Articles about:
European Commission
For half a century I have campaigned for a united Europe with Britain playing a full role. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) that was approved by the British Parliament on 30 December heralded, for me, a very bad and very very painful day. The TCA finalises Britain’s divorce from...
At the end of September, the European Commission has presented a proposal for a new asylum and refugee policy. It is very detailed with a lot of legal regulations. But it does not address the crucial points for an effective solution that corresponds to the challenges on the ground, international...
In March 2020, a number of academics in charge of different EU funded projects concerned with migration sent an open letter to the European Commission (EC). By addressing the President of the EC and the commissioners for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Home Affairs, and Crisis Management, about 50...
In September 2020, the European Commission finally presented its New Pact on Migration and Asylum. The proposals were supposed to inject much-needed momentum into the reform of the European asylum system, which the Council has delayed for too long. But again, we see that Member States maintain well-known positions to...
Two weeks ago, the European Commission published a highly ambitious Communication on a European Health Union. There is little doubt that the EU’s role in health will increase significantly in the near future. There should not just be more Europe, but also a better Europe at play in this crucial...
With its ‘New Pact on Migration and Asylum’, the European Commission has taken on one of the most divisive and controversial issues within the bloc. And one that puts its own human rights record most prominently on the spot. The outcome are elaborate proposals, heavy on procedure but weak on...
As we learned from the great British historian Eric Hobsbawm, tradition is something that is invented. The tradition of State of the Union (SOTEU) speeches by the European Commission president was invented in 2010, in the wake of the great financial crisis. It has always provided a panorama of EU...
The new European Commission can open up opportunities for progressive forces to regain influence in the European direction. Over the Commission’s five-year mandate, Europe will be confronted with new global trends, and bold and progressive leadership will be needed. The focus of this European Commission is fundamentally different from that...
Establishing a new European Commission is always a bumpy ride. Collecting enough votes in the European Parliament, receiving the right nominations and allocating the commissioner designates to their future portfolios in a convincing way is a multidimensional chess game that brings daily excitement to the Brussels bubble. The new Commission...