European energy policy: political and economic implications

Views: 52At the end of November 2022, the EU-27 member states reached some vital politico-economic decisions on critical energy-related issues. These decisions are not only important for resolving EU-wide current energy crisis; now the states must move forward to implement as swiftly as possible tough decisions, which include also some “market correction mechanisms”. Soon the […]

EU-wide education area for 2025: ongoing initiatives and trends

Views: 59The Commission approved a report on progress towards the achievement of the European Education Area by 2025; the report takes analyses the ongoing initiatives and trends on progress to attain EU-level targets in education and training. The progress report is assisted by the Education & Training Monitor with the EU-wide analysis of education and […]

Perspectives for farmed seafood in seas around Europe

Views: 57Farmed seafood has been for long identified as a low-carbon source of food and feed; additionally, algae have a growing number of potential commercial uses in such sectors as pharmaceuticals and plant bio-stimulants, bio-packaging, cosmetics and biofuels. With the recent EU’s “algae initiative”, the Commission wants to unlock EU algae sector potentials by supporting […]

Reducing transport pollution: towards zero-emission mobility in EU by 2035

Views: 49A strong signal to industry and consumers is being sent at the end of October: the EU-27 is entering the path to zero-emission mobility. A preliminary agreement between the European Parliament and Council requires that all new cars and vans registered in Europe will be zero-emission by 2035. As an intermediary step towards zero […]

Commission’s working plan for 2023: confirming integration process

Views: 49On 18 October 2022, the Commission adopted its work program for the next year to deal with modern challenges and looming crises and with a due attention to the ongoing EU-wide green and digital transformations. Making the member states more resilient, the Commission will support both people and businesses by reducing energy prices, securing […]

EU integration through the EU’s “Skills year-2023”

Views: 50New Commission’s skills-initiative for 2023 seems to be too complicated to deliver within just a year: it is involving all three existing “division of competence” between the EU and the member states. Some, as the education policy, is almost fully in the states’ competence shared; however, the initiative touches upon important issues vital for […]

EU consumer protection: changes in online trade & services

Views: 50The EU and the national consumer protection centers have adopted during last years some measures of improving online commerce and services to make shopping safer for customers and bringing it in line with the EU rules. In certain areas existing EU consumer protection rules have been modernized and adjusted, in view of the new […]

Energy-intensive companies in EU are having compensations

Views: 46Compensating national expenses for energy-intensive companies (within the state-aid rules) for higher electricity prices resulting from indirect emission costs is allowed under the EU Emission Trading System. The rules also prevent these companies from relocating their production to countries outside the EU with less ambitious climate policies. The EU measures will facilitate a cost-effective […]

European recovery and resilience: new levels of managing socio-economic integration

Views: 62European integration is not only most important aspect of the Union’s development: it is also a very difficult and complicated process. The EU institutions have at stake legal, managerial and organizational means to “govern integration”; suffice it to say that there are already over 40 thousand various types of laws adopted during last seventy […]

Fintech and blockchain: new directions in European integration

Views: 54During last decade, the blockchain industry (as well as that of crypto) has experiences a rapid growth; the speed of development has increased notably over the past few years. The industry and its growth are often analysed through market capitalization, trading volume and other financial metrics (there are already over a hundred different crypto-currencies); […]