On Sunday, 28 April, Spain held its third general election in just over three years. Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister and leader of the socialist PSOE (Spanish Social Workers Party), called a snap election after his budget was rejected in February. Background Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, with King Felipe VI serving as the official…
Estonians went to the polls on Sunday, 3 March to elect a new Parliament, known as the Riigikogu. The current opposition centre-right party, Reform, defied pre-election opinion polls, winning 28.8 per cent of the vote and 34 seats (just over a third of the total). Pre-election favourites, Estonia’s current governing centre-left party, Centre, came second,…
EU leaders met in Brussels on 13-14 December for the final European Council Summit of the year to discuss a wide range of issues including: the Multiannual Financial Framework; the Single Market; migration; and external relations. On Thursday, EU leaders met in EU27 format to discuss Brexit, following an address given by UK Prime Minister,…
The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) sets out the long-term budget of the European Union (EU). Policy priorities are outlined for a minimum period of five years, with recent MFFs covering seven years, and under each policy priority heading, spending ‘ceilings’, maximum annual amounts that can be spent, are agreed. The current MFF covers the period…
The term ‘Norway Plus’ has recently entered the discussion on Brexit, with advocates of this proposal suggesting it as a model for the UK’s future relationship with the EU. In our latest ‘All EU Need to Know’ we explain what the European Free Trade Association and the EEA Agreement are, as well as what ‘Norway…
What is meant by a ‘meaningful vote’? Under the EU Withdrawal Act 2018, the UK House of Commons is legally entitled to have a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement reached by UK and EU negotiators, and its accompanying political declaration on the framework for a future relationship between the UK and EU. Since October 2016,…
On Thursday, 18 October, the European Council met in Brussels to discuss migration, internal security and external relations. Following the morning session, EU27 leaders held a Euro Summit to discuss the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union. EU leaders had previously met in EU27 format on Wednesday, 17 October over a working dinner to…
The European Council met in Salzburg, Austria for an informal meeting under the Leaders’ Agenda on 19-20 September to discuss migration, internal security, and Brexit. The informal summit was hosted by Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, as Austria currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). On Wednesday, 19 September, Chancellor…
On Thursday, 22 March, the European Council met in Brussels to discuss a wide range of issues including trade, digital taxation, Turkey and the Salisbury attack. On Friday, 23 March, leaders met in an EU27 format to discuss the ongoing Brexit negotiations and adopt guidelines on the framework for the future EU-UK relationship. On Friday,…