Euractiv.com

In her eagerly awaited speech on the future of the EU in front of the European Parliament, on 13 November 2018, German Chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned diversity as the concept that defines Europe and tolerance as the basic requirement that brings Europe together.

One news story dominated headlines this week but you won't find a mention of it in today’s Brief. Instead, let’s look at how European politicians could win the next elections. Oh, and save the world while they’re at it.

Both Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron mentioned the idea of creating a real European army around 11 November. This unprecedented convergence of French and German thoughts and words, which incurred the wrath of America, marks a turning point. EURACTIV France reports.  

The European Union is reviewing its financial support to Tanzania in response to recent moves undermining "human rights and the rule of law".

EU foreign ministers will discuss a range of issues in Brussels on Monday (19 November), including for the first time the militarisation of the Azov Sea, which according to diplomats has been effectively blockaded by Russia.

Angela Merkel's speech on the future of Europe this week produced a few ideas. But even though observers had hoped to hear a new game plan for Europe's mounting challenges, expectations fell short. At least altercations between Parliament and Commission officials were not in short supply.

No one knows the exact figure but the authorities in Madeira consider that about 6,000 Venezuelans of Portuguese descent have taken refuge on their island, where they found themselves in an extremely precarious situation. Euroefe reports.

Despite facing a fierce backlash to her draft Brexit deal, British Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to fight on. Amid cabinet resignations and moves by her own MPs to oust her, the battle to save the EU withdrawal agreement and her own political career could have a number of outcomes.

Telephone operators will no longer be able to charge more than 19 euro cents per minute for calls within Europe from 1 May 2019. The end of roaming charges has already boosted the phone usage of holiday-makers. EURACTIV France reports.

Whether it’s for heating their swimming pools or to power their air conditioning systems and home appliances, regulated electricity prices “give the greatest potential benefit to richer households” who consume the largest amounts of energy, says Klaus-Dieter Borchard.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May was defiant on Thursday (15 November), as she dismissed claims from government ministers that her draft withdrawal agreement does not deliver the Brexit that the British public voted for.

The published deal is nearly 600 pages, in the House of Commons argument rages, and as ministers resign, no one knows what the next stage is.

Former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, who fled the country to avoid prison, used a Hungarian diplomatic vehicle to escape through Albania, police in Tirana said on Thursday (15 November) after Budapest formally denied any involvement.

European actions have had a clear positive impact on animal welfare, according to the European Commission, as part of its reaction to a European Court of Auditors (ECA) report, which questioned the implementation of the second EU Strategy for the Protection and Welfare of Animals.

Each year Europe wastes millions of tonnes of valuable metals by landfilling or exporting them. How can policy measures increase the recovery of these materials?

The new EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement will give an economic boost and help European firms access markets that are technology-rich and can pay for innovation. It is an agreement that can help overcome pessimism about trade and global cooperation, and show that countries can work constructively together, writes Fredrik Erixon.

With biodiversity in drastic decline, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh is a crucial moment. As the international community negotiates a new global biodiversity framework, the EU must become a leader for nature conservation, both globally and at home, argues Ester Asin.

EURACTIV and ZN Consulting have once again come together to create the list of the most influential people in the Brussels bubble TwitterSphere. The ranking was unveiled during an event in which the #EUinfluencers discussed the influence of social media on the upcoming European Parliament elections.

Pessimists in the EU say the Brexit saga couldn't get any messier. Optimists say: yes, it can.

After 17 months of negotiations, with less than 140 days before the UK is officially set to exit the EU, Brussels and London reached an agreement late Wednesday (14 November) on the terms of their divorce. However, the work is far from complete. Below is an overview of the next steps leading to the UK's withdrawal.