13Jun 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 13 June

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. SUMMIT SEASON KICKS OFF This Sunday, G7 leaders will gather in Alberta, Canada, where newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney will host his first summit. He will not be the only G7 newbie – Shigeru Ishiba and Friedrich Merz are in the same boat. Trump will be there too, along with Zelensky, who will be discussing Ukraine, trade disputes, climate goals and the digital race. However, the summit is just the beginning of this diplomatic marathon. NATO leaders will meet in The Hague from 24 to 25 June, and the EU Council will meet from 26 to 27 June. The timing is unfortunate: Member States won't have had a chance to agree on common EU positions before chatting with NATO and…

06Jun 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 6 June

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. THE EU’S CLIMATE TARGET: WAITING FOR GODOT? The EU’s ambitious climate targets are facing serious obstacles as the Commission's continued delay in proposing a 2040 climate target has left many questioning whether the bloc is dragging its feet on its green promises. With mounting political opposition and reluctant member states, the EU's climate agenda seems to be stuck. Meanwhile, the Green Finance Observatory warns that the EU's plan to privatize conservation policies might be putting the cart before the horse. They are concerned about the risks of making nature "investable" and the potential pitfalls of biodiversity offsetting. Adding fuel to the fire, climate scientists are urging the EU not to rely on international carbon offsets, calling them "not worth the paper…

30May 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 30 May

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. OMBUDSMAN CHECKS OMNIBUS BLIND SPOT The European Commission is under scrutiny after the European Ombudsman opened an investigation into how the Commission prepared its first Omnibus reform package. The investigation follows a complaint filed on 23 May by eight civil society groups who accuse the Commission of circumventing its own Better Regulation rules. What are their grievances? The Commission failed to conduct a public consultation, an impact assessment, or a check on whether the package aligns with the EU Climate Law. The NGOs also argue that the Commission prioritized industry input over a balanced stakeholder approach. Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho has asked the Commission to explain how it engaged with stakeholders before proposing the reforms. Her findings, which are expected after her…

23May 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 23 May

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. THE EU’S NEW MOTTO: GROW FIRST, COMPLY LATER In a move seen as a boost for business, but likely to raise eyebrows among environmental and data rights advocates, the Commission this week unveiled a new category of companies, the "small mid-caps", in its fourth “simplification” proposal Omnibus IV. Instead of stretching the SME definitions are previously considered, 38 000 companies in Europe with up to 750 staff and 150 million euro turnover will benefit from major reporting exemptions across eight EU laws. By also applying the current SME exemptions in these laws to “SMCs”, only some 10 000 companies will be left to actually (fully) comply. Internal Market Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné praised the initiative as the EU’s “most significant economic strategy” to date,…

16May 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 16 May

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. FARMERS GET THEIR OWN OMNIBUS TO 'SIMPLIFY' AGRICULTURAL POLICY The Commission’s latest Omnibus package promises €1.5 billion in annual savings for farmers, but critics say the only thing being cut is environmental ambition. Dubbed a simplification of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the proposal relaxes environmental regulations and gives member states more leeway on farm aid. Key changes include raising the flat-rate payment for small farmers from €1,250 to €2,500 and exempting them from several environmental requirements. Protections for peatlands and waterways are now at the discretion of each country, and crisis payments could replace preventive climate measures. Critics warn that the easing of environmental safeguards, designed to protect soil, water, and biodiversity, risks making farms more fragile amid growing climate…

13May 2024 by Maja Bartczak

Let the Games begin: one month to European Elections

Opinion, Views

In less than a month, on 6 to 9 June, Europeans will go to polling stations to vote on the composition of the next European Parliament, which will hold office for the upcoming five years (2024-2029). Given the current political shift towards the right in most EU Member States, the upcoming elections are likely to be a turning point in European politics. After the last plenary session of the current Parliament a couple of weeks ago, MEPs have left for their home countries either not to come back or to do their best to be re-elected. Goodbyes, tears, and current polls MEPs met for the last time in Strasbourg in April with a busy agenda of 90 votes. They approved trilogue agreements, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the…

09May 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 9 May

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. WHEN EVERYTHING IS URGENT, NOTHING IS What do shooting wolves, reducing penalties for excessive car emissions, and delaying bank regulation have in common? Well, all three initiatives were on Parliament's plenary agenda in Strasbourg this week, and all three made it through in record speed thanks to the urgent procedure, which allows Parliament to move fast on a Commission proposal when there are "unforeseen developments". In a space of three days, MEPs agreed to use the urgent procedure and waive their right to amend these three legislative initiatives. Because no one could foresee that a wolf would kill a Very Important Pony in Germany three years ago, that a war on European soil would start nine years ago and intensify three…

02May 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 2 May

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. ECB VP: DIGITAL EURO ESSENTIAL FOR EU AUTONOMY It’s an excellent time to push for the EU’s role as a global currency, ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos told MEPs this week. The central banker sees growing threats to Europe’s financial autonomy, so Europe should deepen capital markets, complete the banking union and unify the internal market. And, “with a more integrated approach, the euro can play a bigger role globally”. His remarks come as investors are fleeing the dollar and turning to eurozone assets, a shift that could strengthen the EU’s position as a global safe haven. De Guindos also warned that dependence on U.S. payment systems and dollar-backed stable coins risks undermining Europe’s financial sovereignty. In his view, the…

25Apr 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 25 April

EU Academy

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. SÉJOURNÉ SELLS RED TAPE SIMPLIFICATION, WARBORN WANTS EVEN MORE A Parliament Legal Affairs Committee meeting turned into a regulatory battlefield this week, as Commission Executive Vice President Stéphane Séjourné pitched the ‘Omnibus’ proposal for simpler (read: deregulated) rules. However, Jörgen Warborn (EPP, Sweden), the MEP responsible for the file, argued that it doesn’t go far enough. Séjourné presented the Omnibus I package as a lifeline for EU businesses drowning in complexity. The goal? Trim legal fat, not slash standards. He promised digitalized procedures, clearer rules for SMEs, and more predictable policymaking, especially regarding sustainability, investment, and the single market. But Warborn wasn't convinced. Presenting his initial ideas, he welcomed the Commission proposal as "a good start," yet pressed for deeper cuts.…

18Apr 2024 by Maja Bartczak

EU Friday – 18 April

EU Friday

Welcome to Better Europe's weekly update on EU Affairs. GREEN ON PAPER: CAN TAX BREAKS REALLY DRIVE SUSTAINABILITY? It's already been seven months since the Draghi report highlighted the crucial intersection between financing the green transition and maintaining competitiveness – and these issues are still very much on the table. As Brussels continues its deregulatory frenzy, with Omnibuses piling up across sectors, the questions raised by the Draghi report are more relevant than ever. Next week, the Parliament’s FISC subcommittee will hold a public hearing to explore whether tax incentives for clean energy can truly support the green transition. While the Draghi report suggested that these fiscal measures could help align these sectors with sustainability goals, the hearing will discuss whether they're enough to ensure real progress, or if they're…