50 years supporting better policies for a strong social Europe
By providing specialized data and research, Eurofound has long contributed to a stronger, fairer Europe โ in todayโs climate, its mission has never been more essential
Society
UK low- to middle-income families far poorer than OECD counterparts โ study
Britons 39% worse off than Dutch equivalent due to housing costs 44% higher than western European averageLow- to middle-income families in Britain are far poorer than their counterparts in western Europe because of sky-high housing costs, according to …
Starmer banks on AI as UKโs savior as growth agenda falters
Rishi Sunak positioned the U.K. as a world-leader on AI safety. Keir Starmer is adopting a more boosterish stance.
โItโs a continuation of hopeโ: Paris-based TV station provides a lifeline for women in Afghanistan
Begum TV beams educational and entertainment shows into homes of women living under strict Taliban ruleFrom a tiny television studio in Paris, 4,500 miles from Kabul, a raft of programmes geared towards women and presented by female hosts beams 24 hour…
โEach year you delay giving a phone is a big winโ: child screen-time solutions from around the world
From stringent legislation to grassroots action, Australia and Spain lead the way in tackling childrenโs use of mobile phones and tabletsIf the advent of the affordable mobile phone has given parents a new way to stay in touch with their ยญchildren, it …
In utterly unsurprising news, Maga blames diversity for the Los Angeles wildfires
Elon Musk, one of the brightest minds of his generation, is saying it, so it must be trueWomen, eh? Theyโre simply not to be trusted. Eve ate that apple; Pandora opened that horrible little box; and now women are to blame for the devastating wildfires …
โI canโt keep the unthinkable at bay โ did he abuse me?โ: an exclusive extract from the memoir of Dominique Pelicotโs daughter
Caroline Darian relives the moment she discovered that she was also a victim of her fatherโข โHow can you rebuild when your father is the worst sexual predator in decades?โ Read an interview with Caroline DarianI enter my parentsโ house, draw in the fam…
Gay men can train as priests but must be celibate, say Italian bishops
Move marks shift in views but sexually active gay men will not be admitted to Roman Catholic seminariesGay men will be allowed to train as priests in Roman Catholic seminaries, so long as they observe celibacy, according to new guidelines announced by …
Can Greenlandโs Viking history teach us anything about the EU economy?
The collapse of the island’s Norse settler society serves as a stark warning about Europe’s potential trajectory.
The post Can Greenlandโs Viking history teach us anything about the EU economy? appeared first on Euractiv.
The forces driving Turkeyโs resurgence as a superpower
Peter Frankopan on a book that argues that Sunni Islam has reversed the declining influence of religion on Turkish society
Brussels will be watching whether Musk breaks EU law in far-right livestream
Up to 150 experts in Brussels and Seville will be checking whether Musk’s livestream interview boosts the German far right.
Jean-Marie Le Pen remembered as a fascist, a visionary and several things in between
Responses to the 96-year-old’s death have become something of a political Rorschach test in France.
More breast cancer cases found when AI used in screenings, study finds
First real-world test finds approach has higher detection rate without having a higher rate of false positivesThe use of artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening increases the chance of the disease being detected, researchers have found, in w…
Olga Rudnieva: The woman turning Ukrainian amputees into ‘Superhumans’
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, at least 50,000 Ukrainians have lost limbs, according to the health ministry; a figure that includes both soldiers and civilians. The number is constantly rising, with complications…
Rรฉseaux sociaux : la dรฉsinformation nโest plus une obsession
Il y a huit ans, aprรจs la victoire de Trump et le Brexit, lโinquiรฉtude รฉtait grande sur lโimpact des rรฉseaux sociaux sur la sociรฉtรฉ. Aujourdโhui, ce discours a du plomb dans lโaile.
The Great Resignation 2.0 is coming โ and I salute the European millennials who plan to quit
After Covid, the US saw a wave of younger workers leaving unsatisfying and exploitative jobs. Now I hear itโs Franceโs turnRecently I was chatting to an acquaintance in Paris, a senior manager in his mid-50s, who works for a French company in the educa…
How a Gorilla devoured democracy in Slovakia
A sprawling government corruption scandal from 2006 ended multiple political careers. Failure to punish the culprits ended public faith in the system.
Polandโs changing population mix turns political
Poland used to be one of the world’s most ethnically homogenous countries. That’s no longer the case.
