European Institutions

EC Accepts Compromise on Italian Budget Deficit

January 04, 2019

Bloomberg reports that, in December, the European Commission (EC) accepted a compromise with the Italian government in a conflict over the country’s plans to raise spending in violation of EU “excessive budget” rules, with the EC allowing Italy to carry a budget deficit just above the bloc’s limits.
EU Agency Pushes More Action on Emissions Goals

January 03, 2019

In a report on country-by-country efforts to achieve EU energy goals by the year 2020, the European Environment Agency called on EU member states to ramp up their investments in renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the bloc.
EU Body Warns of Harms Caused by Cutting Migration

January 03, 2019

In December, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted an opinion finding that, due to an ageing European population and other factors, restricting migration into the EU and failing to integrate migrants into host societies have a negative impact on the bloc’s labor force and cause rises in racism and xenophobia.
ECJ Strikes down German Law on Identity Checks

January 03, 2019

The Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) recently held that a German law requiring operators of bus services to check passports and residence permits of passengers prior to crossing the country’s national borders violates EU rules allowing permitless travel within the Schengen zone.
ECJ Official: German Search-Engine Rule Is Invalid

January 03, 2019

Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) Advocate General Gerard Hogan recently advised the ECJ to rule that Germany must not apply legislation requiring search engines to seek the permission of publishers to show previews of media content, as the government failed to notify the European Commission of its plans to implement the law.