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On 8 March 2023, the European Commission is set to adopt an update of its first EU maritime security strategy from 2014. The EU is a one-of-a-kind maritime actor, a fact that brings both opportunities and responsibilities. It has been argued that, if the EU-27 were to combine the capacities and capabilities of their navies, they would form one of the world's largest maritime powers. There is therefore space for better integration of capabilities and greater coherence among the EU's tools to promote ...

With its war of aggression against Ukraine, launched in early 2022, Russia has violated the country's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within internationally recognised borders. This war has inflicted heavy casualties, destruction and displacement within Ukraine and beyond. While intense ongoing hostilities make it difficult to collect comprehensive information about certain areas in Ukraine, this is arguably the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. There are ...

On 25 January 2023, the Committees on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) jointly adopted, by a substantial majority, their interim report on EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). The report calls for swift European Union (EU) ratification, noting that the 2021 opinion of the European Court of Justice enables EU accession even in the ...

EU Heads of State or Government will gather on 9 and 10 February 2023 for a special European Council meeting. In addition to Russia's war on Ukraine, which will notably be addressed in the context of the EU–Ukraine summit held on 3 February 2023, the main agenda points will include migration and the EU's economy. On migration, EU leaders will consider immediate operational action to address growing migratory pressure at the EU's borders. In particular, they will discuss measures to strengthen EU ...

In December 2022, Japan announced important changes to its defence policy, including a strong rise in its defence expenditure in the period up to 2027. Although Japan had already introduced some changes to its foreign policy-making process under late Prime Minister Abe, the new security and defence strategies, together with the planned strong rise in defence spending – if implemented – would constitute the most drastic changes to Japan's post-war order since at least 1960 (US-Japan Security Treaty ...

This 'cost of non-Europe' report looks at the potential benefits of efficient, ambitious and united EU-level action in the space sector. The report finds that to enable the European space sector to benefit from open strategic autonomy, and to ensure EU access to and use of space, including for its security, the EU must act decisively. Moving away from fragmentation could bring large benefits, amounting to at least €140 billion per year by 2050.

On 25 November 2021, the European Commission put forward a proposal to modify Council Directive 94/80/EC on the right of mobile EU citizens to vote and stand as candidates in municipal elections. The proposal tied in with the Commission President's priority for a new push for European democracy. The proposal was presented together with three others: a proposal to modify Directive 93/109/EC on EU citizens' right to vote and stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament; a proposal on ...

The European single market celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. On 1 January 1993, the then 12 Member States abolished border controls between each other, launching free movement of people, goods, services and capital. This infographic celebrates the single market's anniversary, looking at the history of the European Union (EU) in terms of macro-economic indicators as the number of Member States has grown. It shows exports of goods, services and investments; movement of people within the EU ...

The arrival of refugees and irregular migrants in the EU in unprecedented numbers in 2015 exposed a number of deficiencies in the EU's external border, asylum and migration policy, and sparked EU action through various legal and policy instruments. Today, even though the EU has been relatively successful in securing its external borders, curbing irregular migrant arrivals and increasing cooperation with third countries, Member States are still reluctant to show solidarity and do more to share responsibility ...

On 16 January, during its plenary session, Parliament will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the single market. As well the ceremony, Parliament is to vote on a motion for a resolution, adopted by the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection on 12 December 2022. In its 2023 work programme, the Commission announced a communication on 'the single market at 30', to be issued early in the first quarter of the year.