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"It is clear. The EU’s energy system, which has sought to banish domestic fossil fuels, has left the member states vulnerable to the global surge in oil and gas prices."

Rising energy prices expose EU’s dependence

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Rising energy prices are mercilessly exposing dependence of the EU. The EU must import 90 percent of its gas, 43 percent of which came through Gazprom last year

"Although 89 Sahrawi organisations wrote a letter of protest to the European Commission against the conclusion of fishing and trade agreements with Morocco over the area belonging to the Sahrawi people, the Commission continued the deals."

EU fisheries policy: destructive and un-democratic

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The EU is no longer allowed to fish the ocean off Western Sahara without the consent of the people of Western Sahara, according to the European (read: EU) Court of Justice

"Whenever a major crisis occurred at home or in the EU, Germans and other Europeans knew, that a sound, well-informed and skilfully negotiating Chancellor Angela Merkel would solve the problems as best as possible and would minimise the damage."

Better than Merkel

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, September 29, 2021

The end of the Merkel era makes many people nervous

"He was the man who was going to turn the horrible Trump page."

‘Biden is Trump without tweets’

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, September 22, 2021

The EU is an illusion poorer. ‘They’ were so excited when Joe Biden was elected

A Eurosceptic as one of the most powerful leaders in the EU? It could bring a refreshing new tone in the monotonous ‘more EU’ debate.

Barnier, from Europhile to Eurosceptic

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Speaking at a campaign event in Nimes, Michel Barnier told his audience that he, if been elected French President, would propose a referendum on a so-called ‘constitutional shield’ on immigration issues

"In a subsequent attempt, the EU created a system of EU battalion-sized battlegroups of 1.500 soldiers in 2007, which have never been used in operations either due to disputes over funding or reluctance to deploy."

An EU Army, the ultimate dream of europhiles

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Will the humiliating and dramatic withdrawal from Kabul lead to EU armed forces? Don’t count on it

"Coal made a come back in the EU. The cold weather, disappointing electricity production from wind energy, and high gas prices mean that coal-fired power stations in the EU have to step in more often."

The coal age is not over

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, September 1, 2021

If the world wants to limit global warming, it must get rid of coal, the most carbon-intensive of all energy resources, as quickly as possible

"While signals are being exchanged in the diplomatic arena, a showdown is taking place in the economic field."

China versus the US: where is the EU?

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, July 28, 2021

For the second time this year, high level diplomats from the United States and China met. Like last time, the conversation was described as ‘open and direct’

The commission has chosen ‘to sacrifice rather than admit that current EU bio energy policy is making the climate crisis worse’, Protect Forest Sweden said.

‘Commission stimulates sacrificing forests’, another environmental blunder

By: N. Peter Kramer | Tuesday, July 20, 2021

The European Commission has been accused of ‘sacrificing forests’ after it published proposals that would allow trees to continue to be burned for fuel

"It is hard to find amongst leaders anywhere in the western world any serious interest in the dramatic effect of the withdrawal for the Afghan people, especially for women."

A shameless and heartless withdrawal

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Once again, the Taliban rule Afghanistan. The western forces, led by the US, have not even completed their ignominious withdrawal, yet the country has been overtaken by the Taliban

"EU sustainability criteria are not enough to stop destruction of nature in Estonia, the EU’s second- largest exporter of wood pellets."

EU rules destroying Estonia’s forests

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

EU rules that encourage the use of wood pellets to meet renewable energy targets are driving the destruction and degradation of forests in Estonia, research commissioned by Greenpeace has found

"Merkel is due to step down this year after 16 years as German chancellor and the heated discussions during the summit were not her smooth send-off everyone expected."

Merkel’s last EU summit

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Angela Merkel said fellow EU leaders’ decision to scupper her idea to hold a summit with Vladimir Putin showed that ‘we don’t trust each other much’

"While the EU continues to sharpen its overall climate ambitions, emissions from the agricultural sector are not falling or are falling only marginally."

EU Court of Auditors: greening agriculture fails

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Despite billions of euros that should contribute to climate friendly agriculture, there is little or no progress

’We have seen senior EU figures talk about Northern Ireland as if it were somehow a different country to the UK’.

EU: ‘Is Northern Ireland really UK territory?’

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The Northern Ireland Protocol, signed separately from the Brexit trade deal agreed at the end of December last year, is supposed to see checks on goods heading into the province from Britain

"The Danish approach of asylum seekers, strongly criticised by UNHCR, has, so far, not raised any fundamental question by the European Commission, although it is at odds with the principles of the 1951 Refugee Convention."

The remarkable Danish Social-Democrats asylum policy

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Thursday last week, the Folketing (the Danish Parliament) passed a law that makes possible to send asylum seekers to a country outside the European Union, where their application will be assessed

"A real offense for the EU is the high level of prosperity in Switzerland, including the low incomes."

Switzerland and the EU: David and Goliath?

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, June 2, 2021

EU politicians fight for the importance of their own position and the EU as an institution

"Under the new rules, the Ombudsman’s office will enjoy a broad mandate and powers of initiative."

A new statute for the European Ombudsman – are the MEPs ready for it?

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, May 26, 2021

The Constitutional Commission of the European Parliament endorsed a draft report on the Statute of the European Ombudsman

"The Ombudsman has already carried out several inquiries related to the revolving door, including one concerning the European Banking Authority and one concerning the European Defence Agency."

Broad inquiry into European Commission’s lucrative ‘revolving doors’

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, May 19, 2021

EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has launched a wide-ranging inquiry into how the European Commission handles so-called ‘revolving doors’ cases amongst its staff

"The Conference should initiate a European Union-wide discussion about the where and for what of the Union."

How serious is the Conference on the Future of Europe?

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, May 12, 2021

The official kick-off of the Conference on the Future of Europe (read: EU) took place on May 9, Europe Day, in Strasbourg

"In strong contrast with the US and China, EU economies have been set back this year."

Chinese and US economies recover from COVID, Eurozone in double-dip recession

By: N. Peter Kramer | Tuesday, May 4, 2021

In the first quarter of 2021 China’s economy continued its strong recovery from coronavirus as the country reported a record growth rate compared to last year

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EU Actually

A UK-US deal sounds good but what does it mean

By: N. Peter Kramer

After Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to the White House in February, the UK delegation referred to what was being negotiated as an "economic deal"

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04/2021 2021

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What Le Pen’s sentence means for the rule of law in Europe

Marine Le Pen’s conviction for embezzlement and ban from elected office have sparked accusations from far-right and populist movements of antidemocratic behavior. But the ruling shows that attachment to the rule of law is resilient, and upholding it is the only way to counter claims that the system is rigged

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