Ursula von der Leyen—the accidental president
SOCIAL EUROPE – Alberto Alemanno analyzes Ursula von der Leyen’s 2023 State of the Union address.
Europe
Preparing for a post-Soros Europe
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno explains the consequences that the Open Society Foundations’ retreat from Europe will have for civil society organizations.
« Il faut empêcher la Hongrie de prendre la présidence du Conseil de l’Union européenne »
LE MONDE – Alberto Alemanno plaide pour la suspension de la présidence hongroise du Conseil de l’UE.
¿Puede Hungría ostentar la presidencia rotatoria del Consejo de la Unión?
EL PAÍS – Alberto Alemanno aboga por la suspensión de la próxima presidencia húngara del Consejo de la UE.
Suspending Hungary’s EU presidency isn’t a sanction — it’s a precaution
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno argues for the suspension of Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU.
Alberto Alemanno, promotor de The Good Lobby: “Hoy día las empresas están bajo un control público sin precedentes”
EL MUNDO – Alberto Alemanno explica la importancia de la democratización del lobbying para contrarrestar los grupos de presión empresariales.
Democratizar el ‘lobbying’ para salvar nuestra democracia
EL CONFIDENCIAL – Alberto Alemanno explica la importancia de democratizar el lobbying en plena crisis de la democracia representativa
Alemanno: “El lobby se monopolizó con el interés particular de empresas y grupos”
LA INFORMACIÓN – Alberto Alemanno explica la misión de The Good Lobby y la importancia del lobbying ciudadano, tras la llegada de la ONG a España.
Participación ciudadana: ¿De verdad podemos cambiar las cosas?
ETHIC – Alberto Alemanno comments on citizen participation and access to lobbying, as The Good Lobby opens in Spain.
Los populares europeos aceleran su acercamiento a la ultraderecha en pleno ciclo electoral
EL PAÍS – Alberto Alemanno comments on the European Popular Party’s rapprochement with the far-right in the middle of the election cycle.
Plan for EU ethics body falls short of parliament’s demands, critics warn
FINANCIAL TIMES – Alberto Alemanno comments on a proposed ethics body for EU institutions in the aftermath of the Qatargate.
Criminal complaint adds to Ursula von der Leyen’s Pfizer text woes
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno comments on the criminal complaint against European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Opinion | L’éthique transparente et l’esprit du lobbying
LES ECHOS – Alberto Alemanno and Hugo Weber advocate for more transparent ethics in lobbying.
‘Qatargate will go down in history as the largest and most damaging political scandal’
Alberto Alemanno is interviewed by Genie Godula (France 24) about the Qatargate scandal.
Brussels Playbook: Qatar scandal hits Commission — Finland’s next PM? — VdL in Washington
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno comments on how the Qatargate scandal hits the European Commission.
Qatargate: A Missed Opportunity to Reform the Union
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno discusses the need to establish an EU ethics body in the aftermath of the Qatargate scandal.
Why Europe must embrace participatory policymaking
EURACTIV – New models for citizen involvement in government are critical for the survival of democratic institutions in Europe, write Alberto Alemanno and Laura Batalla.
After Qatargate scandal, EU integrity rules need ‘teeth’: Expert Alberto Alemanno
FRANCE 24 – Alberto Alemanno discusses the implications of the Qatargate scandal that has rocked the European Parliament over the last few weeks.
Alberto Alemanno, juriste : “le Parlement européen a toujours résisté aux règles”
FRANCE 24 – Alberto Alemanno discusses the implications of the Qatargate scandal that has rocked the European Parliament over the last few weeks.
‘Invulnerable’ MEPs set to test EU’s bid to raise ethical standards
FINANCIAL TIMES – Alberto Alemanno comments the EU’s ethical standards in the aftermath of the Qatargate scandal.
European Parliament corruption probe is a gift to the bloc’s critics
THE WASHINGTON POST – Four people have been charged on suspicion of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal organization on behalf of Qatar.
¿Cómo se puede evitar otro ‘Qatargate’ en la Unión Europea?
EL PAÍS – Alberto Alemanno propone cuatro reformas para evitar otro escándalo como el que afecta a la Eurocámara.
Tout un monde – La vulnérabilité du Parlement européen à la corruption
RTS – Alberto Alemanno s’exprime sur l’affaire de corruption qui secoue le Parlement européen.
Calls for EU lobbying rules to be reformed grow as corruption scandal rocks Brussels
EURONEWS – Calls to reform lobbying rules for European Union institutions are growing as Brussels reels from a corruption scandal involving the European Parliament.