More than 2,200 people died in Mediterranean in 2024, UN finds
Figure includes hundreds of children, who make up one in five migrants trying to reach Europe fleeing war and povertyMore than 2,200 people either died or went missing in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe in search of refuge in 2024.The fi…
โIt was a light in the darkโ: how a bakery transformed lives in war-torn Mostar
Jasmin Elezoviฤ says he and his family would not be who they are today without War Child, the charity that grew out of bitter conflictDonate to our charity appeal hereJasmin Elezoviฤ was six years old when his home became a war zone.It was 1993 and the…
In Warsaw, the feminist clinic where to speak freely about abortion
Despite campaign promises, the liberal coalition that has been in power for a year in Poland has not loosened the country’s strict abortion laws. However, progress is emerging from civil society: an organization has opened a one-of-a-kind health center…
โNobody was tricked into voting for Trumpโ: Why the disinformation panic is over
Eight years ago, Trump and Brexit sparked fears social media was corroding reality. Now, that narrative is crumbling.
Belgium becomes first EU country to ban sale of disposable vapes
Products banned on health and environmental grounds, while Milan outlaws outdoor smoking Belgium has become the EU first country to ban the sale of disposable vapes in an effort to stop young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and to protect the…
Croatiaโs firebrand president dominates election, poised for second term
Often compared to Donald Trump, Zoran Milanoviฤ secured a substantial victory in the first round of the country’s presidential election. That should worry the EU.
Dominique Pelicot will not appeal against conviction for drugging and raping ex-wife
Lawyer says he wishes to spare Gisรจle Pelicot a new ordeal after marathon trial convicted all 51 accused Dominique Pelicot will not appeal against his conviction for drugging and raping his wife and inviting strangers to rape her, his lawyer has said.B…
Jimmy Carter: The last progressive evangelical
The former president embodied a strain of Christianity that emphasized caring for those on the margins โ but was eclipsed by the Religious Right.
Wanted: An early-warning system for the end of the world
Some experts believe we could hit catastrophic climate โtipping pointsโ in a matter of years. The U.K. government, with a bit of help from Dominic Cummings, is trying to prepare.
Was the Magdeburg market attack the inevitable product of an anti-politics age? | Kenan Malik
Lack of faith in political leaders is leading the socially disaffected to be seduced by violenceTaleb al-Abdulmohsen, the alleged perpetrator of the horror attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, does not, Germanyโs interior minister, Nancy Faeser…
โWe need dramatic social and technological changesโ: is societal collapse inevitable?
Academic Danilo Brozoviฤ says studies of failed civilisations all point in one direction โ todayโs society needs radical transformation to surviveFor someone who has examined 361 studies and 73 books on societal collapses, Danilo Brozoviฤโs conclusion …
Almost one in five children live in conflict zones, says Unicef
UN humanitarian body warns that dramatic increase in harm to children should not become the โnew normalโNearly one in five of the worldโs children live in areas affected by conflicts, with more than 473 million children suffering from the worst levels …
โDangerous precedentโ: Romania split over election rerun
Cancellation of presidential vote divides society as government blamed for ignoring alleged Russian meddling
Full master class in animal-free safety assessment now launched
Creating lasting building blocks for change: the free online course preparing toxicologists for the inevitable shift toward animal-free safety science
Gisรจle Pelicotโs case highlights the need for a seismic change in menโs attitudes | Letters
Vicky Wolmuth hopes womenโs resolve to fight for justice is strengthened, Pippa Gibbs was moved by an article that placed the focus and guilt on to the rapists. Plus a letter from Chris GreenReading through the seemingly endless list of men found guilt…
โIโm always workingโ: Italyโs centenarian barista on her longevity
For Anna Possi, serving customers at her bar in northern Italy and being in the company of others is key Anna Possi answers the phone in the cafe but immediately asks to call her back. โI have a customer,โ she says.Itโs mid-afternoon and Possi, who ow…
Greece facing refugee โchildrenโs emergencyโ as arrivals double in 2024
NGOs urge authorities to enforce child-protection measures, citing violence and alarming living conditionsGreece is facing a refugee โchildrenโs emergencyโ as the number of unaccompanied minors reaching the country rises and concern grows over a lack o…
Europeโs offer to Syria
What the bloc needs to recognize is that Syriaโs fate is of key strategic interest and that it has a potentially fleeting opportunity to support positive change.
Teenโs murder drives Albania to ban TikTok for aย yearย
Prime Minister Edi Rama blamed the Chinese-owned platform for inciting violence after a schoolboy was stabbed to death.
