Saturday

5th Sep 2015

TTIP's teflon coat wears thin

The prospect of an EU-US trade agreement was one of relatively few sources of comfort for EU lawmakers about the bloc’s struggling economy in 2013.

Europe in Review 2014

EUobserver, in its second annual review, looks back at the main events of 2014: Russia's annexation of Ukraine; the selection of the EU's new top cadre; separatism in Europe and more. Order your copy here.

News in Brief

  1. UN climate chief: No such thing as ideal pace for pre-Paris talks
  2. UK to accept 'thousands more' Syrian refugees
  3. Talks next week to soothe Northern Ireland tension
  4. Putin wants new 'coalition to fight terrorism'
  5. Lithuanian President: We must show solidarity on migration
  6. ECB signals plan to buy more bonds
  7. Report: Bulgaria and Hungary turn to Israel for fence technology
  8. EU to start destroying Mediterranean smugglers' boats
Birth of the Juncker commission

Reasons for delay abounded: not enough women, an east-west row over the next foreign affairs chief and a Slovenian minidrama. Still, the Juncker commission took office as planned, on 1 November.

The spitzenkandidaten coup

The year 2014 shall go down as the date the European Parliament snatched away the right to nominate a European Commission president from national governments.

LuxLeaks: An opportunity?

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was buffeted by the LuxLeaks revelations just days after he came to office. Yet the longterm effect may be beneficial.

Over the blue horizon

A killing in the Jewish Museum in Brussels and an infant girl in the sea near Crete: fragments of two Middle East conflicts which just got worse.

2015: It's the economy, still

After a year of suspended action, the EU needs to show some results in 2015. But changing political landscapes in member states could prove a distraction.

Analysis

Breaking up is hard to do

For a frenzied 72 hours of campaigning, the future of the United Kingdom was under threat. The 300 year old settlement binding together Scotland and England in danger of being torn up.

Democracy protests make headway

Pro-democracy protests made some headway in central and eastern Europe, with flawed laws repelled and an underdog candidate winning the Romanian presidential elections.

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. DiesisFacility Management in the Healthcare sector & ECVET in Europe: 15/09, Brussels
  2. EJCCalls For Immediate Suspension of EU Labour Union Head After Anti-Semitic Abuse
  3. EIPAEU Agencies in the Post-Lisbon Regulatory Framework: Luxembourg, 17-18 Sept. 2015
  4. Centre Maurits CoppetiersConference on Democracy & European Emerging Values: 10 September, Barcelona
  5. European Festival AssociationEFFE Award Ceremony and Community Launch - Paris, 27 September
  6. EDRIOnline privacy for kids? Help us crowdfund a textbook!
  7. Red CrossGlobal initiative seeks local solutions to global problems
  8. ACCANew Report asks the world's smallest businesses "Are You Ready For Growth ?"
  9. FACEThe Return of The Wolf To The European Landscape: EU Parliament, 15 Sep 2015
  10. ICRCWeapons: ICRC sounds alarm on arms trade

MEPs' Highlights

  1. Cecilia WikströmHungary tearing down wall in ’89, putting up wall in 2015 – ALDE MEPs urge Commission to act before border fence is built
  2. Cecilia WikströmCynical to see leaders haggling over the number of asylum seekers
  3. Eva PaunovaEva Paunova supports Alliance for YOUth
  4. Danuta HübnerDanuta Hübner will chair the AFCO Hearing on The institutional future of the European Union within and beyond the Treaty of Lisbon
  5. Cecilia WikströmEC proposal on migration Important step to tackle immediate crises, but more needed to solve the root causes
  6. Jerzy BuzekClusters form 'the backbone of EU regional policy'