How EU sanctions work – and the challenge of enforcing them
17 Mar Foreign & Security Policy
How EU sanctions work – and the challenge of enforcing them
Sanctions are a powerful diplomatic tool, but enforcement gaps and political divides often determine how successful they can be.
Portugal’s government collapse leaves opening for ultranationalist party
14 Mar EU Institutions
Portugal’s government collapse leaves opening for ultranationalist party
Three elections in three years is a bad look for Portugal’s democratic stability. As seen elsewhere in the EU, it’s stirring up anti-establishment sentiment.
US aid cuts leave EU member hopefuls in the lurch
13 Mar Foreign & Security Policy
US aid cuts leave EU member hopefuls in the lurch
The Trump administration's move against USAID undermines democratic reforms and civil society across eastern Europe. If the EU can't fill the gap, Russian influence likely will.
Op-ed: Why wartime elections in Ukraine are a risk to democracy and security
11 Mar Foreign & Security Policy
Op-ed: Why wartime elections in Ukraine are a risk to democracy and security
Russian aggression and interference could undermine any wartime elections held in Ukraine. The international community must respect Ukraine’s right to decide when and how it restores its democratic system.
Bosnian Serb leader stays defiant, souring the separatist mood
07 Mar Foreign & Security Policy
Bosnian Serb leader stays defiant, souring the separatist mood
Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a major test of national unity as Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik rebukes central authorities. A verdict against him reveals the country’s deep divides.
Op-ed: Vulnerable women are too often missing from poverty data
07 Mar EU Institutions
Op-ed: Vulnerable women are too often missing from poverty data
Official statistics fail to capture vulnerable groups of women, meaning they’re often excluded from EU policies to fight poverty.
Op-ed: Commission’s omnibus is a capitulation to corporate profits
06 Mar EU Institutions
Op-ed: Commission’s omnibus is a capitulation to corporate profits
The European Commission's 'simplification' legislation fails to address the realities of socioeconomic inequality and record profiteering.
Europe confronts a worst-case scenario it has long feared
05 Mar Foreign & Security Policy
Europe confronts a worst-case scenario it has long feared
Europe faces its biggest security crisis since the Cold War as Trump freezes military aid to Ukraine. Can European powers avoid repeating their past mistakes?
Merz eyes defence buildup, economic reboot and stricter migration
04 Mar Foreign & Security Policy
Merz eyes defence buildup, economic reboot and stricter migration
Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's CDU/CSU parliamentary bloc, is set to lead the next government after his party came first in recent elections. He says only he can strengthen Germany and Europe, but at what cost?
Op-ed: Why the EU must stay ambitious on electric vehicles
03 Mar Economics
Op-ed: Why the EU must stay ambitious on electric vehicles
As the European Commission presents its Automotive Action Plan, the EU must take the opportunity to lead on clean technology and mobility.
Students in Serbia are losing faith in the EU, but not in European values
28 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
Students in Serbia are losing faith in the EU, but not in European values
Lack of support from Brussels for anti-corruption protests against President Vučić’s regime has become an 'extreme disappointment' for those on the streets. They see the EU putting interests above values.
The EU's trade gamble: Appeasement or strategic play?
27 Feb EU Institutions
The EU's trade gamble: Appeasement or strategic play?
By prioritising conciliation over confrontation, Europe seems to be handing Trump the upper hand in negotiations over the president's planned tariffs. Experts say it’s the smartest thing the bloc could do right now.
The European Commission and its Clean Industrial Deal: What to know
26 Feb EU Institutions
The European Commission and its Clean Industrial Deal: What to know
The EU executive unveiled a host of measures on Wednesday to revive the bloc's industry, while recommitting to its climate goals.
Mafia or environmental group? Some EU states don't see a difference
26 Feb Energy & Environment
Mafia or environmental group? Some EU states don't see a difference
Several EU states are coming down hard on environmental groups like Last Generation. Lawyers and human rights groups say over-prosecution violates fundamental rights.
Op-ed: A critical medicine shortage calls for better EU collaboration
25 Feb EU Institutions
Op-ed: A critical medicine shortage calls for better EU collaboration
With the European Medicines Agency identifying shortages in more than 30 critical medicines, the single market presents an opportunity to rethink the EU’s approach to medicines.
Q&A: Merz’s conservatives take first in German election
24 Feb EU Institutions
Q&A: Merz’s conservatives take first in German election
The Left and far-right AfD did well, too, marking trouble for centrist governing. The CDU and SPD may be heading for another grand coalition.
Cutting red tape or cutting corners? The EU 'simplification’ dilemma
20 Feb EU Institutions
Cutting red tape or cutting corners? The EU 'simplification’ dilemma
Brussels’ ‘unprecedented’ effort to make the EU more business-friendly hopes to do away with onerous regulation. It could also harm the foundation the single market is built on.
Op-ed: Europe's great tech mirage
19 Feb EU Institutions
Op-ed: Europe's great tech mirage
For the EU to have a chance to be competitive across next-gen technologies like AI and quantum computing, it will need both strategic investments and a willingness to pick winners – and losers.
Europe at odds with US over Ukraine — and itself
18 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
Europe at odds with US over Ukraine — and itself
First a call, now a meeting. The Trump administration is pushing ahead on negotiations with Russia over Ukraine. The EU is trying to find its way to the table.
Op-ed: Musk’s DSA denial could harm European citizens
18 Feb Technology
Op-ed: Musk’s DSA denial could harm European citizens
The EU’s Digital Service Act is designed to protect the bloc’s citizens from harmful and misleading content. Flaunting the rules damages democracy.
How bureaucracy and underfunding undermine EU military mobility
17 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
How bureaucracy and underfunding undermine EU military mobility
An internal audit finds serious shortcomings in the bloc's efforts to improve military mobility. Defence experts warn that the slow response time could undermine readiness and deterrence.
Europe’s humiliation: How Trump and Hegseth caught NATO off guard
14 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
Europe’s humiliation: How Trump and Hegseth caught NATO off guard
NATO-Europe scrambled this week to respond to Trump's effort to cut it out of talks with Russia's Putin. Ukraine now looks vulnerable to US interests in ending the war.
Op-ed: The EU's AI moment can stop tech talent brain drain
11 Feb Technology
Op-ed: The EU's AI moment can stop tech talent brain drain
America's loss could be the EU's gain as inclusive work cultures and a desire for responsible AI can woo global talent from Silicon Valley.
Q&A: Kosovo's elections come at pivotal time for its EU future
11 Feb Foreign & Security Policy
Q&A: Kosovo's elections come at pivotal time for its EU future
Kosovar elections will likely return Albin Kurti to the prime minister's office, albeit with diminished support. His last term had a mixed record on the issue of EU integration.