Photo by Fred Moon on Unsplash UK organised civil society is strongly in favour of a “deeper and more constructive” relationship with their EU counterparts and the EU as a whole, says a new report. This, it is argued, could contribute to the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and help maximise the potential of the…
Photo by Taras Chernus on Unsplash Freedom of speech is regarded as one of the most fundamental freedoms underpinning western democracies. The problem now is how to handle abuses of this freedom, writes Philip Bushill-Matthews. The EU Charter on Fundamental Rights was proclaimed by the European Parliament in 2000. Article 11 proudly stated that ‘everyone has the right…
Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash EU countries are all facing immigration pressures, but despite Brexit, immigrants from other countries are still keen to come to the UK, writes Philip Bushill-Matthews. Nigel Farage as Leader of the UK Independence Party had his own solution: the UK needed an Australian-style points system (although ironically the Australian system helped immigrants…
The EU says it will increase the ongoing Macro-financial Assistance (MFA) to the Republic of Moldova by up to €145 million, bringing the total amount of ongoing MFA support to the country to up to €295 million. With this proposal, the Commission says it is standing by Moldova as the country continues to implement its reform…
Photo by Carlos “Grury” Santos on Unsplash Climate change is the biggest issue facing the future of our planet. As President of COP26 in Glasgow last year it was UK Cabinet member Alok Sharma who secured world-wide agreement of a realistic programme to address it. Sharma would later condemn the Egyptian President of COP27 from failing to build…
We publish here in full the text of the speech given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan H.E. Vladimir Norov, at a round table conference held on 18 December at Archazor in Uzbekistan. I warmly welcome you to our already traditional New Year’s Eve diplomatic event, which this time takes place in the beautiful…
Photo by Viktor Bystrov on Unsplash Animals and people in Ukraine are in desperate need of help to stay warm amid frequent shelling and cuts in power and water networks. As temperatures are dropping below zero and snow has already fallen in Ukraine, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is expanding its efforts to ensure pets can stay…
Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash A much-needed charity for Belgium’s English speaking community has seen a huge rise in referrals in the past two years. The Community Help Service, based in Brussels, provides a 24 hour helpline for people who feel the need to speak to someone about a personal problem, including possible mental health issues. The…
After years of enlargement fatigue, it is now time for the EU to truly recommit to the accession perspective of the Western Balkan region and accelerate the enlargement process. This is the main message MEPs are sent to participants of the EU-Western Balkan Summit in Tirana. The S&D Group hosted the high-level summit in Vienna. Among…
The EPP Group says it “strongly welcomes” the decision of the European Commission to insist that the Hungarian Government must do more to strengthen the rule of law. The group also says that the country should not receive any more EU money until remedial measures are fully in place. “This is an historic moment for…
