Future EU

Only connect – the network of European political families
The political groups in the European Parliament, which help shape EU-wide legislation, are a vaguely familiar concept to citizens. But they are merely a cog in the much less understood and multi-layered network of political actors that connect Brussels to …

How the Spitzenkandidaten process will work ahead of 2019 elections
The European elections are looming ever closer but how will the Parliament's main political groups choose their candidates for the EU's top jobs in the lead-up to May 2019?

Why Europe Matters: Youth Speak Up
Why Europe Matters is a joint initiative by JA Europe and ERT, based on a combination of innovation workshops and a survey, exploring young Europeans’ views about Europe and the EU.

European People’s Party: What role for the regions and cities in EU 2019 elections?
The European People's Party local dialogues are a central part of the grassroots engagement for the 2019 European elections, an initiative to be launched in Sofia, Bulgaria on 9 March 2018.

INFOGRAPHIC: Who are the EU summit champions?
The EU summit today (7 March) will be the 101st for Jean-Claude Juncker, as premier of Luxembourg and president of the European Commission. Second comes German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with 66 summits Third is Donald Tusk, with 57 summits as premier of Poland and president of the European Council.

Tusk: EU reform deal in sight for Britain, with two exceptions
Est. 6minThe man running negotiations with Britain to keep it in the European Union said leaders could seal a deal in February but warned David Cameron that a central demand to restrict free movement and curb social benefits for EU migrants may be asking too much.

Denmark rejects further EU integration in referendum
Est. 5minDanes voted against adopting a 'flexible' opt-in arrangement on EU justice legislation in a referendum on Thursday (3 December). Parties said the 'No' result was due to a Danish refusal to give up more sovereignty to the EU.

EU debates longer-term suspension of Schengen travel-free zone
Est. 4minEU interior ministers will discuss a proposal on Friday (4 December) that could allow new border controls between European states for up to two years as an unprecedented migration crisis strains the Schengen free-travel zone.

Denmark headed for ‘No’ in EU referendum
Est. 3minDanes are heading to the ballot box today (3 December) to cast their votes on a proposed opt-in to EU Justice and Home Affairs laws. The 'No' side is leading, according to the latest opinion polls.

EU’s new ‘Directive on Terrorism’ aims to criminalise preparatory acts
Est. 2minThe European Commission adopted on Wednesday (2 December) a package of measures to combat terrorism and arms trafficking, including criminalising travel "for terrorist purposes".

Poland ready to back Britain’s push for EU treaty change
Est. 3minPoland's new Eurosceptic government is ready to support many of Britain's demands for staying in the European Union, but will oppose any move to withhold benefits from the thousands of Poles living there, a senior Polish official said on Sunday (29 November).

Schulz on collision course with Cameron over national parliaments’ role
Est. 5minEuropean Parliament President Martin Schulz has said he is in favour of giving a greater role to national parliaments in EU decision-making, one of the key demands of David Cameron seeking a renegotiation of the UK’s EU membership, but it has to be exercised towards national governments not EU institutions.

European elections reform backed by MEPs from three groups only
Est. 5minOnly MEPs from the EPP, the Socialists & Democrats, and ALDE have voted in favour of making the next European elections more “European”, according to a study published by VoteWatch Europe yesterday (12 November).

A year on, challenges remain for Europe’s single banking supervisor
Est. 5minA year after it took up its duties as Europe's banking watchdog, observers say the Single Supervisory Mechanism is doing a good job, but challenges nevertheless remain.

Cameron admits Norway no model for Britain in Europe
Est. 3minBritish Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday (28 October) launched his most open defence to date of Britain remaining in the European Union, telling Eurosceptics that EU-outsider Norway was no model to emulate.

Cameron rules out second EU referendum if UK votes to leave
Est. 3minBritain will not hold a second "In-Out" vote on its membership of the European Union if the public opt to leave the bloc at a referendum due by the end of 2017, a senior aide to Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday (25 October).

Timmermans issues wake-up call to Europe
Est. 5minStuck in an existential crisis, the European Union must shake-off its fears, revisit its values and achievements, and claim back its self-confidence, Frans Timmermans said in Brussels on Thursday (22 October).

Enough with the souk in the European Council, says Bettel
Est. 3minIn the midst of the crises Europe is facing, EU leaders need to act swiftly and stop behaving “like if they were in a souk,” said Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, at a dinner in Brussels, on Wednesday evening (21 October).

Juncker and Draghi fail to win support for eurozone reform
Est. 5minThe piecemeal approach orchestrated by Jean-Claude Juncker and Mario Draghi to address the root causes of the euro zone debt crisis and complete the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) has not yielded any positive results so far, EURACTIV.com has learned.

EU leaders put EMU reform on the backburner
Est. 4minEuropean Union leaders have postponed a deeper discussion of the future of the eurozone until December because of divergent views in the biggest countries and because of the more pressing migration issue, diplomats said.

Juncker mumble stumble on Britain ‘needing’ EU
Est. 6minOn the eve on a European Council summit that will look at Britain's on-going renegotiations of its membership of the bloc, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker appeared to stumble over his words Wednesday (14 October) on whether the UK even needed Brussels.

EU drags on Stability and Growth Pact reform
Est. 5minThe refugee crisis has reignited tensions between the champions of strict budgetary discipline, led by Germany, and those who want to ease interpretations of the rules, led by Italy and France.

‘Don’t listen to quitters’, says UK campaign to stay in EU
Est. 3minBritain is stronger and safer and families are better off in the European Union, the so-called 'in campaign' said on Monday (12 October), launching its fight to keep the country in the European Union by branding its opponents "quitters".

Merkel, Hollande call for unity against nationalism
Est. 8minIn a rare address to the European Parliament on Wednesday (7 October), French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, acknowledged that the refugee crisis was a “test of historic proportions” putting the EU at risk, and warned against the destructive power of nationalism.