A year of changing of the guards in the EU
The forthcoming European elections will set off a chain of events that in a few months could deeply change the European union's political landscape.
The murky perks of an MEP
MEPs' receive a gross salary of €8,757.70 per month, plus others reimbursements. But related perks are not transparent, as they don't have to show the receipts for their expenses.
European reporters more and more obstructed in their work
Reporters Without Borders’ 2019 Index shows that journalists’ working conditions in Europe are declining year after year, and that the death of four reporters in two and a half years should sound as a warning signal for those who care about democracy and freedom of the press.
Agriculture: an ever less common policy
The Commission has proposed to allocate 365 billion euro to agriculture in 27 member states, or 28.5 percent of the EU budget – an historically low contribution.
The European parliament’s travelling circus
Symbolism matters in politics and there is perhaps no greater negative image shaping perceptions of the European Union than what has been dubbed the 'travelling circus': twelve times a year members of the European Parliament relocate from Brussels to Strasbourg for a plenary session.
International trade: ever larger, but contested, agreements
European trade policy is the object of numerous critiques, particularly concerning its lack of transparency and democratic control.
Industrial policy: back to reality
With no common industrial policy and given the great openness of its internal market, Europe has missed the latest waves of technological innovation: microelectronics, computers, mobile telephones, internet.
Institutions: Heads of state still setting the agenda
The Spitzenkandidat system has been criticised by a number of heads of state. Will it be applied this year?
Energy and climate change: receding perspectives
Will the European Union muster the ambition necessary to tackle climate change, and can it provide itself with the means to do so?
Social Europe: finally some progress
While social Europe may have finally woken from its slumber, progress hasn’t come easy.
