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"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

"In the Lisbon Treaty, foreign policy tasks are not precisely defined. That allows the two presidents to seize every opportunity to compete with each other."

‘Rivalry Michel and Von der Leyen undermines EU’s credibility’

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

‘Rivalry Michel and Von der Leyen undermines EU’s credibility’, Belgian top diplomat Roux wrote recently

The provisional agreement is still subject to approval by the Council and the Parliament before going through the formal steps of the adoption procedure, but the EU can send already a strong signal to the virtual World Leader’s Summit on Climate on April 22, organised and hosted by US President Joe Biden.

EU climate law agreement: Council did not give in

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Last night, the negotiators of the European Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on the objective of a climate-neutral EU by 2050 and a collective net greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990

"Macron finally made ENA’s abolition official while announcing plans to create a new school for France’s elite with a familiar formula: Institut du Service Public."

Macron replaces ENA with new school for French elite

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

In the aftermath of the yellow-vest protest and crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to abolish the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA), the cradle of the French elite, that has become a lightning rod for anti-establishment sentiment

The result of the Ankara meeting? The EU leaders let the media know what they told President Erdogan. Nothing new. Only, ‘it is up to Turkey to seize this opportunity in a solid and sustainable manner’.

No success for VDL and Michel in Ankara

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

To restore, in the EU’s strategic interest, a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with Turkey, the European Council asked its President Charles Michel to talk with his Turkish colleague Recep Erdogan and lay out the terms on which such a better relationship could be built

President Biden will be content with the EU’s U-turn. He wants to save NATO; and Turkey is a cornerstone for that organisation given its geographical location and its (certainly by EU standards) impressive armed forces.

EU’s U-turn on Turkey

By: N. Peter Kramer | Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Devil Donald Trump is driven out of the White House and Saviour Joe Biden has taken up residence; to the delight of almost all EU leaders and many others

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EU Actually

Ukraine may buy for 6 billion euros Chinese drones with EU money

By: N. Peter Kramer

In his weekly column, N. Peter Kramer writes about the Ukraine buying for 6 billion euros drones in China with EU money. Is it a threat for Taiwan?

Europe

Diplomacy intensifies over Cyprus

United Nations secretary-general envoy Maria Angela Holguin will be in Brussels on Wednesday for meetings seen as important to European Union preparations for a possible revival of Cyprus reunification talks ahead of an expected visit by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Cyprus next week.

Business

How Much Pressure Can European CEOs Take?

There was a time when the job of the CEO was difficult but relatively clear: grow the business, beat the competition, manage costs, satisfy shareholders, inspire employees and avoid major reputational mistakes. That world has disappeared.