The Qatar Corruption Scandal Is Rocking the European Parliament
TIME – A high-profile corruption case alleges Qatar bribed European lawmakers to sway policy.
Qatargate : « L’insouciance éthique du Parlement européen a encouragé une culture de l’impunité »
LE MONDE – Le scandale de la « corruption » par le Qatar a exposé une vérité gênante : l’argent achète l’influence dans l’UE.
4 people are charged with corruption in a bribery inquiry linked to Qatar
NPR – A high-ranking European Union lawmaker is one of several people snared in a corruption probe by Belgian officials for allegedly taking bribes from a Gulf state.
The Qatar scandal shows how the EU has a corruption problem
POLITICO – The Qatar “corruption” scandal has unveiled the inconvenient truth that money does buy influence in the EU.
Calls for EU reform after five arrested in Qatar corruption inquiry
THE GUARDIAN – The arrest of a European Parliament vice-president and four others linked to a corruption investigation implicating World Cup hosts Qatar sparked calls for “root and branch reform” in the EU institution.
Watchdogs wanted an EU ethics cop. They might get a scolding
POLITICO – Without enforcement or investigation powers, a new ethics body ‘misses the point,’ experts say.
Brussels to propose rise in cigarette taxes and first EU-wide vaping levy
FINANCIAL TIMES – Bloc’s push to cut smoking rates would increase minimum excise duty from €1.80 to €3.60 per pack of 20.
Fight over migrant rescue ship sours Italy’s relations with France
FINANCIAL TIMES – Spat reinforces concern about Giorgia Meloni’s readiness to work constructively with EU.
Meloni trouxe muitos sorrisos, mas poucas respostas concretas de Bruxelas
PUBLICO – A nova primeira-ministra de Itália encontra com os líderes das instituições da União Europeia
Italy PM Giorgia Meloni hails ‘frank, positive’ exchange with EU leaders in first Brussels trip
EURONEWS – Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed a “very frank, very positive” exchange with European Union leaders in Brussels.
«La doctrine Borrell», une conversation avec le Haut représentant
Groupe d’études géopolitiques – Alberto Alemanno et Adam Mouyal conversent avec Josep Borrell au sujet de son discours devant les ambassadeurs de l’Union et la première promotion de l’Académie diplomatique européenne.
France and Germany’s relationship questioned as Scholz goes alone on policy
CNBC – Fresh tensions between France and Germany are challenging their relationship at a time when their unity is critical for broader European policy in tackling the energy crisis.
Olaf Scholz à l’Elysée : un dialogue amical et constructif, malgré les divergences
EURONEWS – le chancelier allemand Olaf Scholz rencontre le président français à l’Elysée
EU Influence: Broken science debate — Unlocking docs — Revolving full circle
POLITICO – Citizens’ access to documents is “the most concrete manifestation of the principle of openness and its corollary, transparency of the EU”
Migrants in Italy face uncertainty after far-right prime minister’s win
ABC NEWS – Meloni’s election last month will move the country to the far right for the first time since Benito Mussolini’s fall during World War II.
Experts criticise Council’s shady delay of EU Parliament’s Treaty reform request
EURACTIV – Legal experts suggest the Council of the European Union is violating EU law by not initiating the procedure for a Treaty reform.
Here’s what a Meloni government in Italy could mean for the EU
EURONEWS – The far-right victory in Italy’s elections is likely to translate into Rome joining Poland and Hungary by adopting a eurosceptic stance on European Union affairs.
EU Parliament slapped with complaint over ‘backroom deal’ to appoint secretary-general
EURONEWS – An official complaint has been launched against the European Parliament over a controversial deal to appoint its new secretary general, the institution’s top civil servant.
EU Parliament deflects cronyism cries as it appoints top civil servant
POLITICO – Alessandro Chiocchetti will become the Parliament’s new secretary-general, overseeing the institution’s expansive bureaucracy.
Italian right on path to power after PM Mario Draghi resigns
THE SUNDAY TIMES – Italy President Mario Draghi gives televised address amid political and financial turmoil
EU Influence: NGOs do it better — Schröder shame — QueasyJet
POLITICO – Sarah Wheaton speaks from The Good Lobby’s annual summer academy.
EU Influence: NGOs do it better — Schröder shame — QueasyJet
POLITICO – A surprising mix of transparency advocates, NGOers and unabashed corporate lobbyists meet at The Good Lobby’s annual Summer Academy.
