European Union

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives settled a row over migration that threatened to topple her fragile governing coalition late on Monday evening after talks with her rebellious interior minister led him to drop his threat to resign.

Poland’s upper house of parliament approved an amendment to the country's renewable energy law on Friday (29 June) meant to remove obstacles to green energy investment and help Warsaw meet EU targets.

Self-employment is becoming more diversified in Europe and covers an increasing number of activities. But this small revolution raises issues when it comes to social protection. EURACTIV.fr reports.

Thailand has become one of the largest dumpsites for electronic waste from developed countries since China’s January ban on the import of plastic waste. EURACTIV’s partner Le Journal de l’environnement reports.

The attitude that the EU owes something to the candidate countries in the Western Balkans is wrong, as well as the belief that concerns over the growing Russian influence in the region will be enough to bring someone "closer to the EU”, according to the EU Ambassador to Montenegro, Aivo Orav.

The UK government should immediately open talks to secure a Data Adequacy Decision from the European Commission, MPs said in a new report published on Tuesday (2 July).

The European Commission wants future connected vehicles to be able to run both on 5G and Wifi networks, claiming its upcoming legal proposal will remain "technology neutral". But a leading lawmaker warns this will in effect give preference to one technology over another.

The next European Commission should focus on the bloc’s role in the global context of innovation, as China is “decisive” about creating a reliable framework for intellectual property and connecting biotech start-ups and digital companies, EFPIA’s President Stefan Oschmann told EURACTIV.com in an interview.  

The creation of the new ministry for ecological transition in Spain brings fresh air not only at the national level but also at the EU level as Spain can give a push in the fight against climate change, writes Ana Barreira.

On 2 July 2018, the Eurogroup welcomed Germany's submissions of an updated draft budgetary plan for 2018.

The EU has threatened the US with countermeasures worth $294 billion if the Trump administration imposes further tariffs on European cars as a result of the ongoing investigation into whether they pose a possible threat to national security.

https://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/ebe92864-1b50-11e5-bc5c-bc764e084e2e_273.7_thumb_169_1441731607_1441731606_129_97shar_c1.jpg

EU Naval Operation Sophia against human smugglers in the Mediterranean, previously EUNAVFOR Med. The operation is aimed at disrupting the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Mediterranean and to prevent the further loss of life at sea. It is part of a wider EU comprehensive approach to migration, tackling both the symptoms and root causes such as conflict, poverty, climate change and persecution.

Download this video here.

Plenary session, Strasbourg

Source : © European Union, 2018 - EP

This study has been written by Desmond Dinan, Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University, Virginia. Professor Dinan, who has been a Visiting Fellow at DG EPRS, is writing in a personal capacity.

For the first year in almost a decade, the European Council was not in crisis mode in 2017. Throughout the year, the political and economic situation in the European Union (EU) improved markedly.

© Fotolia

Brexit was a challenge, not a crisis. President Tusk devoted considerable attention to the matter in 2017. Because of his preparatory work, it took up surprisingly little time at EU-27 (Article 50) meetings, the format of the European Council dealing with the issue following the announcement by the United Kingdom (UK) of its intention to withdraw. Nevertheless, the European Council played a decisive role, first, on 29 April, by approving guidelines for opening negotiations with the UK; second, on 15 December, by agreeing to move to the second phase of the process, following the UK’s commitment to a divorce deal in the first phase.

The European Council met at 27 also to discuss the future of Europe. The European Council’s contributions included the Rome Declaration in March and the Leaders’ Agenda in October, an initiative to improve the working methods and output of the European Council, covering an 18‑month period. The European Council gave the Leaders’ Agenda its first real test in December, when it convened separate Leaders’ Meetings on migration and EMU reform (during a Euro Summit).

Migration remained the most contentious and time-consuming issue for the European Council, although it became less urgent by the end of 2017 thanks to a dramatic reduction in the number of migrants entering the EU across the central Mediterranean. The big fault line within the European Council centred on the relocation of migrants among Member States, with a number of leaders adamantly opposing mandatory quotas. The divide was clearly visible in December, when the European Council discussed migration under the auspices of the Leaders’ Agenda.

The European Council basked in good economic news in 2017. EU leaders addressed economic and social issues at the March European Council; discussed the digital economy at a special summit in Tallinn, in September; and participated in the Gothenburg Social Summit, in November. European Council meetings in 2017 were conspicuously devoid of EMU-related discussions until President Tusk convened an inclusive (EU-27) Euro Summit in December, under the auspices of the Leaders’ Agenda, to discuss EMU reform.

There were major advances in 2017 in the policy fields of security and defence. Growing international uncertainty undoubtedly helped. The most noteworthy development was the launch of permanent structured cooperation (PESCO), a Treaty-based framework to deepen defence cooperation among a self-selecting group of Member States, in December.

The most significant change in the composition of the European Council in 2017 was the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron, in June. German Chancellor Angela Merkel won re-election in September, although lengthy negotiations to form a new coalition government kept her away from the November summit and delayed a much-anticipated infusion of new Franco-German energy into the future of Europe debate. President Tusk was re-elected to a second, two-and-a-half year term in March.

Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, addressed the European Council at the beginning of each of its regular and some of its other meetings in 2017. President Tusk reported to Parliament in January 2017 on the outcome of the December 2016 summit; and later in 2017 on the outcome of that that year’s March, April, and October summits.

Read the complete in-depth analysis on ‘The European Council in 2017: Overview of decisions and discussions‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Macron’s European dream ran into a wall of national politics at last week's EU summit. A swing to the right of the European agenda appeared to trump the in-depth economic reforms championed by the French president. EURACTIV.fr reports.