โShe should have a bit of meโ: the Dutch mothers fighting for their children to carry their surname
Women are challenging the law that prevents them giving their kids both family names without fatherโs consentWhen 43-year-old Rebecca Lee took her birth motherโs Korean surname, it was a revelation. โI was adopted and got a Dutch name but I never felt …
โShe wonโt disappearโ: Gisรจle Pelicotโs lawyers on what she will do next
The 72-year-old is relieved but takes โno satisfactionโ in seeing other families broken up, lawyer saysIt took just over four years, and 67 days in court, but Gisรจle Pelicot is said to feel โrelieved and appeasedโ about the judgesโ decision to convict …
Mercosur deal risks weakening EU anti-deforestation rules
A legal fight looms as EU and Mercosur countries don’t see eye to eye on a key clause of their fresh trade deal.
Travellers bring legal action after Manchester police allegedly forced children on to trains
Allegations include false imprisonment, negligence, excessive use of force, and safeguarding failuresRepresentatives for Gypsy and Traveller children who were allegedly forced on to trains and prevented from visiting Manchesterโs Christmas markets have…
European city mayors urge Ursula von der Leyen to tackle EUโs housing crisis
Leaders of 10 major cities call for action to address โone of the most pressing challengesโ facing societyThe mayors of 10 major European cities โ between them representing more than 13 million people โ have written to Ursula von der Leyen calling on t…
Macron thanks Gisรจle Pelicot for speaking out in French mass rape trial
Several top European politicians praise assault survivor for her courage.
Gisรจle Pelicot rape trial: husband jailed for 20 years as all 51 men found guilty
Gisรจle Pelicot addresses other sexual violence victims after the verdicts, saying outside court: โWe share the same fightโWho are the men convicted over rape and assault?Cheers, chants and hope: supporters thank Gisรจle PelicotGisรจle Pelicot has paid tr…
Pelicot rape trial: all 50 men on trial alongside Dominique Pelicot found guilty over rapes and sexual assaults of Gisรจle Pelicot โ live updates
French court sentences Dominique Pelicot to 20 years in prison and finds 46 other men guilty of rape, two of attempted rape and two of sexual assaultA soldier, a nurse, a lorry driver and dozens more: who are the men accused over rape and assault of Gi…
Europeโs economic apocalypse
Stagnation, flagging competitiveness, Donald Trump โ the continent is facing “an existential challenge.”
Bashar Assad is finished but Syriaโs fight for democracy is just beginning
The countryโs fragile, post-revolutionary landscape doesnโt inspire confidence.
Gisรจle Pelicot: verdicts expected in rape trial that shocked France
Dominique Pelicot likely to be given 20 years for drugging his ex-wife and inviting strangers to rape her over a decadeThe mass rape trial that has sent shockwaves through France and horrified the world is expected to end on Thursday with the convictio…
Colonialism and greed are undermining action to stop biodiversity loss, report says
Radically transforming the way we live is challenging, experts say, but itโs necessary to address nature destruction as well as social inequity.
Ireland elects a maverick ex-trucker as speaker
Verona Murphy was once known for anti-migrant rhetoric. Now sheโll be expected to be diplomatic, as Irelandโs likely next government tilts to the right.
The Swedish sobriety secret: dry December โ and off-licences shut on a Saturday night
For decades, the authorities in Sweden have encouraged people to drink responsibly โ and with a state alcohol monopoly, strict rules and growing abstinence, they seem to be succeedingChristmas is synonymous with overindulgence, especially of drink. Som…
Hungary on path of no return under Orbรกn, warns Polish minister
And he’s speaking from experience.
How the British establishment got sucked into a Chinese spy scandal
The prince, the prime ministers and the spy: what we know about the scandal gripping the U.K.
As long as the system of remedies and the objectives are not undermined: The Court of Justice on GDPR enforcement (Case C-21/23, Lindenapotheke)
Alessandra Fratini and Giorgia
Lo Tauro, Fratini Vergano European lawyers
Photo credit: via Wikimedia Commons
Introduction
On 4 October 2024, the Grand
Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union issued its judgment
i…
Pope Francis in Corsica: A day of celebration free of controversy
On the French island, in the city of Ajaccio, Francis celebrated the local ‘popular piety’ and urged society to ‘look after its elderly.’
โChina on steroidsโ: A Saudi path to a peaceful, modern Middle East
After a violent and reckless start, the crown prince is transforming his kingdom on the Gulf.
โGisele is waiting for explanationsโ: the dark questions at the heart of the Pelicot trial
The evidence heard in court has horrified the world. But as the trial comes to an end, the questions it has raised about โordinaryโ men, French society, and rape culture have still not been answeredIn the four years after she discovered her husband had…
Why Europeโs health policies must prioritize chronic kidney disease
Undetected Chronic Kidney Disease affects millions in Europe, but it could be preventable, manageable and tackled with the right policies.
