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At the end of the day, withstanding the tide of populism and the extreme nationalism means addressing the discontents that feed it. There are a number of explanations for rising populism in Europe. One is that nationalism is a form of self-defence in the environment of raising inequalities, as put by the French thinker Bernard Sordet. This, indeed, is a challenge we need to address in Europe and in the world, in general. Although European societies are among the most equal in the world, significant disparities still exist. On average, the wealthiest 20 per cent of households earn five times as much as the poorest 20 per cent, according to the European Commission.

Populism, the three-headed monster

By: EBR | Thursday, October 12, 2017

Europe’s economy is firmly on track and the President of the European Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker encourages us to leave the harbor and sail deep seas

Public grandstanding and high-profile interventions and declarations are not the only tools at the EU’s disposal. Policymakers, including MEPs should be seeking ways to engage in creative third-party mediation, which could include turning to trusted non-politicians, including non-Europeans, who can persuade Madrid and Barcelona to abandon confrontation in favour of dialogue and negotiation.

In a world of belligerent nationalisms, it’s not just Catalonia that needs cool-headed mediation

By: EBR | Tuesday, October 10, 2017

With Spain and Catalonia still locked in confrontation, cool-headed mediators are desperately needed to take the heat out of the escalating Catalan crisis

Digital innovations have not been used sufficiently at European level either. The European Commission has funded some pilot projects targeting youth e-participation. Some MEPs communicate digitally with their constituencies. However digital democracy agenda is largely missing from both strategic policy documents, such as the Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe, and practical measures.

Digital democracy could engage citizens in Europe

By: EBR | Thursday, October 5, 2017

Digital technology has become a part of daily life for shopping, work and media consumption – and it is rapidly advancing into the physical world with the development of the Internet of Things. Less well-known are digital initiatives in democracy

The key lies in the phrase “solidarity against reliable solidity”. Here in Germany, it also had been a long road until we found a solution for handling regions with different levels of development. At European level, this is no different. We must accept that there are member states which will still not be rich in the medium-term, but that at the same time there are also things we as Europeans want to achieve together.

European Parliament VP: ‘We must use the window of opportunity’ to deepen EU integration

By: EBR | Thursday, October 5, 2017

Current conditions are ideal to push the EU towards becoming a European federal state, according to one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, Rainer Wieland

UK business will be taxed much more in a future Labor government. Little surprise then that even Corbyn’s finance spokesperson, John McDonnell, told the party conference that his team was doing scenario planning for a massive run on sterling in the event of Labour winning power.

Europe’s populist revolt: A close-up

By: EBR | Wednesday, October 4, 2017

From Germany to the UK and Italy, populism tries to get the upper hand. Can it be contained?

Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said: “Twenty-five years after the creation of the Single Market, companies and consumers still face 28 different VAT regimes when operating cross-border. Criminals and possibly terrorists have been exploiting these loopholes for too long, organising a €50bn fraud per year. This anachronistic system based on national borders must end! Member States should consider cross-border VAT transactions as domestic operations in our internal market by 2022. Today’s proposal is expected to reduce cross-border VAT fraud by around 80%. At the same time, it will make life easier for EU companies trading across borders, slashing red tape and simplifying VAT-related procedures. In short: good news for business, consumers and national budgets, bad news for fraudsters.”

European Commission proposes far-reaching reform of the EU VAT system

By: EBR | Wednesday, October 4, 2017

European Commission proposes far-reaching reform of the EU VAT system

Macron wants a eurozone ‘finance minister’ with control of a budget that would dwarf that of the EU. He believes this is needed to close the widening North-South gap between Europe’s rich and poor countries. Although German politicians generally dislike anything that looks like a mechanism for milking German taxpayers, until the elections there had seemed a growing consensus that the Federal Republic’s continued prosperity depends on maintaining Europe’s unity.