EU Influence: UberFiles soul-search — Salaries spike — Your new Insta addiction
POLITICO – Uber Files outlined “a rather extreme, yet quite common (notably in the tech sector) method” of gaining access through lobbying
Former EU digital chief Neelie Kroes secretly helped Uber lobby Dutch PM, leak suggests
THE GUARDIAN – Uber Files appear to show Neelie Kroes trying to assist firm during ‘cooling-off’ period after leaving commission
Uber Files: Massive leak reveals how top politicians secretly helped Uber
BBC News – Thousands of leaked files have exposed how Uber courted top politicians, and how far it went to avoid justice.
What have we learned from the Conference on the Future of Europe? | View
EURONEWS – As the Conference on the Future of Europe just ended, Alberto Alemanno examines what we have learned from this unprecedented democratic exercise.
Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe: 300 propositions citoyennes pour réformer l’Union
LE FIGARO – La Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe, consultation citoyenne poussée par Emmanuel Macron, s’est achevée le 30 avril.
The Court of Justice of the EU goes (almost) public
Verfassungsblog – Thirteen years after the Lisbon Treaty, the CJEU continues to lack a fully-fledged publicity policy, albeit the growing public scrutiny over its work.
Over 10% of citizen proposals on EU’s future require treaty changes, expert says
EURACTIV – Twelve per cent of European citizens’ proposals as a part of the conference on the Future of Europe require a treaty change if they are to be implemented.
Ursula von der Leyen offers speedy response to Ukraine’s bid to join EU
THE GUARDIAN – European Commission chief visits Bucha before meeting Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv
« L’Union européenne doit accomplir un saut de citoyenneté pour passer à une Union politique »
Le Journal du Dimanche – Guillaume Klossa, co-président de CIVICO Europa, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, ancien président du groupe Les Verts, l’écrivain italien Roberto Saviano et 38 autres signataires plaident pour un nouveau « Pacte fondateur de l’Union qui permette de réaliser enfin l’Union de la défense, de l’énergie, de la santé, de l’économie, du travail, du social, de l’éducation et de la culture. »
Should European citizens dictate the bloc’s budget?
EURACTIV – MEPs and experts propose to scale up a city-level tool allowing citizens to decide how to spend a part of the municipal resources and let Europeans shape the EU budget expenditure.
With Putin’s war in Europe, the legacy of Germany’s Merkel is now being seen in a very different light
CNBC – The former German leader was known for speaking Russian and keeping diplomatic ties with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. It was also during her term that Germany stepped up its energy links to Moscow and kept its national defense spending to a minimum.
When should business take a stand?
Financial Times – Companies are under pressure to speak out on a wide range of issues. Doing so while avoiding pitfalls will require them to rethink their approach to politics.
New Index Tracks How Brands And Companies Respond To Ukraine Crisis
FORBES – To help track businesses’ responses to the escalating crisis, the Ukraine Corporate Index was launched today by The Good Lobby, a nonprofit civic participation organization, and Progressive Shopper, which tracks political contributions.
Companies in the E.U. could be held liable for violations along their supply chain.
THE NEW YORK TIMES – Under the legislation, known as a due diligence law, businesses would need to establish regulations to detect, prevent and mitigate breaches of human rights.
4 ideas on how businesses can be responsible for political lobbying
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM – There is growing momentum worldwide to make business responsible for the ways it impacts the planet, workers and communities it relies on.
The future of Europe: who holds the baton?
SOCIAL EUROPE – Political leaders must not turn the Conference on the Future of Europe into another EU black box.
France’s EU presidency can lay the foundations of a new Europe | View
EURONEWS – “The year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in his New Year’s Eve national address.
« Nous sommes entrés dans une nouvelle phase de l’intégration européenne », une conversation avec Alberto Alemanno
LE GRAND CONTINENT – la nomination de la nouvelle présidente du Parlement européen marque un tournant, une conversation avec Alberto Alemanno.
Los socialistas se quedan fuera de la cúpula europea pese a sus últimos éxitos electorales
EL PAÍS – Populares, que acaban de hacerse con el Parlamento Europeo, y liberales se reparten los máximos puestos de las instituciones de la UE
European Parliament, Jostling for Relevance, Elects a New Leader
THE NEW YORK TIMES – Roberta Metsola of Malta will succeed David Sassoli, an Italian politician who died last week, at a critical time for the institution.
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, Dies at 65
THE NEW YORK TIMES – He was a well-known journalist in his native Italy before going into politics, and devoted his tenure to making the Parliament more prominent.
