Today Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 May, to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Eastern Partnership (#EaP10), the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, are hosting a series of high-level […]
Read More
State aid: Commission approves new commitments package for National Bank of Greece
The European Commission has concluded that Greek support, approved by the Commission in 2014 and 2015, for National Bank of Greece (NBG) remains compatible with EU State aid rules based on a new commitments package submitted by the Greek authorities. Background Since 2015, NBG has successfully executed a significant rationalisation of its operations and sold a substantial part […]
Read More
Behind the scenes of Russia’s foreign policy-making
There is much we don’t know about how foreign policy is being shaped in Russia. Is Vladimir Putin as almighty as some believe him to be? Do international relations academics have an influence on government decisions? The RuKNOW project tried to find out. Relations between the EU and Russia are at one of their lowest […]
Read More
WestMED Hackathons: “Blue Economy contribution to the Summit of the Two Shores”
The first WestMED Hackathons will take place on Tuesday 14 May 2019 in Palermo, Italy. The event, organised by the European Commission and the Co-Presidency of the Initiative for the sustainable development of the blue economy in the western Mediterranean, will showcase and develop concrete projects among businesses, investors, researchers, national and local authorities belonging […]
Read More
Can you afford to pay all your bills?
In 2018, 6.2 % of the population or around 31 million people in the European Union (EU) were severely materially deprived. This means that they cannot afford at least four of the following items, which are considered by most people to be desirable or necessary to lead an adequate life: pay their bills on time; keep their home […]
Read More
Venezuela: Statement from the Ministerial Meeting of the International Contact Group
The International Contact Group (ICG) met on 6 and 7 May in San José, Costa Rica, at ministerial level. Concerned by the recent events in Venezuela, the ICG members renewed their commitment to a political, peaceful, democratic and Venezuelan-owned solution, through the holding of free and fair presidential elections as soon as possible. The ICG […]
Read More
Biodiversity loss tops concerns among Europeans
According to a new survey, Europeans are increasingly concerned about the state of the natural world. In an overwhelming consensus, 96 % of the more than 27.000 interviewed citizens said that we have a responsibility to protect nature and that this is also essential for tackling climate change. The Eurobarometer survey reveals awareness is generally […]
Read More
Strength in unity: EU leaders to look ahead to common future at Sibiu summit
On 9 May 2019, EU leaders will meet in Sibiu, as suggested by President Juncker in his 2017 State of the Union address, to discuss the EU’s next strategic agenda for the period 2019-2024. They will exchange views on the challenges and priorities for the EU for the years to come. The current agenda was […]
Read More
Understanding turbulent political times through innovative EU-funded research
The 2019 European elections will possibly be viewed by future historians as a landmark election for the EU due to the extraordinary political context in which they’re taking place and the challenges to democracy this involves. This is why innovative social sciences research is vital in helping us understand the shifting patterns of democratic participation […]
Read More