Ex-members of Eta jailed over flowerpot bomb intended to kill journalist couple
Four men given almost 75 years each for attempted murder of Aurora Intxausti, Juan Palomo and infant son in 2000Four former members of the Basque terrorist group Eta have been jailed for almost 75 years each for attempting to murder two journalists and…
Emmanuel Macron under pressure to appoint new prime minister this week
Outgoing Michel Barnier warns any government will face challenge of debt and a divided societyThe French president, Emmanuel Macron, is under pressure to appoint a new prime minister this week after the ousted conservative Michel Barnier warned that an…
Reconciling Privacy and Innovation: The Path Forward on AI in the EU [Promoted content]
In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, Europe finds itself at the epicenter of a critical debate: how to protect fundamental rights while fostering the innovation that drives our digital society?
The post Reconciling Privacy and Innovati…
The 50 men accused in mass rape of Gisรจle Pelicot
The men accused of raping Gisรจle Pelicot have been dubbed Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde as they broadly represent a microcosm of French society.
Putin sending Russiaโs new hypersonic missiles to Belarus
The Russian leader says the missiles reduce the need for nuclear weapons amid an escalating war with Ukraine.
The five-minute city: inside Denmarkโs revolutionary neighbourhood
While ambitious urban planners try to make 15-minute cities a reality, the Nordhavn district of Copenhagen has gone one better. Whatโs life like when everything you need is just a stroll away?Itโs not often that the worlds of town planning and traffic …
Do Syriaโs liberators still deserve the terrorist label?
Assadโs downfall was met with unbridled joy and relief among Syrians and Syriaโs expatriate community.
Lawsuits increasingly being used to silence journalists, activists across Europe, new study warns
Businesses and politicians are using legal intimidation to stifle dissenting voices, and many cases go unreported, report by the Coalition Against SLAPPs says.
Trump pledges peace through strength. Will he deliver?
Moscowโs wars are the natural product of an empire still clinging to its past. And if Trumpโs promise is to mean anything, it must confront this truth.
In Turkey, a TV series that mirrors society: From ban to audience success
‘Red Roses’ tells the story of the encounter between a man and a woman from opposite backgrounds. He is an uncompromising Kemalist psychiatrist; she is a pious, troubled mother and member of a religious brotherhood, whose growing influence in the count…
Romaniaโs pro-Europeans fear Putin is pushing them back to dictatorshipย
Far-right NATO-skeptic Calin Georgescu is on track to win the Romanian presidency, thanks to a Russia-influenced campaign.ย
A plastic-free future needs an engaged PVC value chain
Being sustainable is just one piece of the puzzle. Circular economy principles must be paired with strong waste management practices.
The Guardian view on protests in Georgia: resisting a drift into Putinโs orbit | Editorial
The Georgian Dream governmentโs suspension of EU talks has sparked an existential struggle for democracyIn recent years, Georgiaโs ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has brazenly pursued a policy of gaslighting an overwhelmingly pro-European population. …
Letโs work with farmers, not against them, says new EU agri chief
Christophe Hansen says his new vision for agriculture and food will be โdifferentโ and exclude โeat it or dieโ targets.
โRussia can turn the lights offโ: how the UK is preparing for cyberwar
Moves made to prepare country for utility outages as malicious technological threats intensifyThe Swedish government checklist for surviving a war would not have looked out of place decades ago: bottled water; sleeping bags; extra batteries; enough cas…
Baltic countries sanction Georgian officials after violence against protestors
New EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas says democratic backsliding in Georgia “will have direct consequences.”
Is Conor McGregor verdict a watershed moment for the manosphere?
Some tried to defend Irish MMA fighter after civil jury ruled against him in rape case but others hope it will open space for conversation about masculinityThe ruling made headlines across Ireland and around the world, sending women spilling into the s…
Is Conor McGregor verdict a watershed moment for the manosphere?
Some tried to defend Irish MMA fighter after civil jury ruled against him in rape case but others hope it will open space for conversation about masculinityThe ruling made headlines across Ireland and around the world, sending women spilling into the s…
Finlandโs preparedness isnโt exactly good for business
Being known as a country facing geopolitical threats has its drawbacks โ particularly when it comes to the economy.
Ireland dodges bullet as Dublin voters narrowly reject gangland boss
Gerry “The Monk” Hutch led through 10 nail-biting election rounds โ but Irelandโs EU heavyweight knocked him out at the final bell.
UN plastic talks on verge of collapse in final hours
Oil-rich nations and high-ambition countries were in deadlock with just hours to go at the negotiations in Busan, South Korea.
