The #SOTEU hashtag will be trending on Twitter today, at least in the EU bubble. In her State of the (European) Union address, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will present her agenda for the coming months, dressed up in euphonious, sometimes pathetic words. We gave you a taste of her speech in the European […]
Facebook is now called Meta – it’s just the corporation behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. That sounds familiar? Perhaps to Alphabet, which to this day everyone knows only as Google? Will it be a bit more confusing for the regulators in Brussels and Berlin if they have Alphabet and Meta regulation as their task in […]
Do you also use the energy labels as a guide when buying a washing machine or a freezer? Not only classic household appliances, but also our IT end devices such as smartphones and tables are to fall under the Ecodesign Directive in the future – and not only with information on energy consumption. Eric Bonse […]
France’s reliance on nuclear energy is nothing new. However, what is new is how President Macron is currently repeating as a mantra the role of that controversial form of energy for the deindustrialization of his country and the energy transition. “Small Modular Reactors” is the magic phrase that is supposed to take the wind out […]
The world looked to Glasgow with bated breath as the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) began this weekend. But the actual kick-off came on Monday when heads of state and government gathered for the World Leaders Summit in Scotland to discuss joint action against climate change.In his opening speech, British Prime Minister and […]
Since August, we have been reporting for you in German on the political processes in Europe and the discourses in Germany relevant to European policy. As of today, we also offer our news and analyses in English. Many observers outside Germany are wondering how the most important EU member state will position itself in Europe […]
Yesterday was not a good day for Ursula von der Leyen. Not only because “Bild” denounced the climate-damaging short trips of the Commission President by charter jet (for example from Vienna to Bratislava, as The Telegraph, reported on Tuesday). What’s more: FDP MEP Moritz Körner spoke out in an extremely critical article in Focus and […]
Since Sunday evening, Frans Timmermans has been at the COP26, and he wants to personally contribute to the success of the world climate conference. The Vice-President of the European Commission does not agree with the criticism after the first week: “Things have gone better than many expected,” he said in an interview with Timo Landenberger […]
For a week now, delegates in Glasgow have been discussing how to limit global warming, and on Sunday, the World Climate Conference took a break. Lukas Scheid used the day of rest to draw up a review of where things stand: Much was announced, but little tangible progress has been made so far in negotiations […]
The COP negotiators are slowly moving towards a final declaration; the British COP26 presidency has presented the first draft. It is good “that the text consistently breathes the spirit of more effort in climate protection”, said the German chief negotiator Jochen Flasbarth. But Flasbarth is also critical, though mildly, compared to what environmental organizations have […]