Democracy Impacts

UK Official Rejects Concerns of Post-Brexit "Vassal" Status

January 29, 2018

The Guardian reports that the UK's Brexit Secretary David Davis has rejected arguments from Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, head of the euroskeptic European Research Group, that the UK's acceptance of EU Court of Justice rulings during a post-Brexit transition period would make it a "vassal state," responding that the concerns are unfounded due to the period's limited duration.
Committee Supports Proposal for Transnational MEPs

January 29, 2018

Politico reports that, in a recent vote by the European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee to shrink the Parliament upon the departure of Britain from the EU, Members of Parliament (MEPs) included a provision to pave the way, if agreed by the Council of the EU, to create a new class of transnational MEPs who would represent the full EU.
Visegrad Members Debate Benefits of Euro

January 29, 2018

Reuters reports that, in the three Central and Eastern European countries forming the Visegrad Group that have not yet adopted the euro, some economists and others are calling for their governments to rethink their monetary policy, warning that failing to join the currency may mean they are left out of future EU political integration.
Commission Promotes EU Citizenship Education

January 29, 2018

EUobserver reports that, as part of a strategy toward Europe-wide policies on education systems, the European Commission recently issued guidance on what schools in the EU should be including in their curricula, including education on the European project to ensure students are "engaged citizens with a strong sense of belonging" to the multinational bloc.
EU Official Calls Summit on Enforcing Pollution Laws

January 24, 2018

European Commissioner for the Environment Karmenu Vella has summoned officials from nine EU member states to an "air quality ministerial summit" at the end of January pressuring them on reducing air pollution in line with EU law and has announced the creation of a Compliance Assurance Action Plan to guide governments through the process of combating pollution.
UK Business Group Pushes to Remain in EU Customs Union

January 22, 2018

Bloomberg reports that Director General of the Confederation of British Industry Carolyn Fairbairn has called for the UK government to negotiate a Brexit deal that would keep Britain within the EU customs union, meaning the UK could not negotiate separate free trade deals with countries outside the bloc.
EU Parliament Seeks Stricter Standards on Energy

January 19, 2018

Nature reports that the European Parliament has passed legislation pushing EU countries to obtain 35 percent of their energy from renewable sources by the year 2030 and raising a legally binding target for energy efficiency in buildings and in consumer goods after 2021.
EU Task Force Explores Subsidiarity, Proportionality

January 19, 2018

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has appointed members to an EU Task Force on "Subsidiarity, Proportionality and 'Doing Less More Efficiently'" to identify what projects "could be devolved or definitely returned to Member States" and in which areas EU officials could cooperate more effectively with national or local officials.
Austrian Leader Sets out "Pro-European" Reform Agenda

January 18, 2018

Politico reports that Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has called on the EU, in its bid for a renewal of purpose after Brexit, to focus on "big issues" and leave smaller issues to communities and national governments, while calling for "deeper cooperation on security, foreign policy and defense as well as economic and monetary policy" in EU institutions.
EPP Chair: EU Must Do More to Advance "Political Project"

January 18, 2018

Manfred Weber, the Chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) grouping in the European Parliament, writes that the urgent task of EU politicians is "to convince European citizens to continue to support an ambitious European political project" encompassing migration policy, social rights, and financial regulation prior to the European Parliament's election campaign in 2019.