European Institutions

EC Begins Work Toward €13-Billion Defense Project

February 13, 2019

The European Commission (EC) has begun partnering with EU member states to fund “joint industrial projects in the field of defence” with the aim of ramping up financing to establish a €13-billion European Defence Fund in the 2021-2027 EU budget period.
ECJ Allows Child Benefits for EU Migrants Not Pursuing Jobs

February 13, 2019

The Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) has ruled that EU migrants are not required to pursue employment in the EU member state in which they live to receive family benefits for children living in another member state.
Economist: “Malthouse Compromise” Offers Path Forward for Brexit

February 13, 2019

Dr. Graham Gudgin of UK think tank Policy Exchange argues that EU institutions would likely accept the provisions of the “Malthouse Compromise” proposed by members of the UK Conservative Party as a free-trade alternative to the government’s current withdrawal deal and its “backstop” provisions that would keep the UK closely tied to EU regulations.
CoE Report Warns of Eroding Press Freedom in Europe

February 12, 2019

Through its Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists, the Council of Europe (CoE) has issued a report warning of the “fragile” state of press freedom in Europe due both to the targeting of journalists for violence and harassment and to efforts by governments to control the media.
ECtHR Finds Sanction Against Lawyer “Excessive”

February 12, 2019

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has determined that Portugal violated a lawyer’s right to freedom of expression by imposing what the Court considered to be an excessive fine on the lawyer for questioning the integrity of a judge.