Democracy Impacts

EU Reports on Progress Toward "Security Union"

October 24, 2016

The European Commission's first monthly report on progress toward the establishment of a "Security Union" to combat terrorism across the EU focuses on efforts by EU institutions and member states to push through reforms on border security, firearms restrictions, passenger name records, and other items on the Commission's security agenda.
Economist Calls for Austrian Exit from EU

October 19, 2016

Chris Tomlinson writes that economist and academic Hans-Werner Sinn has argued that, in response to the increased risk of countries with poorer economies dominating EU institutions following Britain's exit from the bloc, Austria should leave the EU by canceling the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 and, in return for rejoining, demand reforms to the way the Union works.
German Court Rejects CETA Challenge

October 19, 2016

The BBC reports that Germany's Constitutional Court has rejected a legal challenge to the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in which opponents of the deal argued that it would violate the country's constitution by partly taking effect before all EU national parliaments approve it.
Major EU Powers Seek Post-Brexit Military Structure

October 19, 2016

EUobserver reports that France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have drafted a letter to other EU member states setting out their plan to create a "permanent" and "autonomous" European structure to launch military missions following the UK's exit from the bloc.
EU Group: UN Deal Requires New "Climate Governance"

October 19, 2016

The European Committee on the Regions has adopted an opinion calling for EU greenhouse gas emissions to be halved by the year 2030 and calling for the implementation of "multi-level climate governance that fully integrates the efforts of cities and regions" in order to achieve the UN climate deal agreed in Paris last year.
Dempsey: EU Leaders Should Ditch Plans for Common Army

October 18, 2016

Judy Dempsey of Carnegie Europe writes that EU plans for a European army, over which the European Commission would exercise significant control, would needlessly duplicate structures of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and would divide EU countries at a time of strategic weakness.
Czech Official Raises Brexit Veto Threat over Migration

October 18, 2016

Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis has asserted that his country might veto any post-Brexit deal with the UK that would permit the country to retain membership of the EU's "single market" without providing for freedom of movement for nationals of EU member states.
Official: "Punishment" Approach to Brexit Will Harm EU

October 17, 2016

UK Secretary of State for Exiting the EU David Davis has warned EU leaders that any plan to punish Britain for leaving the bloc as a message to euroskeptics in other countries would likely backfire and lead to other governments choosing to hold their own votes on EU membership.
EU Leaders Hold Line on Migration in Brexit Deal

October 17, 2016

The Guardian reports that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, French President François Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have all recently denied that the UK can retain membership in the EU's single market without accepting the principle of free movement of EU nationals.
Hungary PM Seeks Constitution Change on EU Resettlement

October 17, 2016

EUobserver reports that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced his plan to propose an amendment to the country's constitution banning the resettlement of large numbers of migrants in Hungary by EU institutions without the approval of Parliament or the examination of individual requests by Hungarian authorities.