Europe’s missing mails
How the EU Commission and national governments delete official emails and text messages — creating areas of decision-making without oversight and control.
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Violating promises and law, von der Leyen tests patience
Under EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, transparency was supposed to be a “guiding principle”. Instead, the European Commission is asking Kafkaesque questions in response to an access to documents request, and failing to meet its legal deadline.
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France opposed guidelines on EU presidency sponsorships
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
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How corporate lobbyists steer EU law-making
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
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Selmayr did not want top job, says predecessor
The controversial Martin Selmayr never wanted the promotion to top EU civil servant, according to his predecessor. That short-lived promotion saw criticism from both the European Ombudsman and the European Parliament as inflicting “reputational damage” on the EU.
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Selmayr did not keep formal records of lobby meetings
The German former secretary-general of the European Commission held some 21 meetings which were registered in the lobby register. But no documents appeared to exist summarising what was said.
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Internal EU paper: Second Brexit vote was no longer ‘distant dream’
European Commission documents on meeting with Tony Blair describe chances of second referendum have become “credible”.
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EU has ‘zero incentive’ to break open ‘trilogue’ deals
PhD researcher Alexander Hoppe said street protests against the copyright directive came “way too late”, because EU institutions had already found a compromise deal on the text.
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Brexit row delays financial products transparency review
A European financial regulatory body set up after the financial crisis is at loggerheads with the European Commission over whether to carry out a transparency review of certain financial products. The reason: Brexit.
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UN report: eat less meat to combat climate crisis
“We don’t want to tell people what to eat,” said UN climate panelist Hans-Otto Portner. But the impact of humans’ carnivorous diet on the climate is substantial.
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EU ‘outdoing Bush’ on sea and train passenger-data warning
The executive director of Privacy International has warned that plans to expand EU rules on passenger data collection to Europe’s railway and sea passengers “does not end well.”
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‘Patchwork’ penalties – the EU’s perennial fines problem
In EU law, it is often left to national governments to set the maximum level of fines. This leads to a patchwork situation which could be exploited by companies concentrating only on profits.
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EU may extend ‘passenger name records’ to rail and sea
Documents reveal that EU states are considering broadening requirements on keeping passenger records, currently only applicable to air carriers, to providers of other modes of transport.
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Bienkowska bows out, with no EU ‘Space Force’ in sight
EU commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska said back in January the EU should consider setting up its own space army – in response to Donald Trump’s similar plan. Bar two speeches, not much has happened.
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EU receives record number of requests for documents
EU citizens filed applications to see documents 6,912 times last year. The commission called this “a striking increase” compared to 2017 – and subtly hints at needing more staff.
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Audi ex-CEO on fraud charge, as diesels remain on road
One-in-five cars equipped with Audi’s emissions cheating technology is still on the road, mostly in eastern Europe.
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Eight EU states miss artificial intelligence deadline
Pan-European strategy “encouraged” member states to publish national artificial intelligence strategies by mid-2019. Germany, France and the UK have already done so – others are lagging behind.
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EU parliament rejects ombudsman over expenses
The European Parliament questions whether the ombudsman had the right to criticise the institution’s “margin of discretion” in deciding on publication of confidential papers about the controversial monthly €4,513 expenses lump sum for MEPs.
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EU sends Spain to court in latest air pollution case
Spain was supposed to have limited nitrogen dioxide levels some nine years ago – but continues to fail to do so. It is one of 20 EU member states breaking EU air quality rules.
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Commission defends Mercosur trade deal
EU commissioners defended a far-reaching free trade agreement between the EU and four Latin American countries, against critics who fear it will damage European farmers’ livelihoods and the global environment.