European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
briefings
UK Internal Market Bill and the Withdrawal Agreement
On 9 September 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) government tabled a bill in the House of Commons which would govern the country’s internal market after the Brexit transition period ends. Continue reading
Decarbonising maritime transport: The EU perspective [Policy Podcast]
International maritime transport is the backbone of the global economy. However, vessels release emissions that pollute the air and contribute significantly to global warming. Continue reading
Sustainable consumption: Helping consumers make eco-friendly choices [Policy Podcast]
Household consumption in the EU has major environmental impacts, which in a number of cases exceed planetary boundaries. Two thirds of consumers in the EU realise that their consumption habits have negative effects on the environment, and the solution that they mention most often is to change consumption habits and production patterns. Continue reading
Recent trends in female employment [Policy Podcast]
Statistics and research results show that in recent decades, before the coronavirus pandemic, the EU’s labour market witnessed an increase in female employment rates. Continue reading
Violence against women in the EU: State of play
Violence against women is a violation of human rights and a form of gender-based discrimination. Rooted in inequalities between men and women, it takes many forms. Estimates of the scale of the problem are alarming. Such violence has a major impact on victims and imposes a significant cost burden on society. Continue reading
US Presidential election [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Joseph Biden, a former US Vice-President and long-time Senator with a strong interest in foreign affairs, won the US Presidential election for the Democrats, defeating the incumbent Republican President, Donald Trump. Continue reading
Prospectuses for investors – Simplifying equity-raising during the pandemic [EU Legislation in Progress]
A prospectus is a legally required document presenting information about a company and the securities that it offers to the public or seeks to admit to trading on a regulated market. Continue reading
Screening of third-country nationals at the EU external borders [EU Legislation in Progress]
In September 2020, the Commission put forward a new pact on migration and asylum, setting out a comprehensive approach to European Union (EU) migration policies that links external borders, asylum, return systems, the Schengen area of free movement and the external dimension of migration. Continue reading
Global mega-trends: Scanning the post-coronavirus horizon
The European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) – the strategic foresight network of the European Union institutions – offers a valuable ‘free space’ in which to conduct a genuine continental, and potentially global, conversation about where the world is heading over the medium to long run. Continue reading
Trade negotiations between the EU and ASEAN member states
In 2017, the European Union–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dialogue partnership celebrated its 40th anniversary. Continue reading
Thirty years of European territorial cooperation
Established in 1990, the first European territorial cooperation initiative, Interreg I, focused on cross-border cooperation. Continue reading
Important projects of common European interest: Boosting EU strategic value chains
Article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides for the possibility of approving state aid for ‘important projects of common European interest’ (IPCEIs). Continue reading
Technical Support Instrument [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 28 May 2020, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation on a Technical Support Instrument that would provide Member States with technical support to strengthen their institutional and administrative capacity in designing and implementing reforms. Continue reading
Europe confronts the second wave [What Think Tanks are thinking]
As the United States has been choosing its President, an explosion of cases in a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has forced many governments in Europe to reintroduce strict confinement measures, including new lockdowns, curfews, bans on meetings and the closure of many businesses, notably in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Continue reading
Air transport survival during the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on air transport in the European Union and the rest of the world. During the first wave, most Member States imposed entry or flight bans and other travel restrictions, bringing passenger flights almost to a standstill. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council video-conference of 29 October 2020
In the context of a major spike in coronavirus infections across all EU Member States, Heads of State or Government met by video-conference on 29 October 2020 in a bid to strengthen collective EU efforts to defeat the pandemic. Continue reading
Reforming asylum and migration management: A shift towards greater solidarity? [EU Legislation in Progress]
In September 2020, the European Commission submitted a proposal on asylum and migration management, to replace the 2013 Dublin Regulation that determines the EU Member State responsible for examining asylum applications. Continue reading
Limits on exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work: Fourth proposal [EU Legislation in Progress]
The European Commission has proposed to amend Directive 2004/37/EC, by expanding its scope and by including and/or revising occupational exposure limit values for a number of cancer- or mutation-causing chemical agents. Continue reading
EU foreign, security and defence policies [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union faces multifaceted foreign security and defence policy challenges. First and foremost, it awaits the outcome of the US Presidential election, which is set to determine in significant part global economic and political developments to in the short to mid term. Continue reading
Coronavirus: The second wave [What Think Tanks are thinking]
A resurgence in the number of coronavirus infections since the summer has evidently turned into a second wave of the pandemic, which has now hit many European Union countries. The pandemic is putting renewed pressure on European health systems, and authorities are introducing stringent but targeted preventive measures in a bid to cushion the Continue reading
Download the EPRS App
