Let me start by quoting the EU Trade and Investment Strategy approved by the EU Council on 27 November 2015, writes Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the European Union. “The EU’s strategic interest remains to achieve closer economic ties with Russia. The prospects for this will, however, be determined primarily by […]
Europe’s New Innovation Principle, Making Policy Fighting Fit
“It’s time to put The Innovation Principle’ at the heart of Europe’s economic revival,” that was the key message at a recent high-level industry conference in Brussels. Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation said barriers between interdisciplinary structures must be removed to quicken innovation and accelerate competitiveness. He said it’s about […]
EU Pushes Two-Year Schengen Border Controls
EU Home Affairs ministers asked the European Commission on Monday to consider suspension of the Schengen area for up two years, prolonging EU Member States border controls. Under the Schengen Code, Member States can only introduce temporary border controls for two months, for unforeseeable events and six months, for foreseeable events. But under Article 26, […]
Brussels Launches Poland Rule of Law Assessment
Brussels is finally worried about authoritarism in Poland, three months after its new government was formed. The European Commission announced on Wednesday the launch of a “preliminary assessment” on whether Warsaw is undermining the Rule of Law in the country. For the first time in EU history, Brussels has opened an assessment to decide if the […]
Refugee Women in Europe Risk Sexual Violence Says UNHCR Report
Oumo (not her real name), a young woman from sub-Saharan Africa is fleeing persecution that has left her brother-in-law dead and her sister missing. Fearing for her life, she made the dangerous and difficult journey to Europe where she is hoping to find asylum and safety. During her journey to Greece, Oumo was forced to […]
Violence Against Women – The EU’s Great Unfinished Business
Europe and Latin America have a problem in common: the high rates of violence against women continue to increase in their countries. That is why, today November 25th, the International Day Against Gender Violence, the network of European NGOs, Grupo Sur, calls on the European Union to meet its commitments in the fight against this […]
“Ambitious Climate Alliance Needed” From EU-CELAC Lawmakers
EU and Latin America, Caribbean Lawmakers Forging Paris #COP21 Positions Today’s formal Declaration at the Brussels Summit of the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) calls for the strengthening of the bi-regional alliance ahead of COP21, but hbs says that isn’t enough. “There is a fundamental difference between […]
Sovereignty Claw-Back From Corporate Trade At EuroLat Summit
Three days of social mobilisation (8-10 June) kicked off today in Brussels and Strasbourg to mark the EU-CELAC Summit (10-11 June). The broad coalition aims at strengthening and giving visibility to existing resistances and struggles taking place in the two regions. They highlight new initiatives, which move away from the trade and investment architecture promoted by […]
“Feminicide, EU-CELAC Must Act”
Femicide, the murder of women because they are women, continues to be a reality in both Latin America and Europe. Two years after an action plan was adopted during the last EU-CELAC Summit, including commitments to eliminate all forms of violence against women, a conference has been held in Brussels on “The duty of due […]
Lux Leaks Scandal. Juncker Gets A Step Closer to Hot Seat
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, just got a step closer to explaining his role in the Lux Leaks scandal. Speaking after an official visit to Luxembourg, German Member of the European Parliament, Fabio De Masi said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that powerful EU member states like Germany and France are covering aggressive […]