EC expects Croatia to implement structural reforms

The European Commission (EC) wishes to come to a satisfactory solution with Croatia concerning the excessive macroeconomic imbalances and expects Croatia to resolutely implement the necessary reforms, a public debate held in Zagreb on Wednesday heard. “We are aware that the solutions are long-term and will not change things overnight,” the Head of the European…

“We expect the intensive public debate on the TTIP”

Ahead of Global Action Day against the transatlantic trade and investment agreements TTIP and CETA, to be marked on April 18, activists of several nongovernmental organisations and trade unions on Friday distributed leaflets outside the parliament building in Zagreb, asking MPs to take a clear position on those agreements which they believe will restrict workers’…

Unregulated lobbying opens door to corruption

epa03621518 A Member of the European Parliament raise his hand in a voting during the plenary session in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 13 March 2013. The European Parliament rejected the compromise of EU governments for the financial planning of the European Union until 2020. EPA/PATRICK SEEGER

Transparency International said today that Europe urgently needs lobbying reform. A new report from the anti-corruption group found that of 19 European countries assessed, only seven have some form of dedicated lobbying law or regulation, allowing for nearly unfettered influence of business interests on the daily lives of Europeans. The 19 countries together score just 31 per…

European commission ignores ECIs goal

epa03679776 A general view of the runners during the 36th Madrid's Marathon in Madrid, central Spain, 28 April 2013. Some 26,000 people took part in the event. EPA/Emilio Naranjo

The European Commission today released its review to Council and Parliament of the application of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), as legally mandated in Regulation 211/2011. As expected, this report takes a primarily formalistic, legalistic and technical approach to examining the first three years of the ECI. It does not explore if the ECI’s current design makes…

Antifascist League established in Zagreb

The Antifascist League held its founding meeting in Zagreb on Saturday, saying that it would act as an association of independent organisations of civil society in order to define the position of antifascism in present-day Croatia. The systematic denial and demonisation of antifascism and its values in Croatia have compelled us to renew our efforts…

Europe 2020 falling by the wayside of the Juncker recovery plan?

The Juncker plan for the recovery of the European economy and the future of the Europe 2020 Strategy, currently facing revision, were the issues covered at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) plenary session, held in Brussels on February 18 and 19. The open question remains how much the European Commission is committed to…