Need to Step Up Wind Power Development

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Photo by Mike Setchell on Unsplash Wind power is a key component of the green transition but there is an urgent need for expanded and modernised energy grids. So says the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). A strong wind industry could improve the EU’s environmental, economic and social well-being, is the main idea of the EESC  opinion drafted…

King Philippe of Belgium Calls for Unity in the Fight Against Climate Change

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Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash The King of Belgium has highlighted Europe’s role as a “geo-ecological actor”, and called for the defence of democracy in the face of autocratic trends. In his address to the European Parliament on  Wednesday, King Philippe stressed that in recent years, Europe has been marked by crises, and that in “these times…

Environmentally Friendly Skies for EU?

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Photo by Géraud Gordias on Unsplash The EU Council presidency and European Parliament’s negotiators have reached a provisional agreement on the reform of the Single European Sky.  The aim of the reform is to try to reduce aviation’s impact on environment and climate. It also hopes to improve the performance, organisation and management of European airspace. The legislative package consists of an amended proposal for the recast of the Single European Sky regulation and a proposal for a regulation amending the EU Aviation Safety Agency basic…

Candlelight Concerts Promise to Hit High Note

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Photo by Andrew Ebrahim on Unsplash They span different eras but are undoubtedly two of the biggest names in the history of popular music. Adele and ABBA – they are so big they are instantly recognisable just by a single word. Both come, of course, from quite different eras: one from the glam rock period of the 1970s,…

Rwanda Genocide Remembered

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Photo by Hanna Morris on Unsplash  An estimated 3 million people were “slaughtered” in the Rwanda genocide. It is an event that has passed into the annals of history as one of the worst ever such atrocities. The weekend,therefore, was a chance for the international community to come together to mark what was the 30th anniversary of this…

New Firefighting Planes for EU

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Photo by Kyle Cleveland on Unsplash The EU says it is financing the purchase of new firefighting planes to increase its aerial firefighting capabilities. Some €600 million in EU funds will be used to purchase 12 new planes, which will be hosted across 6 EU Member States: Croatia, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. The new planes will…

Fighting for a Fairer Future

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Photo by Yoal Desurmont on Unsplash A conference will be held this month in Brussels in recognition of the contribution made to society by the Roma community, including in the conflict in Ukraine. It comes also with the publication of a new report “Fighting for a Fairer Future” by the Roma Foundation for Europe which highlights the contribution made…

Training for MEPs

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Photo by Saif71.com on Unsplash All MEPs will in future have to follow mandatory training sessions within the first six months in office focusing on the prevention of conflict and harassment in the workplace. They will also be taught “effective office management.” Parliament’s new anti-harassment rule, which has just been agreed, will be among the final votes during…

Defending Europe: Forget the big guns and aim for ‘smart’ warfare

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Photo by UX Gun on Unsplash Giles Merritt, founder of Friends of Europe, warns that increased defence spending on ‘white elephant’ projects risks starving more innovative ones that could revolutionise military thinking.  Ukraine’s David may not have felled the Russian Goliath, but so far he’s stopped him in his tracks. The significance of how Ukraine unexpectedly stalemated Russia’s…