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…
Author: Our Staff Correspondent
Draghi Presents Report to Parliament
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…
The New European Commission
Photo European Parliament Press Service European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has presented to the European Parliament her proposal for the new European Commission. On Tuesday, speaking in Strasbourg to MEPs, she told MEPs her thoughts on the new line up. The former German defence minister said, “We do not have the…
Stop Labour Exploitation
Photo by Allan Wadsworth on Unsplash More than 700 workers “united” on Tuesday in front of the European Parliament, Strasbourg, France, to call upon the EU institutions for urgent action to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains and labour intermediation. The European action organised by the EFBWW (European Federation of Building and Woodworkers), EFFAT…
Decline of Media Freedom in Italy
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash Media freedom in Italy has been steadily declining in recent years, says a new report. This, it claims, is marked by “unprecedented attacks and violations often initiated by public officials in an attempt to silence critical voices.” The claims are made by the Media Freedom Rapid Response…
Support for Draghi Report from Rail Business
Photo by Akshay Nanavati on Unsplash The European rail supply industry says it supports the recommendations of Draghi’s competitiveness report. The sector says this could cut emissions, lower freight costs by 10% and drive investment in rail. The report on the future of European competitiveness was authored by former Italian PM Mario Draghi. It…
EU Crackdown on Apple’s Irish Tax Deal
Photo by zhang kaiyv on Unsplash A senior MEP says the outcome of a high profile court case on Tuesday was a “landmark victory” for the EU. The comments come after Europe’s top court backed the EU crackdown against Apple’s Irish tax deal and Google’s anti-competitive practices in two cases. Apple was told…
The Future of EU Competitiveness
Photo by Farah Almazouni on Unsplash A major new report, which looks at the challenges faced by the industry and companies in the Single Market, has been given a guarded welcome. The findings of the report on the Future of EU Competitiveness seeks to contribute to the Commission’s work on a new plan…
The Future of Agriculture
Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash A major new report voices optimism about the future of the troubled agricultural sector in Europe. This is despite concerns voiced by farmers in the recent past that the industry attracted insufficient support at national and EU level. The report, by the 29 members of the EU’s…
Delays in Implementing Recovery Plans
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash The first three years of the EU’s €724 billion Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) have seen delays in funds being disbursed and projects being implemented. That is according to a worrying report published on Tuesday by the EU watchdog. The delays, they says, “put at risk the achievement…