Analysis archive

Who can secure Europe's southern flank?
A number of crisis points are developing in Europe's neighbourhood while all eyes have been focused on the economic crisis – it is time leaders woke up to the military and humanitarian problems ahead, warns Richard Gowan

MEP: European Ombudsman a 'bloated' office
The function of the European Ombudsman's office is vital in the interests of transparency, but it has become a bloated bureaucratic entity with insufficient public recognition, writes Nikki Sinclaire

Europe needs 'bold ambition' to secure arms trade treaty
The globalised nature of the arms trade means a UN treaty being negotiated next month could be ground-breaking – and millions of people trapped in conflict are looking to Europe to lead the way in the talks, writes Natalia Alonso

Defeat for ACTA a 'victory for democracy'
It is important to prevent piracy and counterfeiting – but ACTA does not provide the right answers and its rejection by a European Parliament committee represents a victory for democracy, writes Helmut Scholz

Donor registers 'should be shared across EU'
European Union countries can save lives by working together and cooperating more closely on tissue and cell donor systems, writes Marina Yannakoudakis

Energy needs demand 'massive transformation'
A massive transformation in society and technology is needed over the next two decades if the world is going to meet its energy needs sustainably – and it is up to governments to shape the agenda, starting at Rio+20, write Måns Nilsson and Charlie Heaps

New code sets out 'fundamental standards' for EU officials
Freshly published guidelines for civil servants embody fundamental ethical standards and should help build trust between citizens and EU institutions, writes Nikiforos Diamandouros

Health and social care cuts reveal 'crisis of values'
Blind austerity measures cutting social and health services are short-sighted and self-defeating, and represent a crisis of European values that has been revealed by the financial crash – writes Aisling De Vos-van Vliet

Corporate hijack - the business lobby at Rio+20
There is a growing outcry at the corporate capture of United Nations action on sustainable development - Olivier Hoedeman reports from the Rio Summit

Taxpayers indirectly funding green groups through EU
Funding for environmentalist campaigning is often justified on the grounds that it balances corporate lobbying against green regulations but things are not that simple - says Matthew Sinclair

Electric vehicles 'no panacea' for decarbonisation
Electric vehicles can play an important role in reducing emissions from transport, and are a promising avenue to pursue – but policy-makers should not focus too heavily on a single technology, writes Ivan Hodac

Speaking up for the 99 per cent, not the 1 per cent
Do we really want governments ruled by corporate bribes or do we want politicians and officials to start serving the 99 per cent – instead of the 1 per cent - asks former US congressional candidate Howard Greenebaum

Going back to the Greek drachma?
Greece's exit from eurozone sounds attractive, but policy-makers should reject the idea - claims Simon Hayley

The airline industry - in serious financial trouble
Weaker airlines cannot compete in a hostile economic environment and may be forced to declare bankruptcy - writes Lida Mantzavinou

Corruption is the 'embarrassing truth' of EU integration
Voters will not accept closer political union without stronger European tools to monitor public administration and address concerns over corruption and low judicial standards in existing and future members – warns Hugo Brady