New Look Commission

European Commission Media Service

The new-look European Commission has been unveiled by its President Ursula von der Leyen.   Outlining the new team to MEPs in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the German official told deputies that gender balance had been uppermost in her thoughts.   The college, as it is formally called, comprises 11 women, 40 per cent of the…

Draghi Presents Report to Parliament

Photo by Ben Morris on Unsplash

  Photo by Ben Morris on Unsplash   Former Italian PM Mario Draghi has outlined his ambitious blueprint for improving Europe’s competitiveness through closer cooperation in core areas and massive investment in shared objectives. Draghi is the author of a major report on European competitiveness commissioned by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the…

LEZ is Hot in Brussels

Photo by Ben Morris on Unsplash

  Photo by Ben Morris on Unsplash   The two-year postponement of the next phase of the LEZ (the low emission zone) in Brussels is not a proposal burdened with community-based issues. I am Dutch-speaking and co-submitted the proposal. So why is it, as we say in Belgium, being played out as a community issue?…

Is it too early to talk about pantomime?

Oh no it isn’t! Yes, preparations for that much-loved of English traditions the panto are back in full swing. The panto season does not actually start until nearer Christmas but, as they are so popular all over the country, plans such as casting are already well under way and tickets are selling fast. For many…