Policy Briefs

The 10 times EU Parliament pulled its weight and flexed muscles
Est. 13minThe European Parliament concluded its legislative work on 25 April after five years of intense policymaking. Looking back, from health to economy, passing by rule of law and agriculture, here are the ten moments the European Parliament successfully asserted its power.

Health brief: Fundamental health questions left unanswered
Est. 10minBoth the cuts to the EU4Health programme and delays on tobacco control action have left many unanswered questions about the EU health priorities over the past week.

CAP tracker: Lessons from the ground
Est. 4minAs the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy is being implemented on the ground, we can start drawing lessons from practical successes and challenges for the future of the bloc’s farm subsidies. Since January 2023, we have seen for the first time how …

The Italian Brief
Est. 2minThe EU occupies a more prominent role in the upcoming Italian general elections on Sunday. For the first time, some parties put their European political family affiliation, the European People’s Party (EPP) and Renew Europe, in their electoral insignias. In …

CAP Tracker: From planning to planting
Est. 2minThis year is expected to bring a major agricultural milestone for the next round of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): the adoption of the first CAP national strategic plans. Through these plans, member states will set out an individualised action plan …

Sustainable aviation fuels
Est. 1minTo achieve the EU’s aim of a 90% drop in transport emissions by 2050, the European Commission has proposed a range of measures, including scrapping the tax-free status of kerosene, and phasing out free CO2 permits handed out to …

EU-US relations: In search of common ground?
Est. 1minThe message of US President Joe Biden's first overseas Europe tour has been clear: America is back, and Western alliances are not broken. But for Europeans, the realisation has come that after four acrimonious years under the Trump administration, Biden's …

CAP Tracker – Next steps for the national strategic plans
Est. 1minWelcome to EURACTIV’s CAP tracker, your one-stop shop for all the latest developments on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Be sure to check back here regularly for updates on the next steps for the CAP and how member states are progressing …

EU–Africa relations: a partnership delayed but not derailed
Est. 2minTalk of an EU–Africa partnership may have only emerged in the last two years, but the promise of better trade and political relations with its southern ‘sister continent’ came from Jean Claude Juncker, who set out plans for a continent–to–continent …

The future for next-generation AI in the EU
Est. 1minArtificial Intelligence technologies in the EU are set to come under the scope of new legislation that the European Commission aims to put forward in April. This comes after a protracted period of policy consultation on the best direction for the …

Diversity in the workplace
Est. 1minThe pandemic that washed over Europe did not only lay bare the continent's health vulnerabilities but also exposed the consequences of deep-seated inequalities. A report by the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) published in April acknowledged the …

CAP tracker: Mapping the latest movements on EU farming policy
Est. 1minWelcome to EURACTIV’s CAP tracker, your one-stop shop for all the latest developments on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Be sure to check back here regularly for your weekly update on all things CAP, including the latest movements on the transitional …

The future for STEM in Europe
Est. 1minAs Europe reels from the aftereffects of the coronavirus crisis, talk in Brussels is moving towards how the bloc can retain the momentum garnered from the deployment of innovative digital tools. In the education sector, with European educational establishments being closed …

Coronavirus: What’s happening in Europe
Est. 1min*** This tracker has been suspended. Look back at how the pandemic hit across Europe and find out what policy measures European governments implemented to counter the first wave. EURACTIV will keep you updated on the latest COVID-19-related news from across Europe, …

Policy brief: Energy system integration
Est. 2min"Sector coupling" is the new energy buzzword in town. In essence, it means bringing different energy carriers, infrastructure and consumption sectors closer together in search of more renewables, greater efficiency, and lower carbon emissions. With its European Green Deal, tabled …

EXPLAINER: How the ECB can print ‘green money’
Est. 1minAs the European Commission starts preparing a recovery plan to counter the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, pressure is growing on the European Central Bank to play its role and use the opportunity to accelerate the green transition. On 18 …

EU faces tough post-Brexit test with 2021-2027 budget
Est. 2minUnlike national governments who adopt budgets every year, EU finances cover a seven-year period and need to be agreed by all 27 member states. The bloc's next budget, the first after Brexit, will be debated by EU leaders on Thursday …

Commissioners assemble: Class of 2019-2024
Est. 1minEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's executive began work on the 1 December. Read here all the details and figures on the self-dubbed "geopolitical Commission". After a lengthy approval process, which saw three candidates rejected by the European Parliament and …

European Political Parties and Foundations: The ’tissue’ that connects?
Est. 2minTo the average European citizen, the political groups in the European Parliament, which help shape EU-wide legislation, are a vaguely familiar concept. But there is much less knowledge of the European political parties (as opposed to groups) and the think-tanks …

Financing the energy transition: Where’s the money?
Est. 1minIncoming Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's pledge to turn Europe into "the world's first climate-neutral continent" means efforts to green the economy are set to go into overdrive. But where will the necessary funds come from to back the …

What’s driving mobility into the 2020s?
Est. 1minRoad transport faces a number of challenges heading into the next decade, as competition, environmental and social issues all exert influence over the sector. Here is an overview of the challenges on the road ahead. For all matters related to EU …

Wind power: What next for Europe?
Est. 1minEurope is the cradle of the wind energy industry and is still rightly perceived as a global leader in the sector. But fresh projects have slowed in recent years, pointing to new challenges for the EU's wind energy sector in …

Emerging media policies for EU 2019-24
Est. 2minDISCLAIMER: All opinions in this dossier reflect the views of the author(s), not of EURACTIV.COM Ltd. “Healthy democracies depend on a healthy media sector,” Digital Commissioner Mariya Gabriel told a recent EURACTIV event. Yet, the media sector consistently faces multiple …

Sowing the seeds of the post-2020 CAP
Est. 1minIn June 2018, the European Commission unveiled its much-awaited plans for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In light of the Brexit and the emergence of new priorities such as security and immigration, the Commission proposed a 5% cut in CAP …