Citizen Power Europe
Groupe d’Études Géopolitiques – In December 2021, two simultaneous events spoke radically differently on the conundrum of our age. The first, ‘The Summit for Democracy’. The other, the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Lo strano incontro di Matteo Renzi con la commissaria europea Vestager
DOMANI – Renzi incontra la vicepresidente della Commissione UE Margrethe Vestager per “discutere le sfide future dell’UE”
The State of the Union speech was a big missed opportunity for Ursula von der Leyen | View
EURONEWS – The annual State of the European Union address provides a unique chance for all EU residents to get a sense of their lives’ shared direction.
The end of Euro-bashing
POLITICO – Euroskeptic posturing might win politicians votes at home, but it’s increasingly costing them on the European stage.
Polish media and opposition fight to save press freedom from state control
OPEN DEMOCRACY – Government’s controversial bill ‘would wipe out one of last institutions to hold authorities accountable’ and could lead to US sanctions.
El certificado covid se impone en el día a día de 21 países europeos
EL PAÍS – Con 300 millones expedidos en poco más de un mes, los salvoconductos se convierten en un requisito cotidiano. En Francia y Alemania crecen las protestas entre la población reacia al pinchazo.
El poderoso arsenal de Bruselas para frenar los asaltos de Hungría y Polonia al sistema democrático
EL PAÍS – Los gobiernos de Budapest y Varsovia se arriesgan a multas millonarias y coercitivas si persisten en incumplir las normas comunitarias.
Quelle stratégie dans la Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe ? Perspectives croisées de Manon Aubry et Sandro Gozi
LE GRAND CONTINENT – Deux députés européens de deux bords politiques opposés, Sandro Gozi (Renew) et Manon Aubry (LFI) exposent leurs positionnements et leurs stratégies dans un exercice européen d’un nouveau genre.
Rivoluzione copernicana | Ci sono (finalmente) le condizioni per la nascita di un vero spazio politico europeo
LINKIESTA – In coincidenza con la giornata dell’Europa, il 9 maggio 2021 si è aperta la Conferenza sul futuro dell’Europa. Intervista a Alberto Alemanno dall’Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa.
Releasing Europe’s democratic genie
SOCIAL EUROPE – The Conference on the Future of Europe might sow the seeds of a genuine European political space.
Coalition led by B Lab Europe calls for mandatory stakeholder governance across the EU
PIONEERS POST – A coalition of 60 companies led by B Lab Europe is calling for an EU-wide change in company law to make stakeholder governance mandatory in the bloc.
I governi indignati con Orbán lo spalleggiano da un decennio
EDITORIALE DOMANI – I governi europei usano parole infiammate per la legge anti Lgbt approvata in Ungheria e si accorgono delle derive illiberali di Orbán. Ma cosa facevano prima? Erano impegnati a perdonargli tutto, o quasi.
Pandemia katkaisi kansainvälisen elämäntavan, ja nyt tutkija pelkää, että paluuta ei ehkä ole
HELSINGIN SANOMAT – Professori Alberto Alemanno pitää liian pitkälle vietyjä rajatoimia uhkana vapaan liikkuvuuden tulevaisuudelle. Koronapassista on aikanaan vaikea luopua, hän ennustaa.
Lack of citizens at EU’s citizens’ debate raises eyebrows
THE. GUARDIAN – Analysis: legitimacy of Future of Europe talks called into question as only a quarter of citizens likely to take part
These sixteen countries are now using the EU’s COVID travel pass (EUDCC)
EURONEWS – Sixteen countries have begun using the EU’s ‘Digital COVID certificate’ (EUDCC) to enable their citizens to easily travel across the bloc.
Will the EU’s Covid travel pass save the summer or create chaos?
RFI – Trumpeted as a quick fix to the holiday travel dilemma, and eagerly awaited by Europe’s struggling tourism sector, the certificate is intended to allow rapid movement between EU states without additional quarantine or coronavirus tests. Critics say it’s a recipe for delays and confusion.
Il lobbying civico è la sola strada per salvare la nostra democrazia
DOMANI – In vista della pubblicazione in Italia il 9 giugno del suo libro The Good Lobby, il giurista Alberto Alemanno spiega perché il diffondersi di lobby civiche è una leva cruciale in un contesto in cui gli interessi pubblici sono sottorappresentati
L’estate sta arrivando, ma i problemi di movimento non finiscono con la vaccinazione
EURONEWS – Con l’avvicinarsi dell’estate e l’aumento delle vaccinazioni, la Commissione europea afferma di volere che gli Stati membri eliminino ulteriormente le restrizioni ai viaggi all’interno del continente.
Faciliter les déplacements pour cet été dans l’Union européenne
EURONEWS – Accélérer la levée des restrictions de déplacement entre les Etats membres. C’est le souhait de la Commission européenne à l’approche des vacances d’été.
