Under the old German government, the Conference on the Future of Europe was seen as a playground for Europe enthusiasts, taken seriously by no one except (perhaps) Emmanuel Macron. That is just changing with the traffic light government.Annalena Baerbock took an hour and a half on Sunday at noon to listen to the proposals of […]
Electricity and gas prices are rising all over Europe. But in the search for the causes, people abroad are following different tracks than in Berlin.In London on Wednesday, the head of the International Energy Agency listed why, in his opinion, the trail leads to Russia: Gazprom was delivering less than usual to Europe despite high […]
It’s a nice idea. So-called “peer parliaments” could increase the participation of citizens in European climate policy. This is urgently needed, as the Brussels bubble often seems far removed from the reality of people’s lives. “We will only defeat the climate crisis if everyone joins the fight,” says Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans, calling for […]
The French Academy has been around for five hundred years. Pardon, the Académie française, naturellement. Even more weighty than the Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache (Association for the German Language, which is often somewhat overweight in the media), it watches over the preservation of French culture and fights, above all, against any threats to the French […]
“Avoid eating too much fat, sugar, and salt” or “Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day” – To French people, these well-meaning but to German ears patronizing-sounding advice are everywhere. Since 2007, they have been mandatory in advertising for many foods in France. Alcohol is also affected by the notices: no […]
It was – perhaps after maple syrup – the most successful Canadian product. Anyone who was anyone had the small companion from Research in Motion in their pocket between 2000 and 2012: a Blackberry.Barack Obama was a Blackberry user; in post-millennial movies, the small devices with keyboards were omnipresent. And they were also allowed to […]
“Opposition is crap,” former SPD chairman Franz Müntefering once said. But so is government sometimes. At least that’s what some Green politicians are probably thinking these days.Leading representatives of the eco party have been vocal about the fact that the EU Commission wants to classify investments in nuclear energy and natural gas as ‘green’. That […]
New year, new EU Council presidency: France officially took over the baton from Slovenia on Saturday as planned and can thus exert a decisive influence on the European agenda for the next six months. It’s no secret that President Macron also wants to use the Council presidency to distinguish himself as a statesman who unflinchingly […]
Institutional communication is a difficult affair as it is. Can an institution talk? Speak? Does it have a life of its own? Of course not, but the people who communicate on its behalf do. And they, too, are looking forward to the upcoming days of contemplation, rest, reflection, and lockdowns in the company of their […]
Olaf Scholz considers the topic “completely overrated”, and yet it could keep the German chancellor and his staff on their toes over the holidays: the EU climate taxonomy. The College of Commissioners will “most likely” discuss the draft delegated act at its meeting before the Christmas break, European Commissioner for Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius said on […]