In what some have called a “pivotal moment” for the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as the President of the European Commission. With 401 votes in favour, von der Leyen (VDL) will serve once more as the head of the EU’s executive. She was re-elected by MEPs in Strasbourg a secret ballot on…
MEPs will vote today to decide if Ursula von der Leyen serves another term as EC president. The former German defence minister has served as head of the Commission since 2019. The result of the keenly awaited vote by MEPs will be known later today. She faces competition from other candidates, including ECR Co-Chairman Nicola…
Photo by Eduard Delputte on Unsplash The European Union this week decides on its leaders and who will steer the 27-strong bloc for the next five years. With bitter wars still waging in Ukraine and the Middle East and countless other crises, the votes on EU leaders come at a pivotal time for both the Union and wider…
Photo by Kiran kichu on Unsplash Two new items have been given “protected” status by the EU. This comes after the EU Commission approved the addition of Cochinillo de Segovia and Twente to the protected list of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The first comes from Spain while Twente wine is from the Netherlands. Cochinillo de Segovia is meat…
A decision on the next president of the EU commission will take place in Strasbourg next week. In the run-up to the recent European elections, the EPP Group elected Ursula von der Leyen as its Spitzenkandidat to become the next President of the European Commission. She is also the EU Member States’ candidate for this…
Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash They say that the EU has not managed to significantly reduce persistent spending errors in cohesion policy, whose aim is to reduce social and economic disparities within the EU. European Commission and member state controls are still lacking at every level, according to a review by the European Court of Auditors. While…
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash The EU’s financial watchdog says there are still “many obstacles” facing EU citizens who want to work or set up a business in another member state. Getting professional qualifications recognised continues to be a problem, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors. The EU adopted a directive in 2005…
Photo by Saif71.com on Unsplash New laws to combat violence against women have now entered into force. Violence against women and domestic violence affect an estimated one in three of the 228 million women in the EU. However, a new EU wide law aims to offer much needed help and support to victims. It seeks to criminalised certain…
Photo by Manson Yim on Unsplash The EU’s outgoing foreign affairs chief says there has been a “continuous erosion of the rights and freedoms” of people in Hong Kong. Josep Borrell was reacting to the release of the EU’s 2023 annual report on Hong Kong. The former Spanish MEP said the report “illustrates in great detail the continuous…
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash The EU is stepping up its ongoing efforts to protect children from potentially harmful online porn sites. It is asking online platforms to spell out what measures they are taking about the dissemination of “illegal and harmful” content. The sites have until early next month to respond. Failure to do so could…
