Articles
Old EU diplomacy for old members only. Will the new one be any better?
Among 115 heads of EC delegations in the world, only two are diplomats from the new member states, according to the study by PISM.
KDH and SaS achieved the most in European issues of the new coalition
The incoming government coalition has agreed programme outline. Which party was able to push trough its view on European policies in the most effective way?
Eastern EU members struggle to make voices heard
Despite their special interest in areas like energy security or neighbourhood policy, the East European countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 have not yet become agenda-setters in Brussels, according to a new study.
Elections 2010: EU in the election manifestos
EurActiv.sk analyzed the manifestos of eight political parties with the biggest chance to reach the 5 % threshold need to be represented in National Council focusing on the EU and European issues.
Visegrad countries hold mini-summit in Brussels
Prime ministers from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary – the so-called Visegrad group – are meeting this morning (25 March) ahead of a two-day EU summit in Brussels to hammer out common positions on the EU´s future diplomatic service and economic issues.
Slovakia asses its foreign policy
The main topics of the annual conference which asses the foreign policy of the Slovak republic were membership in EU and NATO, economic crisis and Visegrad cooperation.
Slovak commissioner-designate Maros Sefcovic had to face difficult hearing. At the very beginning he had to explain his alleged anti-Roma statements, then he was grilled on couple of difficult institutional issues. First reactions indicate that he has sailed through these dire straits.
Šefčovič eases through hearing, fends off accusations
Veleriu Nicolae, author of the paper with Sefcovic´s statement on Roma, said he considers the EPP attack on Slovak candidate "unbelievable".
EU confirmation hearings take nasty turn
Put in a difficult position by Rumiana Jeleva's weak performance at her parliamentary hearing earlier this week, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) is threatening to counter-attack by asking for a socialist head to roll.
Sefcovic on changes awaiting the EU
Lisbon Treaty defined the basic framework of changes in the position and competences of the EU institutions. Now we have to agree on details, says Maros Sefcovic, who should take responsibility over the institutional issues in the new Commission.
Smer-SD formalized its PES membership
European socialists party Congress in Prague formalized the membership of party Smer-SD of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Only Belgian and Hungarian delegates voted against.
Portfolio attributions puzzle Eastern EU countries
Public opinion and politicians alike are questioning the weight and importance of the portfolios attributed to their national commissioners, a roundup by EurActiv's network in Eastern Europe reveals.
Eastern commissioners compete for energy, enlargement
Four Eastern European commissioners are finding themselves in competition after their countries expressed preferences for the energy and enlargement portfolios in the next European Commission.
Jerzy Buzek celebrated 20. anniversary of Velvet revolution in Slovakia
In 1989 we embarked on the immensely important process of building a new European identity, said Jerzy Buzek in Bratislava.
Slovaks are now closer to Czechs in perception of November 189 and the development that followed afterward. However, Hungarians are deeply disappointed with the democracy building in their country. These are some of the outcomes of the opinion poll carried out in Visegrad countries.
Polish President has signed the Lisbon Treaty on Saturday. Now everything is in hands of his Czech counterpart, Václav Klaus, who has recently demanded Czech opt-out from the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Czech President claims that on ots basis, Sudeten Germans expelled after the WWII could claim back their properties through the EU courts. It remains to be seen if this was his final demand, or just another part of his hold-back tactics.
