EU news march 2020

What happened in the EU in March 2020

Coronavirus
Well, yes, the Coronavirus came to Europe too as it has spread to almost every country in the world. One by one, EU countries took measures to protect their citizens.

As with the previous big emergencies, the EU reacted very slowly and carefully. Too slow and too carefully according to some. When faced with a crisis, the victims want more solidarity and those less affected don't want to give more solidarity. Remember the asylum crisis or the financial crisis? Other story, same problem.



You may wonder why I rarely include articles from tabloids or popular press in the recommended readings. A good example is this one. It speaks of the EU meltdown, a collapse and the end of the bloc. A meltdown is what happened at nuclear sites like Chernobyl.

If you type this newspaper's title, plus EU and meltdown in Google, you'll get so many articles of this newspaper, recent and from the past. Personally, I'm not convinced this is the right choice of words - especially if you continue using this kind of words. The EU isn't going to melt down, as it didn't every single time that newspaper used the word meltdown before. So that's why I don't include them.

Greece and migrants
Just before Corona, Turkey sent plenty of migrants to the borders of Greece. Both sides used a lot of propaganda, accusing each other. But the Commission warned Greece to respect asylum law. Also, a newspaper revealed some people were held in a secret site and sent back (see article link below).

New EU members
Some more positive news: North Macedonia and Albania will start their membership talks. It will take them some time and effort, as they will need to start respecting the EU rules. Albania, for instance, will have to do more against corruption.

Recommended readings:
Time magazine: Coronavirus, a test for the EU
The Guardian: Asylum in Greece
New York Times: Secret site for asylum seekers

EU news February 2020

What happened in the EU in February 2020?

Brexit

As written in the previous newsletter, we're not done with Brexit. The British Prime Minister has a larger majority in his Parliament now, so he has more power. This will affect the negotiations, for example on who is allowed to fish around the coast of the UK.

When the UK decided to get its new passports (blue, not the EU colour anymore) made in Poland, many Brexit critics laughed. It's just one of these anecdotes you'll be hearing in the coming months.

Face recognition in the EU?

According to the Intercept, the police in the EU might get access to all the faces saved in the each other's databases. Now, they can only check each other's fingerprints and DNA.

Climate hypocrisy

It's the Commission's priority to tackle the climate. For example, it is thinking of raising a tax on the consumption of meat. Now, the European Parliament agreed with a proposal of the Commission to give a lot of money to gas infrastructure projects, which are not considered to be good for the climate.

Trade

Not only is the EU preparing itself for a trade agreement with the UK, it's also using it as a tool to influence other countries. Vietnam made a few reforms over the years, and will now be allowed to trade with the EU almost for free. So when a Vietnamese car producer wants to sell their car in the EU, it won't pay taxes at the border.

Recommended readings:

• The Spectator: Polarisation in the EU
• The Guardian: Climate and gas
• The Guardian: Fisheries and Brexit
• Reuters: Trade in South East Asia

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EU news January 2020

What happened in the EU in January 2020

Brexit
Tonight at 00:00 Brussels time, the United Kingdom legally leaves the European Union. What it means? British politicians lose their political power in the EU. No more Brits in the European Parliament. No more British PM when Prime Ministers and Presidents meet. Plus, some symbolic changes, like British passports changing colours. But the UK will still pay as much for the EU budget as before.

This situation will continue for 11 months. During this period, the UK and the EU will talk about how their relationship will be. Experts say a trade deal will be very, very difficult in less than a year. A 'hard' Brexit, with no deal, will still remain on the table. The EU countries will have to balance the money the UK contributes to the EU budget with trade concessions. So expect the same story again in the coming year.



Phone chargers
The Parliament and Commission are thinking of making one charger for all phones. If this happens, everybody could use the same charger. This is just one example of how the EU has or could have a big impact on our lives.

Recommended readings:
New York Times: phone chargers
BBC: changes after Brexit
The Guardian: Brexit