The Austrian government (a mix of Christian-democrats and far-right eurosceptics) has taken over the rotating presidency of the Council with a programme focused on tackling immigration. EURACTIV’s partner Euroefe reports.

The Brexit negotiations are following the same pattern of the UK's tortured and contradictory relationship with the EU. That could lead to a 'no deal' Brexit by default rather than design, warn Dr Fabian Zuleeg and Matt Bevington.

The European Commission formally notified Poland on Monday (July 2) that it had initiated infringement proceedings against the country because of the controversial Supreme Court Act, but gave the Polish authorities one month to answer.

The European Commission has opened an infringement procedure against Poland on Monday over the member state's judicial reform, due to go into force on Tuesday. It sent a letter of formal notice saying that the law is incompatible with the EU treaty. "The Commission is of the opinion that these measures undermine the principle of judicial independence, including the irremovability of judges," it said in a press statement.

Written by Marcin Grajewski,

© DarwelShots / Fotolia

The escalating trade conflict between the United States and other countries and regions, such as China and the European Union, coupled with a capricious outcome of the recent summit of the world’s seven most industrialised economies (G7) have raised a question mark over the U.S.’s continued commitment to the stability of the post-Cold War, rules based international economic and political order. The row, which is already affecting stock and bond markets, started when U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports this year, under his ‘America First’ policy. Now that China and the EU have applied retaliatory tariffs, President Trump threatens to erect more trade barriers, for example against EU-made cars.

This note offers links to a series of recent commentaries and reports from major international think tanks and research institutes on the trade conflict, the outcome of the G7 meeting and the future of the international economic order. More reports on international trade can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think Tanks are thinking’ published in March 2018.

G7 fiasco

The G7 is dead, long live the G7
Bruegel, June 2018

We need a new international order: Here’s why
Rand Corporation, June 2018

Trump just blew up the G-7: Now what?
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Why Russia should not re-join the G7
Rand Corporation, June 2018

The G-7 is dead, long live the G-7?
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Trump’s G-7 mistake is clear
American Enterprise Institute, June 2018

Present at the destruction?
Atlantic Council, June 2018

At G7 summit, Trump takes a wrecking ball to the West
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Why the G7 is a zero
Chatham House, June 2018

Global order

Sustaining the global expansion
Brookings Institution, June 2018

Trump’s tariffs presage a world with no rules
Chatham House, June 2018

Can Europe save the world order?
European Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

America’s pivot from the West
Hudson Institute, June 2018

Chatham house expert perspectives 2018: Risks and opportunities in international affairs
Chatham House, June 2018

Might unmakes right: The American assault on the rule of law in world trade
Centre for International Governance Innovation, May 2018

Trade rows

Trump, China, and tariffs: From soybeans to semiconductors
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

There’s a new tariff in town: Implications of Trump’s steel tariffs
Atlantic Council, June 2018

On trade, should allies treat the United States as a rogue nation?
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Companies have workarounds in trade wars, but consumers will have to pay
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

Trump’s Canada feud signals weakness, not strength
American Enterprise Institute, June 2018

Is Trump in a trade war? An up-to-date guide
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

The Trump opportunity: Chinese perceptions of the US administration
European Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

China’s retaliation to Trump’s tariffs
Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2018

Trump’s Tariffs are hurting U.S. competitiveness
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Trade wars: Just how exposed are EU Member States and industries to the US market?
Bruegel, June 2018

Europe should swallow its pride
Centre for European Policy Studies, June 2018

How Europe should respond to Trump’s steel tariffs
Centre for European Policy Studies, June 2018

Trump has cornered Congressional republicans on free trade
Chatham House, June 2018

Dangerous brinkmanship
Heritage Foundation, June 2018

World leaders didn’t take Trump at his word on trade. Now they’re in a pickle
Council on Foreign Relations, June 2018

Democracy in danger: Confusing the symptoms of disorder with its cause
Atlantic Council, June 2018

Trump and Europe: Atlantic hurricane season?
Centre for European Reform, May 2018

Trump’s hot-cold stance on China
Brookings Institution, May 2018

For Trump, it’s the trade deficit above all else
Chatham House, May 2018

Trump tariffs primarily hit multinational supply chains, harm US technology competitiveness
Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2018

The EU should not sing to Trump’s tune on trade
Bruegel, May 2018

How Angela Merkel’s ‘gift’ of goodwill could boost Beijing-Berlin trade ties at Donald Trump’s expense
Carnegie Europe, May 2018

Trade without Trump: The way forward, a European perspective
Instituto Affari Internazionali, May 2018

Trade war: How tensions have risen between China, the EU and the US
Bruegel, May 2018

U.S. tariffs on China are well deserved
Hudson Institute, May 2018

NAFTA termination: Legal process in Canada and Mexico
Peterson Institute for International Economics, April 2018

Trade wars in a winner-take-all world
Centre for European Policy Studies, April 2018

The future of the United States and Europe: An irreplaceable partnership
Chatham House, April 2018

A safety net to foster support for trade and globalisations: International survey on attitudes towards trade and globalisation 2018
Bertelsmann Stiftung, April 2018

China: Forced technology transfer and theft?
Peterson Institute for International Economics, May 2018

Washington crossed a line on tariffs
German Marshall Fund, April 2018

Why this round of U.S. protectionism is different
Bruegel, April 2018

Tariff dispute is just one tussle in longer US–China struggle
Chatham House, April 2018

Trade Wars: What are they good for?
Bruegel, April 2018

Read this briefing on ‘International trade and the G7‘ on the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.