Articles

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's Global Unit for Democracy and Human Rights in Brussels is welcoming applications for its traineeship programme, running from mid-September 2026 to December 2026. The deadline for applications is Sunday, 16 August 2026, 23:59 CEST.

The European Commission suggests a new electrification target, doubling the share of electrons in the EU final energy consumption by the year 2040. Can it energise a common EU energy policy again to prevent fossil fuel price hikes and combat the climate crisis?

The European Commission has revealed its revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), the cornerstone of European climate policy. Since 2005, this cap and trade system has capped greenhouse gas emissions across covered sectors while letting companies trade allowances. But with the Linear Reduction Factor, free allocation and price volatility all up for debate, and a possible extension to private jets and waste incineration on the table, how much climate ambition will survive the rewrite? We put three questions to MEP Michael Bloss (Greens/EFA), shadow rapporteur for the ETS reform, on where the real red lines should be drawn.

Franziska Brantner and Joschka Fischer spoke about the state of the country, for the new Böll.Thema 1/26,. Brantner is Member of the Bundestag since 2013 and Co-Leader of the German green party Alliance 90/The Greens since 2024. Fischer was the first ever Green Vice-Chancellor (1998-2005).

Published in 2021, the first European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan set concrete measures for building a strong social Europe as a way to foster Covid-19 recovery and just transitions. Its upcoming revision brings back the attention to the European social model and how this can support the green transition. We explored with Sebastiano Sabato, Senior Researcher at the European Social Observatory, how the link between social and ecological dimensions can be strengthened in the EU policy landscape to advance just transitions.

Europe is heavily dependent on US companies for cloud services, AI and digital infrastructure. However, the close ties between Big Tech and politics in the US exacerbate the risks associated with this dependence. The EU needs to realign its digital strategy.

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue office in Brussels is seeking proposals for the drafting of two commentaries (800-1200 words) on the implications of Brazil elections for EU-Brazil relations, one published before the elections, one after. Proposals should be submitted by Friday 7 August 2026, EOB.

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue office in Brussels is commissioning a short analysis on the external dimension of EU trade partnerships, with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as the primary case study. Proposals on other partnership structures relevant to this topic, such as WTO reform, or other multilateral or bilateral trade agreements, are also welcome. Proposals should be submitted by Monday 10 August 2026, EOB.

The NATO Summit in Ankara took place against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, growing pressure on European allies to strengthen their own defence capabilities, and continued uncertainty about the future of transatlantic burden-sharing. We spoke with MEP Mārtiņš Staķis about the Summit’s key outcomes, the roles of NATO and the EU in European security, and what new drone initiatives mean for Europe's defence.

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue office in Brussels is commissioning factsheets to illustrate the socio-economic benefits of the EU’s renewable energy and energy savings targets.Proposals should be submitted by Wednesday 26 August 2026 EOB.