Give the regions more EU power to save the euro and defeat populism

By: EBR | Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Europe's political parties are defined by their place in the Left-Right spectrum, correct? Wrong

The need to multiply our visions for the future is more than a circumstantial exercise and should involve the wider citizenry. It’s a call to work on the very essence of our European imagination, including its emotional appeal. And we should not shy away from creating bold utopias, and fictional universes.

Political fiction, a form of European activism

By: EBR | Friday, September 29, 2017

Writing fiction, especially science fiction, can become an act of political activism. After all, as Giuseppe Porcaro asks, if we can’t imagine multiple future scenarios for Europe how do we expect to build a better one?

Among the 12 recommendations of the “Energy, a networked Europe” report that I presented to the President of the French Republic on 23 February 2015, five initiatives are sufficiently tangible to contribute to the emergence not only of a Europe that is a pioneer in the low-carbon transition, but also a Europe that makes sense in the eyes of its citizens.

Power to the people: Why the Energy Union must be close to citizens

By: EBR | Friday, September 29, 2017

The necessary ambition of a common energy policy must be backed up by tangible projects that can be readily understood by all European citizens

Taking in low-skill refugees, the CEE countries believe, only further worsens their ability to catch up with Western countries on incomes. Thus, it is not only the often-cited cultural and/or religious argument, but the labor market dimension that gives East and Central European governments reason to resist the EU’s attempts to have them share in the refugee burden.

The real reason why eastern Europe wants no refugees

By: EBR | Thursday, September 28, 2017

Despite shrinking populations, Eastern European countries are worried that taking in refugees is socially disruptive while providing no benefit in closing the income gap with Western Europe

He condemned as “absurd” the situation of the EU-Canada trade agreement that has been settled without transparency or without the citizens agreeing to it. He said the EU was “too slow, too weak, too inefficient” but that “he was not ashamed of the eurozone”.

What can Europe learn from Macron’s speech?

By: EBR | Thursday, September 28, 2017

Two hours and 40 minutes. Macron’s speech on Europe was three times longer than Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union

In Belgium, the Party of Workers (PTB/PVDA) is getting stronger. In Spain, Podemos is almost as big as PSOE, judging by the 2016 election results. In Greece, PASOK has been dwarfed by Syriza, and the situation remains unchanged, despite the wear and tear of power. In France, Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s force “La France insoumise” has similarly dwarfed the Socialist Party.

Europe’s socialists need to reinvent themselves

By: EBR | Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Ever since World War II, European democracy has walked on two legs

Europe’s mainstream politicians will be further tested in legislative elections in Austria on 15 October. Stridently xenophobic and anti-immigrant slogans continue to dominate the government discourse in Hungary and Poland. With the AfD becoming the first far-right party to enter the Bundestag in more than half a century, there is little doubt that Europe’s far-right populists, aided by powerful domestic and foreign backers, are part and parcel of the continent’s political landscape.

German elections mean Europe’s populists aren’t going away ‒ but neither are the immigrants

By: EBR | Tuesday, September 26, 2017

After she has completed the painstaking task of forging a new ruling coalition, German Chancellor Angela Merkel must join forces with other European leaders to tackle the re-awakened demons of far-right populism

Eager not to waste any time after the German election, Macron has scheduled a speech at the Sorbonne University in Paris, unveiling his EU plans, for Tuesday (26 September). This will be followed by an informal summit in Estonia on Thursday (28 September) where leaders from the 28 EU countries – minus the United Kingdom – will discuss the way forward for Europe after the UK’s departure from the bloc. The reason Macron has waited until now to unveil his plans is that he needed to know what the German political situation would be. Now he knows, and it’s not looking good for him. He may choose to scale back his ambition.

