REPowerEU, EU's programme included in national recovery and resilience plans, has definitely boosted the process of reducing energy dependency from Russia. However, member states' progress towards climate targets and environmental impact are still to be met.
The phenomenon of depopulation is affecting the whole world, but in Ukraine its effects are even stronger. Torn between a thirty-year long population decline and the Russian invasion, Ukraine needs to find a balance between demographic safety and wartime future.
Living close to nature is nowadays a luxury that only a small portion of the European population can enjoy. Several criteria are used to assess the level of greenery in European cities, and a map can now help visualizing the level of access to urban nature for residents.
EU promises on reducing the use of pesticides, which emerged as a consequence of citizens' concerns, seem to be failing in producing tangible results. The continuous presence of controversial chemicals on the market proves the difficulties in halving pesticides.
Spain has announced an extraordinary regularisation of up to 800,000 undocumented migrants, supported by both economic actors and human rights organisations. Despite its economic and social benefits, without adapting public services and given its controversial political process, this measure could strengthen far-right support.
Interview with Lucia Gennari, Italian lawyer specialized in foreigners' rights (The Studio Legale Antartide, Rome)
As the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum nears its implementation, Europe seems to be increasingly obsessed with deterrence measures. However, the decisions to harden laws and shift processing to external borders, gives rise to the pressing concern of creating a permanent 'parallel society' of people without rights. An administrative limbo that threatens social cohesion while failing to address the hurdles of displacement.
The number of Belgian students dropping out of school is increasing steadily year after year, despite the overall wealth and connection of the country. Our partners at Voxeurop investigated the reasons behind this discrepancy, to understand why is Belgium falling behind on such a critical issue.
The idea that "young people are shifting to the right" has become a widespread argument whenever a new election approaches. While data partially confirm this trend, they also show a more nuanced picture of the electoral behaviour of younger voters.
Europe is emptying out at the margins. And not just any population: its most educated youth are leaving, emigrating in search of better opportunities.
