Written by Sarah McCormack, Zsolt G. Pataki, and Nera Kuljanic, It is thought that quantum technologies will lead a new wave of revolutionary developments in Europe. With the Quantum Manifesto due to be officially released in May 2016 with wide-ranging EU backing, now is a good time to investigate the challenges facing quantum technologies and… Read More Can Europe lead the Second Quantum Revolution?
Written by Gertrud Malmersjo and Milan Remáč, This briefing is one in a series of ‘Implementation Appraisals’ on the operation of existing EU legislation in practice. Each such briefing focuses on a specific EU law which is likely to be amended or reviewed, as foreseen in the European Commission’s Annual Work Programme. Implementation Appraisals aim… Read More Regulation 604/2013 (Dublin Regulation) and asylum procedures in Europe
Written by Elisabeth Bauer and Marie Thiel, Decisions taken by the EU affect millions of European citizens. These decisions must be taken as openly as possible. At the same time, the EU institutions interact with a wide range of groups and organisations representing specific interests. This is a legitimate and necessary part of the decision-making… Read More Nothing to hide: the EU Transparency Register
Written by Dessislava Yougova and Eulalia Claros Water stress is steadily increasing, as a result either of droughts – a temporary decline in water resources due to low rainfall – or situations of water scarcity, where demand exceeds the level of sustainable use. Assessment of the global use of water resources is hampered by the… Read More Water use in the EU
Written by Richard Freedman, Making the introductory speech to an event entitled ‘The US Presidential election: Transatlantic perspectives’, MEP David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Chairman of the European Parliament delegation to the United States, referred to the US election campaign as an ‘ongoing movie’. The event was the first in a series organised by the EPRS… Read More US Presidential Election: Transatlantic Perspectives
Written by Cemal Karakas, How could the global, and in particular European, economy recover from the ongoing economic crisis? What kind of reforms should take place? What are the prospects for the European Union (EU) and its Member States? On 18 April 2016, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) organised its first roundtable discussion with… Read More Economic crisis: the right time for product and labour market reforms
Written by Marcin Grajewski, The European Central Bank has been easing its monetary policy to counter deflationary forces in the euro-zone economy and to reinforce its fragile growth. On 10 March, the ECB announced another stimulus package, cutting interest rates, expanding its asset purchase programme in size and scope, and introducing measures to make it… Read More Monetary easing by the ECB [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Written by Marie Thiel and Elisabeth Bauer, [Updated 26 April 2016] Widespread lobbying in the EU institutions has led to criticism regarding the transparency and accountability of the EU’s decision-making process. In response to these concerns, the Parliament set up its transparency register in 1995, followed by the Commission in 2008. The two institutions merged… Read More EU Transparency Register
Written by Clare Ferguson, Following the first item on the agenda (the 2014 annual report of the European Investment Bank, in the presence of Werner Hoyer, the bank’s President), Members will debate a massive 53 reports regarding the discharge procedure for the EU’s annual budget for 2014. This procedure allows for political scrutiny of the… Read More Financial accountability & Railway operability: April Plenary Session
Written by Philippe Perchoc, In the early hours of 26 April 1986, a test on the fourth reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant resulted in a massive energy surge, which led to the biggest nuclear accident in history. Some 600 000 men participated in the containment operations, putting their lives at risk, and around 350 000… Read More Chernobyl 30 years on: The EU’s response