German voters deal a blow to Macron’s EU reform drive

By: EBR | Monday, September 25, 2017

Angela Merkel may be too busy holding together an unwieldy coalition to act as an effective partner for the French president’s bold plans, which he will outline on Tuesday (26 September)

Inequality is the number one concern for young Europeans. Europe is founded on values of equality and solidarity but these cannot be empty statements. We need preventive measures addressing the root causes of inequality to not only build a fairer and more inclusive Europe but also to empower young people to reach their full potential. A social Europe for all must become the new cement of what unites us.

Future of Europe: 10 tips for the old continent from its youth

By: EBR | Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Young Europeans do not need short-term, tokenistic initiatives but long-lasting and sustainable solutions that make a real impact, and these need to be developed with our input. We are the most pro-European generation and have the potential to be the driving force of its future

Keep Europe open for business. Interestingly, while the US withdraws from trade deals and contemplates new ways of protecting domestic producers, the EU has been seeking out new trade deals with an array of partners. The recent EU-Japan political deal on a free trade agreement has sent the right message on Europe’s desire to keep its markets open. The EU is right to demand better access to foreign markets. But it would be a pity if that message of openness was overshadowed by ill-thought, stringent new moves to keep out foreign investments.

As EU emerges from ”valley of tears”, there’s hope but also challenges

By: EBR | Tuesday, September 12, 2017

What a difference a year makes. This time last year, in his annual address on the “State of the Union”, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned the EU was “at least in part in an existential crisis” and that too many “unresolved problems” stared us in the face

”We need to redesign the future of Europe. It is a political obligation of our generation, Emmanuel,” he said addressing the French president. It became apparent in his introduction that the Greek PM has made a clear choice for the ideas recently set out by Macron on the future of the EU.

Greek PM Tsipras and French President Macron agree on fundamental changes in the EU

By: EBR | Monday, September 11, 2017

Before introducing French President Emmanuel Macron during his official visit to Greece last week, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stressed the need to promote a dialog for "a new democratic contract in Europe" to bring back solidarity and equality between states and between citizens

The idea is seen with scepticism in Paris, however. “Relaunching investment, yes, but individualising decision making in a structure outside the European Commission, no,” sources close to the president have said before Macron’s departure for Athens.

In Athens, Macron outlines ‘roadmap’ for European democratic revival

By: EBR | Friday, September 8, 2017

French President Emmanuel Macron sketched a plan to “rebuild” the European Union through wider democracy and public accountability at the start of a two-day visit to Greece on Thursday (7 September)

The initiative, launched by the Fire Safe Europe group, is calling for strict EU legislation regulating materials used in new buildings, ranging from offices to tower blocks. An EU directive on the issue should, say the campaigners, also apply to “retrofit” buildings – properties which are being renovated or refurbished. With several EU policies impacting on fire safety, there are also calls for an EU-wide “fire safety strategy” so as to provide a more “coordinated” approach.

Firemen facing increased risk of cancer call for EU-wide action

By: EBR | Thursday, September 7, 2017

MEPs have thrown their weight behind calls for EU action to help tackle the “toxic time-bomb” facing firefighters across Europe

The Greek economy is showing timid signs of improvement. Last week, the Hellenic Statistical Authority announced that Greece’s gross domestic product grew by 0.5 percent in the second quarter of the year. Unemployment is at around 22 percent, still the highest in Europe but down from a peak of 28 percent in 2013. But Greece is not out of the woods yet. Representatives from Greece’s lenders will arrive in Athens next week to start preparations for a review of the country’s bailout program. The formal review will start in October, and the lenders could ask Greece for more economic reforms. Greece does not face any big debt repayments to its institutional lenders for the rest of the year, so a Greek default is unlikely in the short term. However, another round of unpopular economic reforms could reignite lingering resentment between the Greek electorate and the government. A prolonged review process could also reignite fears about Greece’s financial future and make it harder for Athens to

France’s Macron takes his EU reform plans to Athens

By: EBR | Thursday, September 7, 2017

The Greek government hopes to make the most of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit on Sept. 7-8. On the agenda will be France's plans for EU reform and Greece's negotiations with its lenders

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