The cornerstone for a central new task of European social policy was placed in the Belgian city of Liège in March. Trade ministers and senior officials from 19 European countries signed the “Liège Declaration on Affordable Housing in the EU.” Commission President von der Leyen pledged the EU Commission’s commitment in her candidacy speech. The […]
There is a silent environmental crisis unfolding around us. Chemicals, such as lead and nitrogen, are in our soil, our water supply and our household products, often going unseen, but with dire results. For example, we have only begun to understand the true magnitude of lead poisoning, its impact on cardiovascular disease and our children’s […]
Ukraine is not only a theater of war and a frontline state against an imperial Russia, but also one of the most resource-rich countries in Europe. The country’s known but as yet little-explored raw material potential includes numerous mineral and metallic raw materials that the EU has classified as critical and strategic. If Ukraine’s metal […]
It is now eight weeks since the European elections. The new Parliament and its political groups have been constituted, Ursula von der Leyen (CDU/EPP) has been elected for a second term and Brussels is on vacation. But the European election year is far from over. For one thing, the remaining Commissioners still have to be […]
Polls predict a significant victory for the Labour Party under Keir Starmer. However, even with a change in government, no fundamental reversal of Brexit is expected. Labour has already ruled out a return to the EU single market or the customs union, as well as any form of cooperation that would require a return to […]
In July, the international scientific society IASTEC published a statement on the EU’s car CO2 regulation. It discussed the consequences of the legislation for 2030. The key message of this statement is that the EU regulation on CO2 fleet regulation will miss the targets for a rapid reduction in CO2 emissions from passenger cars. As […]
The European Union is facing an immense challenge: it must achieve its ambitious climate targets and at the same time strengthen the competitiveness of its industry and technologies. We can only achieve these goals with the massive use of green hydrogen. But the necessary framework conditions are still lacking.Decisive political decisions are therefore needed now. […]
Fifty years after the birth of the internet, Europe is on the brink of the next revolutionary technological transformation. On the cusp of a new, digitally-enabled social era, the prevailing discourse often focuses on fears of digital overreach, reactionary regulatory muscle-flexing and the continent’s limited capacity for innovation. Yet this moment also holds unprecedented potential […]
In her speech to the European Parliament, the now re-elected Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also made the reduction of bureaucracy a key issue. It is good that the EU Commission wants to deal with this in detail. After all, much of our national legislation now also has its origins in European directives and […]
The frustration is great. For years, companies have been promised a reduction in bureaucracy – but nothing has happened. On the contrary: politicians are constantly coming up with new projects, whether at state, federal or European level.The result is reflected in a recent IHK survey. On a scale of one to ten, companies currently rate […]