The European Commission has presented its Work Programme for 2025 to MEPs meeting in Strasbourg. The plan puts an emphasis on competitiveness, simplification and defence. The work programme focuses on the flagship initiatives the Commission will take in the first year of its mandate, “responding to the issues that matter most to Europeans.” The EC…
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash MEPs say that in times of unprecedented polycrisis and existential threats to democracy, Europe must tackle public frustration over economic and social inequality through bold tax reforms. That is the message from an event on Tuesday, organised by the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament. MEPs say action…
Photo by James Claffey on Unsplash British entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar has branded Brexit a disaster. He was speaking just ahead of the 5th anniversary of the UK’s EU exit. He said that if he had the choice the UK should go on bended knee to the EU asking to be readmitted. Lord Sugar, a…
Photo by Mr Cup / Fabien Barral on Unsplash If you’re a journalist, the coming year could spell depressing news, according to a new survey by a UK national newspaper. It produces dispiriting news for those working in some sectors although if, like British PM Sir Keir Starmer’s late father, you are a toolmaker, there…
Photo by Matt Brown on Unsplash A major new poll of public attitudes towards UK-EU relations since 2016 has just been published. It was compiled by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The study surveyed over 9,000 respondents and was commissioned through pollsters YouGov and Datapraxis after November’s US election. People in six European…
Photo by Elevate on Unsplash Beer remains a motor for Europe’s economy but continues to face multiple challenges, ranging from the aftershocks of the Covid pandemic to supply chain turbulence, say The Brewers of Europe. The 2024 edition of the European Beer Trends Report, released on 3 December, provides a snapshot of country-by-country production, consumption…
Photo by tommao wang on Unsplash Average wages in Britain are only slightly higher than they were in 2007, says a new report. What it calls an extraordinary fact is down, it says, to extremely weak productivity growth after 2008. France, on the other hand, managed to keep pace with US output per hour in the decade…
The European Parliament yesterday held an extraordinary plenary session with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marking 1000 days of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Opening the sitting, its President Roberta Metsola said that Parliament would continue standing with Ukraine until it has “freedom and real peace, for as long as it takes.” Speaking in Brussels, she…
Photo by Jigar Panchal on Unsplash EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has warmly congratulated Donald Trump on his election as the 47th President of the United States of America. But others have cautioned that his win now presents a profound challenge to world stability. Following Trump’s bigger than expected victory, von der Leyen said…
The BRICS summit, which kicked off on October 22 in Kazan Russia, has been labelled a Russian project, but its reality is more complex. While Russia leverages the BRICS bloc to project itself as a global power and counter Western sanctions, the organisation is struggling with internal contradictions and inefficiencies. Established as an alternative…
