The EU has faced many challenges over the past year including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a growing energy crisis, the continued effects of climate change and the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. These and others will likely feature in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s annual State of the European Union address in…
The Withdrawal Agreement concluded between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) establishes the terms and arrangements of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, in accordance with Article 50 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2020 and includes the Protocol on…
For sixty years the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU has sought to support European farmers by improving their standards of living and the quality of produce. It has also been of great significance in Ireland, given the role of agriculture in the Irish economy. This Just the Facts looks at the development of the…
On Sunday 19 June, the French people went to the polls in a second round of parliamentary elections for the National Assembly. Despite President Emmanuel Macron’s liberal coalition remaining the largest group in the National Assembly, it lost its outright majority, while other coalitions of far-left and far-right parties made considerable gains. This Just the…
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022 resulted in the EU rapidly implementing a significant set of sanctions against Russia. In this Just the Facts, the several rounds of EU sanctions imposed against Russia on 23, 25, 28 February; 2, 15 March; 8 April and 30 May are examined. This is an…
This Just the Facts examines the REPowerEU energy plan which was presented by the European Commission on 18 May 2022. Forming the basis of the discussion on energy at the European Council of 30 – 31 May, the plan responds to the disruption to energy markets and seeks to transform the nature of Europe’s energy…
Forty countries will participate at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin between 10 – 14 May this year, after rock band Måneskin won for Italy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 2021. Although described as non-political, geopolitical events in Europe frequently overlap with it, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This Just the Facts will examine…
Fifty key moments during Ireland’s five decades in the European Union From the end of the marriage bar, the launch Erasmus, to joining the Euro, Ireland’s five-decade membership of the European Union (EU) has been marked by key moments that have impacted Irish society today and will continue to do so. As we approach the…
Emmanuel Macron was re-elected as President of France on Sunday, 24 April after winning 58.5% of the vote in the second round of the 2022 French presidential election. His re-election comes on the back of a campaign that focused strengthening France’s sovereignty, while opposition candidate Marine Le Pen focused on social and economic issues. In…
Slovenia held a general election on Sunday, 24 April to elect members of its parliament, the National Assembly. Provisional results show that the ruling Slovenian Democratic Party, which is led by populist conservative Prime Minister Janez Janša, was defeated by the green – liberal Freedom Movement of Robert Golob, who campaigned that this election was…