Migration agreement with Egypt: EU backing the wrong horse Published: 22 March 2024 Commentary The European Commission has signed a new agreement with Egypt. One of the aims is to reduce migration to Europe. But this will most likely not succeed. By Anna Schwarz
Thirty years on: why the Channel Tunnel has failed to reach its potential Published: 6 March 2024 Commentary It’s hard to imagine travel without it. Yet Brexit, COVID, government disinterest and tighter security have ramped up the cost of travelling through the Channel Tunnel, which opened almost 30 years ago. Jon Worth looks at why the tunnel has not lived up to early expectations. By Jon Worth
Böll EU Newsletter 2/2024 - Letter from our Director Published: 5 March 2024 Newsletter In fewer than 100 days, Europe’s citizens will go to the polls to elect their representatives to the European Parliament. The outgoing parliament faced historic challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to Russia’s war in Ukraine. It rose to the occasion, advancing key legislative proposals and promoting the European Green Deal as a flagship project. By Roderick Kefferpütz
"I have nothing to regret or repent for" - Russian human rights activist Oleg Orlov sentenced to prison Published: 29 February 2024 Plea On February 27 2024, the well-known Russian human rights activist Oleg Orlov, co-founder and long-time director of the Memorial human rights centre, was sentenced to two years and six months of prison Moscow and arrested in the courtroom - for "repeated discrediting of the Russian army."
Lessons from the Kosovo war: no time for European complacency Published: 28 February 2024 Analysis The Kosovo war 25 years ago serves as a reminder that frozen conflicts and bilateral disputes cannot be swept under the rug for long. In the current geopolitical environment, they will blow up in Europe’s face. By Agon Maliqi
3 Questions on European security to MdB Sara Nanni Published: 26 February 2024 3 questions EU nukes, EU army, EU Defence Commissioner – the debate on European security and defence is heating up. It feels like every week a new political proposal is made. So we asked three questions to Sara Nanni, Member of the German Bundestag and the Green parliamentary group’s spokesperson on defence policy, on how she views the latest developments. By Roderick Kefferpütz and Sara Nanni
"We all must fight for our democracy" Published: 22 February 2024 Interview The Europe that will go to the polls in June 2024 is very different from that of 2019. Pandemic recovery, the climate and energy crisis, war in the continent, and the rise of the far right are all driving the narratives of the electoral campaign, but also mobilising progressive forces. Roderick Kefferpütz interviews MEP Terry Reintke, Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group and Spitzenkandidatin for the European Greens, on Green solutions for Europe in uncertain and volatile times. By Roderick Kefferpütz and Terry Reintke
Böll EU Newsletter 1/2024 - Letter from our Director Published: 14 February 2024 Newsletter The fabric of the European security order is fraying. Putin’s imperialist revisionism threatens Europe. Trump is undermining US security guarantees for Europe. And Orbán’s vetoes are impeding European action. This is nothing new; the writing has been on the wall for a long time. What has changed is the urgency. Putin’s revisionism, Trump’s erraticism, and Orbán’s obstructionism are coming to a head. It’s crunch time. By Roderick Kefferpütz
Taiwan: and the winner is… democracy! Published: 13 February 2024 Analysis On 13 January 2024, Taiwan successfully conducted presidential and legislative elections. The people have shown that their hard-fought democracy is the one value everybody can agree on. There were no big surprises. The DPP won the presidency and now faces a divided parliament in which no party holds a majority. This article analyses what this means for Taiwan, as well as cross-strait and EU-Taiwan relations. By Christina Sadeler
How fossil fuel money stalled Britain’s commitment to net zero Published: 12 February 2024 Commentary Britain’s right-wing news outlets have sown doubt on the viability of net zero, and the government has pushed back targets and issued new licences for North Sea exploration. Hazel Healy explains how a group of influential think tanks whose donors and board members profit from fossil fuels have systematically undermined climate science and renewable technologies. Their connections to No 10 enable them to sway the Prime Minister and his ministers. By Hazel Healy