EU considers debt relief for countries hit by floods, wildfires
By: EBR | Monday, September 6, 2021
The emergency costs related to this summer’s floods and wildfires could be classified as “a one-off” expenditure and therefore excluded from the calculation of EU countries’ public deficits this year
Energy Charter Treaty cannot be used in intra-EU disputes, rules top court
By: EBR | Friday, September 3, 2021
An international treaty used by polluting energy companies to claim compensation from governments who thwart their investments was ruled incompatible with EU law by the Court of Justice of the European Union
French minister calls for more ‘brutal changes’ to address climate change
By: EBR | Friday, September 3, 2021
To get on the right track of the aspirations of the Paris Climate Agreement “the efforts will be harder, the changes more brutal”
How to ensure no one is left behind by infrastructure development
By: EBR | Friday, September 3, 2021
Governments have begun to invest in the large infrastructure projects needed to reverse the diseconomies and congestion that characterise many African and Asian cities
Olaf Scholz: The CDU’s Best Chancellor Candidate
By: EBR | Friday, September 3, 2021
If Germany’s CDU had used an executive search firm to find a successor for Angela Merkel as Chancellor, it would have probably come up with an intriguing proposition
Ahead of German election, parties split on strengthening EU health cooperation
By: EBR | Thursday, September 2, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted debates on stronger European health policy cooperation
How to regulate hydrogen networks
By: EBR | Thursday, September 2, 2021
The need to regulate hydrogen transport networks is becoming increasingly urgent, but legislation needs to be designed in a way to give the market flexibility to overcome the challenges ahead
EU biofuel reform plan risks undermining waste-based fuels: industry
By: EBR | Wednesday, September 1, 2021
The European Commission’s proposal to halt advanced biofuels from being double-counted towards road transport energy targets would diminish the use of waste-based fuels in favour of cheaper crop-based biofuels
An assertive trade policy: EU’s defence measures against unfair trade practices remained effective in 2020
By: EBR | Tuesday, August 31, 2021
The system for protecting EU businesses from dumped and subsidised imports continued to function well in 2020 thanks to the EU’s robust and innovative ways of using trade defence instruments (TDI)
CAP deal lays ground for third ‘social’ pillar
By: EBR | Monday, August 30, 2021
The post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform agreement struck in June introduced a new concept of social dimension that bears the potential to build a third “pillar” for the EU’s farming subsidy programme in the near future
The Message of Merkel’s Last Official Visits to Russia and Ukraine
By: EBR | Friday, August 27, 2021
The German chancellor’s legacy with regard to Russia and Ukraine is mixed, if not contradictory. Still, her successor is unlikely to show the same level of interest, commitment, or clout in their relations with Kiev and Moscow
German court says EU ‘unbundling’ rules apply to Nord Stream 2 pipeline
By: EBR | Thursday, August 26, 2021
The Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline is not exempt from European Union rules that require the owners of pipelines to be different from the suppliers of the gas that flows in them to ensure fair competition
At G7 summit, EU fails to extend the deadline for Kabul airport evacuations
By: EBR | Wednesday, August 25, 2021
At the G7 summit on Tuesday (24 August), EU leaders urged US President Joe Biden to continue securing Kabul airport until operations to evacuate vulnerable Afghans are completed past the 31 August deadline, apparently without success
Euro zone business boom roared on in August, figures show
By: EBR | Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Business activity in the euro zone grew strongly this month, only dipping from July’s two-decade high monthly pace, as a rapid COVID-19 vaccination drive allowed more firms to reopen and customers to venture out, a survey showed
Green agri goals achievable but risk being undermined by carbon leakage – report
By: EBR | Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Sustainability goals in the agrifood sector are achievable but risk being undermined by weak trade policies, a new assessment by the European Commission’s in-house scientists has found
A carbon neutral Europe? Not without the Balkans
By: EBR | Monday, August 23, 2021
Increasing their share of renewable energy is crucial to the Western Balkans, but this must be done using the right technology for the region and with support from the European Union
Carbon pricing in buildings and transport is necessary but must be done well
By: EBR | Thursday, August 5, 2021
Without pricing CO2 emissions from buildings and transport, Europe will miss its -55% emissions target, but it must be introduced bearing in mind the political and societal risks, particularly in countries like Poland
EU extends tariffs on U.S. biodiesel for five years
By: EBR | Tuesday, August 3, 2021
The European Union will retain its tariffs on U.S. biodiesel for a further five years after concluding that removing them would likely lead to a surge of imports at artificially low prices
Borrell lashes out to his boss Von der Leyen
By: N. Peter Kramer | Monday, August 2, 2021
The EU is not living up to its promises to Africa and Latin America as it is shipping “insufficient” coronavirus vaccine doses to them, Josep Borrell said Friday
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe
By: EBR | Monday, August 2, 2021
Empty words and slogans will not decarbonise Europe. The EU’s leaders must stop paying lip service to the climate emergency
By: N. Peter Kramer