EU leaders discuss repercussions for Belarus after Ryanair ‘hijack’
CNBC – Outraged European leaders are gathering in Brussels on Monday to discuss how to punish Belarusian authorities, after the forced landing of a Ryanair flight and subsequent arrest of a journalist on board.
The EU wants its citizens to shape its future. And fend off a euroskeptic surge
CNBC – The EU launched Sunday the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Anti-EU lawmakers strengthened their support following the sovereign debt and migration crises of the last decade.
Pourquoi il faut suivre la Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe
LE GRAND CONTINENT – Il est facile et tentant de disqualifier d’office la Conférence sur l’avenir de l’Europe, en la considérant comme un énième gadget bruxellois. Pourtant, elle pourrait bien être porteuse de réels changements, tant par sa méthodologie audacieuse que par son cahier des charges.
A Europa para a Escócia
PUBLICO – Somos europeus de todo o continente e de todo o mundo. Queremos que o povo da Escócia saiba que os europeus, onde quer que se encontrem, terão todo o gosto em os receber outra vez como membros da União Europeia se esse ainda for o seu desejo democrático.
Coronavirus: tirs croisés sur le certificat vert européen pour voyager
LE SOIR – Alors que les Européens se demandent à quelle sauce ils vont être traités aux frontières cet été, nombreux sont les détracteurs de la proposition de certificat vert européen.
La Superlega riunisce l’Europa (brexiteer compresi)
IL FOGLIO – L’exit dall’Uefa ha provocato una cosa inedita nella storia recente dell’Europa: tutto lo spettro politico si è unito in difesa dell’establisment calcistico.
Un social “libero” per discutere il futuro dell’Ue.
EDITORIALE DOMANI – La piattaforma digitale per la Conferenza sul futuro dell’Europa rappresenta un tentativo inedito di confronto paneuropeo. Ma non basta raccogliere spunti, il punto è trasformarli in decisioni, ed è su questo che si gioca la riuscita del progetto: chi trarrà la sintesi e in che modo?
Niebezpieczne iluzje „paszportu szczepionkowego”
KRYTYKAPOLITYCZNA – Unia rozważa wprowadzenie tzw. paszportu szczepionkowego. W założeniu ma on ułatwić otwieranie granic i powrót do „normalności”. W praktyce będzie kolejnym mechanizmem profilowania i ekonomicznego wykluczenia, bo szczepienie na COVID-19 wciąż jest w Unii przywilejem.
Djebbari et les guerres d’ego — Amazon tranquille — Sapin 2 Noël
POLITICO PARIS Influence – Les manœuvres du gouvernement pour épargner Amazon. Couac de la nouvelle Agence de l’Innovation pour les Transports:Bercy accuse Jean-Baptiste Djebbari de la jouer solo. Entretien avec Guillaume Courty, universitaire qui dézingue sur la loi Sapin 2.
Le “Sofagate” secoue toujours les institutions européennes
EURONEWS – Un incident diplomatique en passe de devenir une crise interne de l’UE. Les secousses du “Sofagate”, le camouflet protocolaire infligé à la présidente de la Commission européenne à Ankara la semaine dernière, se font toujours à ressentir à Bruxelles.
Green wave — Vaccine comms lessons — New pesticides regime
POLITICO EU Influence – For the Brussels influence industry, AstraZeneca’s tarnished reputation is a cautionary tale — and a new client pitch.
“Ha partecipato a un evento lobbistico sui vaccini senza l’ok della corte Ue”. Pitruzzella lascia l’incarico all’Aspen Institute
IL FATTO QUOTIDIANO – Ha lasciato la vicepresidenza dell’Aspen Institute Italia dopo aver partecipato a un dibattito con Farmindustria. Oggetto del dibattito: i brevetti dei vaccini.
Le pressioni della società civile costringono Pitruzzella a dimettersi da Aspen
EDITORIALE DOMANI – Giovanni Pitruzzella, avvocato generale della Corte di giustizia europea, aveva preso parte a un incontro sui brevetti dei vaccini con Farmindustria. L’evento era organizzato da Aspen Institute Italia di cui era vicepresidente. La segnalazione di due ong al presidente della Corte ha avuto effetto.
C’è posta per la Corte Ue. Il caso Aspen allarma le ong.
EDITORIALE DOMANI – Giovanni Pitruzzella, membro della Corte di giustizia europea, era all’evento con Farmindustria di cui Domani ha scritto, ed è anche vicepresidente di Aspen Institute Italia. The Good Lobby e Corporate Europe Observatory hanno scritto una lettera per segnalare la questione al presidente della Corte.