About: trilogue

European Defence Fund agreed amid ethics concerns

EU institutions reached a partial political agreement on the European Defence Fund (EDF) this week but decisions on the two major issues - budget and funding eligibility - had to be postponed as the file remains plagued by controversy.

European Defence Fund talks reveal rift over EU’s defence future

EU lawmakers failed to seal an agreement on the future of the European Defence Fund (EDF) despite a nine hour negotiation session last week.

Rights groups expose flaws in EU counterterrorism directive

The European institutions reached an agreement yesterday (30 November) on a directive that is aimed at better equipping the EU with instruments to counter terrorism. But civil rights groups warned that it risks undermining fundamental freedoms.

2015 EU budget in dire straits

The European Commission on Friday (28 November) presented a new proposal for the 2015 EU budget, after member states rejected it on 17 November. However, the new proposal is almost identical to the former one, and there is little chance that the institutions will come to an agreement.

EU budget talks stalled, as net payers want their money back

The 2015 EU budget is in doubt, as member states have rejected a proposal of the commission to bridge the shortage of €4.7 billion in the 2014 budget using additional resources available in the EU budget, coming from fines, saying they wanted this money back to their coffers.

Family finances – a private matter?

Trusts are said to be used by the wealthy to evade taxes and hide money. This view seems to lie behind the pressure from the EU Parliament to open up trust details to the public. But the reality is very different, writes George Hodgson.

EU ministers and MEPs in logjam over auditor rotation

SPECIAL REPORT / Plans to force companies to change accountants regularly are causing a logjam in negotiations between the European Parliament and Council, threatening to delay reforms that the Commission has insisted it wants agreed by the end of its mandate.

Commission claws back up to €200 million broadband funding in budget breakthrough

SPECIAL REPORT / The EU executive hailed victory in winning back vital funding for its European broadband funding rollout programme following trilogue talks last week that saw up to €200 million in spending secured over the 2014-2020 budget period.

EU in new push to revive the carbon market

EU diplomats today (8 November) agreed to begin talks on a legal text to slash permit supply and prop up carbon prices in the bloc's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), marking a big step forward for the divisive proposal.

Budget Games

The Commission and the Council take advantage of the traditional EU decision-making lack of transparency to play “budget games” with the Parliament. But MEPs want to see all cards on the table for the EU public to see, writes Ivailo Kalfin.

EU’s long-term budget bedeviled by details

As member states bickered over details, MEPs yesterday (17 October) postponed a vote on the 2014-2020 EU budget for the November session, raising doubts about the implementation of the €960 billion package by the planned 1 January 2014 deadline.