For those witnessing the United Kingdom’s spectacular descent into ignominy over the last four years since voting to leave the European Union, Tuesday September 8, 2020 is a date that will not soon be forgotten. On that afternoon, Brandon Lewis (Northern Ireland Secretary of State), speaking from the House of Commons’ despatch box, announced the government’s intention to break international law in pursuit of its Brexit policy. […]
“So let’s stop talking it down, and let’s get to work for it. […] Let’s build the world we want to live in. Long live Europe!” With these words, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen closed her speech on the State of the Union held on the 16th September 2020. In this speech, the President announced the forthcoming release of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. […]
The recent fire outbreak in the largest Greek migrant camp on the island of Lesvos accentuated the harsh reality many migrants and refugees have been facing over the past years. Images of people running from the fire, sleeping on the streets and walking amid the burned camp should reawaken the European conscience and responsibility to act in front of a dangerous threat for human rights and individuals’ dignity. […]
On 1 March 2020, Greece suspended the right to seek asylum. Additionally, they announced that they would increase border security to prevent the entry of migrants, and summarily deport the ones entering illegally into Greek territory. […]
The European Union (EU) is versed in the recurring debates regarding the scope of European defence, among them being the creation of a European Army. With the lack of a proper framework, the concept of a united army remains fragile and uncertain. […]
To access the European Union, EU-candidate countries are required to embrace the EU Community acquis within their legislation. This is deployed throughout accession negotiations as a framework of 35 chapters, with Energy as the fifteenth. […]
Terrorism is a threat that pervades every value of democratic society, a threat that illuminates the cracks in our security and freedoms in the EU. It is a threat that recognizes no borders and targets anyone regardless of where they call home. […]
A conditionality mechanism in the European Union (EU) budget tied to the rule of law creates important consequences for the EU’s future in several regards. Specifically, one effect that should not be underestimated lies within the field of foreign policy, where the EU depends heavily on its external credibility to exert influence. […]
COVID-19 has posed several challenges on migratory movements. At the end of June, among the 11,300 people who had tried to cross the sea from Libya, 50% had been sent back and disembarked in Libyan ports. […]
On Earth Day, 22 April 2016, the UNFCCC Paris Agreement was opened for signatures, aiming to limit the average temperature increase well below 2°C, or even 1.5°C below pre-industrial levels. With both the European Union and its Member States as signatory parties, collective action became imperative in Brussels. […]