EU Reforms Archives

National politicians have remained largely indifferent to a recent "analytical note" by the European Commission aimed at launching a debate over the future of the eurozone. EU leaders seem to be keeping their powder dry until the EU summit in June, when a second paper is expected. The EURACTIV network reports.

Britain's foreign secretary told the House of Commons on Tuesday (3 March), “There’s a very strong view that all of the member states want Britain to remain in the European Union.”

The European Union should respond to public apathy and anger with emotional intelligence, two analysts have argued in a 30-page paper which is likely to spark some debate in policymaking circles.

At the EU summit Thursday (12 February) Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker presented ideas for a core eurozone union, a concept viewed with apprehension from numerous quarters.

Britain's foreign secretary said on Tuesday (20 January) he was confident of negotiating a "substantial" package of reforms in the European Union after visiting capitals across the region and being told by EU members that they want Britain to stay in the bloc.

Ireland’s Taoiseach, Enda Kenny said Tuesday  (12 January) that his government would back reforming the European Union to help keep the UK a member, as long as Westminster's proposals were “reasonable”.

Creating a European fund exempt from EU fiscal rules is the main idea of a 200 page report commissioned by the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament, just ahead of the 18-19 summit which is expected to make decisions concerning the investment plan, recently presented by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

France, Italy and Belgium have sent letters to the European Commission pledging structural reforms and possible extra fiscal steps to buy time before a ruling on whether their budget policies break EU rules, Commissioners said on Friday (28 November) while presenting assessments of the draft budgets of the 18 eurozone countries.

Philip Hammond, Britain's foreign minister, told Western Balkan states aspiring to membership of the European Union yesterday (5 November) that he admired their enthusiasm, but believed it would be even greater if the EU carried out reforms that Britain wants.

The European Commission will not let EU budget discipline rules be flouted, incoming economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said on Monday (29 September), days after his former colleagues in the French government said Paris would again miss EU targets.

EXCLUSIVE: The new European Commission has rejected the UK Government's call to set up an independent body to scrutinise EU regulation and impact assessments before and after legislative proposals are adopted by the executive.

Germany and France will try to reconcile divergent visions of how to fix Europe's economy today (22 September) when Manuel Valls makes his first visit to Berlin as French prime minister and holds talks with Angela Merkel.

British Prime Minister David Cameron will threaten to back the campaign to take the UK out of the EU in a future referendum if his calls for reform are not met, according to Conservative party sources. 

NGOs and civil society organisations demanded "a new wave of inclusiveness" and more citizens' participation in EU decision-making on Tuesday (8 July), pushing to put treaty change back on the political table.

A new report by the European Court of Auditors examining the European External Action Service has found that the institution has been “inadequately prepared”, lacks resources and its tasks are “vaguely defined”.

At the launch of a book on the history of the European Commission, officials revealed some of the best-kept secrets in EU history. Among them is the incredible story of the signing of the Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic Community, on 1 January 1958.

The Lisbon Treaty paradox, under which more power was given to the European Parliament, but EU leaders have gained in prominence, has undermined Europe and paved the way for growing Euroscepticism, said European Parliament Vice-president,  Isabelle Durant, in an exclusive interview with EURACTIV.

The lack of support to European Union institutions may become a threat to European integration itself, Commission President José Manuel Barroso warned in a major speech delivered at Berlin's Humboldt University on the occasion of Europe Day.

The Czech cabinet agreed on Monday (24 March) to join the European Union's fiscal compact on budget stability, in a move it said underlined Prague's support for closer EU integration after a period of relatively eurosceptic government.

Britain could get the European Union treaty changes it wants if it spells them out and finds allies for its case, a top EU official said on Tuesday (5 March).

British Prime Minister David Cameron is set to clash with France's President François Hollande over how to reform the European Union on Friday (31 January), souring an Anglo-French summit aimed at deepening defence and energy cooperation.

The next European Commission risks slipping into inertia if EU leaders do not reform the executive and allow for a stronger president to take charge, Brussels’ think tank chiefs said on Tuesday (28 January). 

Germany's finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble said yesterday (27 January) he was open to the creation of a separate European parliament for countries using the euro, a step that could deepen divisions within the European Union.

As the French far-right took the lead in opinion polls, the vice-president of the European Socialist Party, Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, warned against the rise of extremism at next May's EU elections. He spoke to EURACTIV.fr in an interview.