Section: European Parliamentary Research Service Blog (EU)
Belarus’s parliamentary elections: Déjà vu?
Written by Naja Bentzen, After 22 years in power, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s camp can expect yet another victory in the 11 September parliamentary elections. The weary Belarusian opposition is no threat to the iron-fisted president, who represents stability in uncertain times. What is new, however, is that Lukashenko, who...
The State of the Union debate in the European Parliament, 2016 [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Eva-Maria Poptcheva, Daniel Noguero / European Union 2015, European Parliament The 2016 State of the Union debate in the European Parliament comes at a time of severe challenges for the European Union, ranging from the refugee and migration crisis and the situation in Turkey and Ukraine, to the uncertainties following the UK referendum...
Podcasts April 2016: Listen again!
Written by Richard Freedman, Looking back on this series of EPRS podcasts, in April 2016 the Plenary podcasts focussed on protecting businesses’ trade secrets and on the technical pillar of the fourth railway package. Protecting businesses’ trade secrets Industrial espionage is a growing problem in the EU. To allow companies to better...
A guide to EPRS podcasts
Written by Richard Freedman, Since July 2015, the European Parliamentary Research Service has been producing informative, timely and varied podcasts. The podcasts fall into three categories: Plenary Podcasts Policy Podcasts and Science and Technology Podcasts. Each month, on the Thursday before the European Parliament’s plenary session,...
The 2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw
Written by Philippe Perchoc, Graphics by: Christian Dietrich, On 8 and 9 July 2016, the Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) convenes in Warsaw. The NATO Heads of State or Government will discuss policies and future direction for the Alliance. On the menu: the balance of NATO policies and operations on the eastern and southern...
Outcome of the European Council of 28 June 2016 and the informal meeting of 27 Heads of State or Government on 29 June 2016
Written by Joséphine Vanden Broucke, Ralf Drachenberg, Susanna Tenhunen and Suzana Anghel, The 28 June 2016 European Council was described by its President, Donald Tusk, as ‘very much a British European Council’. The result of the UK referendum held on 23 June 2016 – in which 51.9% of the 71.8% of the electorate who voted opted for the...
European security and the NATO summit [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Written by Marcin Grajewski, © mrallen / Fotolia Challenges to security in Europe will take centre stage at the NATO summit in Warsaw on 8-9 July when its heads of state and government will discuss issues ranging from Russia’s conflict with Ukraine and its growing military assertiveness to turmoil across the Middle East and North Africa,...
Strategic communication: the EU’s response to invasive narratives [Policy Podcast]
Written by Naja Bentzen, © Kheng Guan Toh / Fotolia Strategic communication (StratCom) is not a new concept, but its significance for the European Union’s external relations policy and security environment is increasing in the context of disinformation practices in relation to the Ukraine conflict and spreading into the EU, as well as...
Outlook for the European Council of 28-29 June 2016
Written by Ralf Drachenberg, Susanna Tenhunen and Suzana Anghel, The European Council meeting to be held on 28-29 June 2016 will discuss the outcome of the UK referendum held on 23 June 2016, where 51.9 per cent of those voting opted for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. As a consequence, the other agenda items foreseen – external...
Safety of nuclear installations in Belarus [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Naja Bentzen, Thirty years after the Chernobyl accident in neighbouring Ukraine, Belarus is building its first nuclear power plant (NPP). The first unit is set to become operational in 2018 with Russian assistance. However, as the project advances, safety concerns are mounting. Belarus to realise nuclear power aspirations with help...
