The trilogue negotiations on the statute and financing of European parties are in danger of collapsing. The biggest point of contention is the membership of parties from non-EU countries in the European party families. The Council presidency is demanding that no party based in a non-EU country be allowed to be a member of the […]
The European Parliament is celebrating its 70th anniversary these days. The Joint Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community met for the first time in September 1952. This became our European Parliament. You have been a member since 2009. What makes this Parliament unique for you?The EP is unique because it is the only […]
The Commission uses language that is difficult to understand in its press releases. This is the conclusion drawn by Christian Rauh of the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, who used algorithms to examine around 45,000 Commission press releases from 1985 to 2020 that were available in English. The public politicization of European integration shows that […]
Nothing stands in the way of Donald Trump’s comeback. Fortunately, we’re not talking about a return to the White House but to the online platform Twitter. In a vote, a majority had spoken out in favor of giving Trump access to his account again. Elon Musk respects the will of the majority. But Trump is […]
The European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets (BUDG) is calling on the Commission to undertake an “ambitious revision” of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) as soon as possible in light of the challenges posed by war, inflation and high energy prices. But with the decision of the Committee on Budget from yesterday’s session, MEPs demand “that the revision should […]
The Commission wants excise taxes on tobacco and tobacco-related products to rise dramatically. Under the plans, minimum excise taxes on cigarettes would double in Germany. Currently, the tobacco tax on cigarettes in Germany is €115 per 1000 pieces. In the future, it would be €230 per 1,000 pieces. Minimum taxes on cigars and cigarillos would […]
Baden-Württemberg’s Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) is calling on the EU to amend the state aid law so that economically strong regions can also receive structural aid. At the annual meeting of the state’s Automotive Industry Strategy Dialogue in Brussels, which was also attended by Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton and Federal Minister […]
The Commission plans to present its proposal for phasing out internal combustion engines and CO2 fleet limits for commercial vehicles in early 2023. In the run-up to the decision, the lobbyists are now beginning to argue about fuels that are produced in a virtually CO2-neutral manner – so-called e-fuels.“By 2035, it will be 47 percent […]
Euro 7, the new emissions standard, is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025, for cars and vans and July 1, 2027, for commercial vehicles. The proposal, which the Commission adopted Thursday, also sets targets for battery performance in EVs. For battery EVs and plug-in hybrids, 80 percent of the charging power must be guaranteed […]
The chances of diesel drivers receiving compensation from manufacturers because of a “thermal window” have once again been significantly reduced following another ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). With their decision (case number C-873/19), the Luxembourg judges remain in line with a ruling from July 14 of this year. According to this ruling, […]