Democracy Impacts

EU Parliament Seeks Stricter Standards on Energy

January 19, 2018

Nature reports that the European Parliament has passed legislation pushing EU countries to obtain 35 percent of their energy from renewable sources by the year 2030 and raising a legally binding target for energy efficiency in buildings and in consumer goods after 2021.
EU Task Force Explores Subsidiarity, Proportionality

January 19, 2018

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has appointed members to an EU Task Force on "Subsidiarity, Proportionality and 'Doing Less More Efficiently'" to identify what projects "could be devolved or definitely returned to Member States" and in which areas EU officials could cooperate more effectively with national or local officials.
Austrian Leader Sets out "Pro-European" Reform Agenda

January 18, 2018

Politico reports that Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called on the EU, in its bid for a renewal of purpose after Brexit, to focus on "big issues" and leave smaller issues to communities and national governments, while calling for "deeper cooperation on security, foreign policy and defense as well as economic and monetary policy" in EU institutions.
EPP Chair: EU Must Do More to Advance "Political Project"

January 18, 2018

Manfred Weber, the Chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) grouping in the European Parliament, writes that the urgent task of EU politicians is "to convince European citizens to continue to support an ambitious European political project" encompassing migration policy, social rights, and financial regulation prior to the European Parliament's election campaign in 2019.
EU Members Seek Status Quo Brexit Transition

January 17, 2018

The Independent reports that, according to draft negotiating directives from EU member states to the European Commission's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, the EU governments are calling for a post-Brexit transition arrangement with the UK that maintains free movement between the EU and UK and requires EU approval of any British free trade deals.
Leaders in Hungary, Ireland Oppose EU Tax Harmonization

January 17, 2018

New Europe reports that, at a recent news conference, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar opposed calls from other EU leaders to centralize the administration of corporate tax rules within the bloc.
Polish President Blames EU for "Disillusionment"

January 16, 2018

AP reports that, in recent remarks, Polish President Andrzej Duda placed partial blame for "social disillusionment" with European integration on EU institutions' failure to respond to the interests of all EU members and warned that these institutions should not "stigmatize, divide and antagonize European nations."
EU Official Plans Direct Taxes to Plug Brexit Holes

January 11, 2018

The Independent reports that European Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger‏ has called for an expansion of the EU's authority to raise direct taxes, bypassing EU member governments, by introducing a Europe-wide tax on plastics and by making Brussels, as opposed to national governments, the beneficiary of revenue from the EU's emissions trading scheme.
Commentator: EU's Path Forward Is Via National Sovereignty

January 10, 2018

Author and commentator John Lloyd writes that the EU should not lose itself in a post-Brexit "integrationist pipe dream" but rather should strengthen the bloc's national governments as politically accountable actors and "recast the Union as a loose association of friendly states" that offers both cooperation and flexibility.
Italian Party Backs off Call for Euro Referendum

January 10, 2018

Reuters reports that the head of Italy's 5-Star Movement Luigi Di Maio has rolled back his party's commitment to hold a referendum on Italy's membership of the eurozone as the group leads opinion polls in the months prior to Italy's March election.