: Aiming for sovereignty
In face of fierce global competition, how can Europe secure access to key raw materials for the future of its industry?
Clean mobility’s challenging road ahead
As European cities hold Mobility Week events across the continent, this special report looks at some of the challenges facing the sustainability drive.
Finding digital freedom in a crowded world
As the EU enters new and uncharted waters in the digital world, a number of pressing questions emerge as to how the bloc can distinguish itself in a highly competitive marketplace.
Romania’s EU presidency: A glance back
Romania held its first rotating presidency of the Council of the EU between January and June. But how did the Eastern European country perform during its six months at the helm? This special report outlines its main outcomes and successes.
Kazakhstan elections
The presidential election on 9 June was seen in Kazakhstan as crucial for the future development of the country. This was the first one in which the country's First President Nursultan Nazarbayev was not running, auguring for the introduction of more pluralism.
The EU future of new plant breeding techniques
New plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) emerged as an innovative agricultural solution in the last decade, allowing the development of new plant varieties by modifying the DNA of the seeds and plant cells.
Kazakhstan: New political realities
Kazakhstan’s first president Nursultan Nazarbayev surprisingly resigned on 19 March and announced that the Speaker of the Senate, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will serve as interim leader before the next presidential election, which will take place on 9 June.
Gas storage in the energy transition
The main value of gas storage has traditionally focused on security of supply, ensuring people can continue heating their homes in the event of a cold spell or a sudden supply cut. That is due to change in the coming years as energy companies compete for new "flexibility" services in a hybrid energy system combining gas and electricity.
EU elections: The environmental issue
Ahead of the May 2019 European elections, EURACTIV takes an in-depth look into the campaign commitments made by the lead candidates of the main political parties.
Is there room for women farmers in the CAP?
Lawmakers in the European Parliament believe that women have a key role to play in helping to revive rural areas. However, discrimination against women in the farming sector is still widespread.
Voices from the regions: Brexit impact along the Irish border
On 29 March, the United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union. EURACTIV.com's on-the-ground reporting looks into the effects of Brexit on EU regions and, in particular, its implications for the relationship between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Migration and security: Snapshots across a divided Europe
If the Eurozone crisis was the defining issue in the Barroso II Commission, migration has dominated Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Commission. This Special Report takes snapshots on migration and security policy from five EU member states ahead of May’s European Parliament elections.
Young people and women in EU farming
The EU farming sector is faced with an ageing population. In 2016 only 11% of farm managers in the EU were young farmers under the age of 40 years, according to Eurostat.
The role of ‘social Europe’ during the European Elections
Social Europe still has to find its place in the future of the European project. If the social protection of European citizens interests 18% of the French population, it remains far from other priorities such as terrorism, unemployment, immigration or climate.