Will Gisรจle Pelicotโs courage spell the end of rape victims being put on trial? | Yvonne Roberts
Although the French court case represents a watershed for women, reform of justice systems is vitalGlobally, home is the most dangerous place for women, a United Nations paper reported last week. It was referring to femicide, the killing of women by a …
Gisรจle Pelicot is not my adversary, says defence lawyer treading a fine line in mass rape case
Bรฉatrice Zavarro has tried to explain, not excuse, why Dominique Pelicot invited strangers to rape his wife, while hoping the case will lead to social change in FranceBรฉatrice Zavarro, a diminutive figure in a long black robe and heavy red glasses, who…
โI cried, I cried. I had no oneโ: the brutal child kidnappings that shamed Belgian Congo
Over 70 years ago, thousands of mixed-race boys and girls were torn from their mothers by order of the state. This week five survivors hope a court will censure Belgium for crimes against humanityMonique was three years old when a white man from the go…
Sinn Fรฉinโs McDonald tops Dublin vote โ followed by a gangland boss
Irelandโs unfolding election results leave Mary Lou McDonald stuck in opposition โ likely alongside criminal newcomer Gerry “The Monk” Hutch.
Instagram actively helping to spread of self-harm among teenagers, study suggests
Researchers say parent company Meta is failing to remove explicit images on the social media siteMeta is actively helping self-harm content to flourish on Instagram by failing to remove explicit images and encouraging those engaging with such content t…
Leader of Irelandโs Social Democrats gives birth to baby girl on polling day
Holly Cairns announces birth of daughter on day of Irelandโs general electionโข Irelandโs election: the parties, the issues and the votingThe leader of Irelandโs Social Democrats party has announced the birth of a baby daughter on the day of the country…
Georgia hits brakes on EU accession bid
The move follows criticism by EU officials, whom Georgia’s prime minister described as “devoid of European values.”
Romaniaโs security chiefs confirm election cyberattacks, request TikTok probe
Top security officials suggested Russia might have been involved.
Norway’s royal family reels under the weight of scandal
Marius Borg Hoiby, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been accused of violence by several former partners. This latest crisis could shake society’s solid support for the monarchy.
A single point of failure
Why Europe’s diamond control node undermines African sovereignty and the Kimberley Process
7 reasons why Romanian voters are hacked off โ by the numbers
From poverty to emigration and corruption, here are some the issues at the top of Romanian voters’ minds โ and politicians’ programs.
The perils in the search for the perfect GDP alternative
Statistical agencies trip up when they attempt to weigh the values of good and bad in society
Pro-Brexit views not protected from workplace discrimination, tribunal rules
Ex-Ukip councillor Colette Fairbanks loses claim that she was bullied in charity job because of political stanceSupporting Brexit is not a belief that is protected from workplace discrimination, an employment tribunal has ruled, as a former Ukip counci…
Andrei Kolesnikov: ‘There is a civil society in Russia that is trying to resist’
The political scientist and columnist at ‘Novaya Gazeta’ considers that while some Russians ‘opposed to the Kremlin and its war, which is not theirs’ have chosen exile, ‘the bravest have remained in Russia.’
Protests in Georgia as poll commission confirms pro-Russia ruling partyโs win
Head of the Central Electoral Commission was doused with black paint as hundreds of opposition supporters staged a protest against the vote.
The paradox of Italyโs industrial strategy
For all the talk of revitalizing and greening Europe, company owners in Italy are being allowed to relocate their businesses abroad rather than modernize and adjust at home.
Amsterdam violence exposes tensions in Dutch society: ‘We cannot be made into enemies’
There are concerns the unrest has damaged community relations and tensions have spilled over into politics too.
French say โnonโ for longer as data shows increase in age to lose virginity
Figures also reveal both men and women having less sex โ but number of partners over lifetime increasingThe French have a certain reputation when it comes to the vie dโamour. But the latest national study on the countryโs sexual behaviour may offer a r…
French say โnonโ for longer as data shows increase in age to lose virginity
Figures also reveal both men and women having less sex โ but number of partners over lifetime increasingThe French have a certain reputation when it comes to the vie dโamour. But the latest national study on the countryโs sexual behaviour may offer a r…
EESC calls for robust values framework addressing AI risks [Advocacy Lab Content]
The European Union has made significant strides in regulating artificial intelligence to ensure trustworthiness and ethical alignment. Critics argue the current framework is still insufficient to protect society.
Gulag History Museum in Moscow temporarily closed โfor safety reasonsโ
Kremlin critics fear move is part of Russiaโs efforts to whitewash Soviet past and shut independent cultural institutionsMoscowโs award-winning Gulag History Museum announced its surprise closure on Thursday, a move critics attribute to the Kremlinโs e…