European Union

The gender gap in EU parliaments

11/03/2021 -  Openpolis

While the proportion of women in the legislative bodies of the member states of the European Union has grown over the years, access to key positions of political influence is still limited — in some member states more than in others.

The gender gap in EU governments

10/03/2021 -  Openpolis

Women constitute less than a third of the members of governments in the EU member states. This share has been increasing over the years and it is above 50% in a few countries. However, women still struggle when it comes to access to the most influential positions in the government

Ángela Bernardo: Mental Health and Covid 19

09/03/2021

Ángela Bernardo, ​data journalist at Civio, ​coordinated EDJNet’s large investigation on access to mental health care in Europe. In this video, she presents how her team approached the subject and what were some of the most interesting findings of their work. Mental health care, including both psy​​chological and psychiatric care, is critical to the wellbeing of plenty of people, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic – yet access to treatment is not always easy, especially in the public sector.

China and Central-Eastern Europe, "17+1" at the end of the line?

23/03/2021 -  Francesco Martino

It was created in 2012 to foster economic cooperation between China and Central-Eastern Europe. After the last edition, held online with disappointing results, the "17+1" initiative appears to be in decline, so much so that some analysts openly question its survival

The impact of EU funds on Covid-19 crisis management

03/03/2021 - 

Before the implementation of additional allocations such as the recovery fund, one of the first instruments put in place by the EU was the possibility for states to redirect their own European funds to deal with the Covid-19 crisis. Let's see how this process played out, in Italy and in other countries

Serbia between China and Europe

26/02/2021 -  Vukašin Obradović Belgrade

China’s influence in Serbia is growing. In its recent report, the European Parliament expressed concern about the lack of transparency and environmental and social impact assessment of Chinese investments and loans in Serbia and across the Western Balkans

Plastic waste: Europe is not recycling enough

05/02/2021 -  Antoine de Ravignan

As a result of more stringent standards, recycling of plastic packaging is set to fall in the EU. Without better industrial capacity, the EU will not reach its 50% target in five years' time. And illegal exports are likely to increase

Co2: the EU disincentives are not working

04/02/2021 -  Ornaldo Gjergji

The EU Emission Trading System, the EU’s main mechanism to disincentivise CO2 emissions, seems not to have had the desired results. Major industrial groups, often with the support of their own governments, profit from systemic weaknesses while continuing to produce energy using fossil fuels

MEPs, migrants, and the Croatian police: tensions at the Croatian-Bosnian border

03/02/2021 -  Giovanni Vale Zagreb

On Saturday 30 January, on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croatian police blocked a group of Italian MEPs – an event that highlights how explosive the situation is and how much the solution can only be a European one

Ornaldo Gjergji: Climate Change Down to the Local Level

27/01/2021

Ornaldo Gjergji, data analyst at OBC Transeuropa, presents the investigation on rising temperatures in Europe that he carried out in the framework of the European Data Journalism Network (climatechange.europeandatajournalism.eu)

Migrants and refugees’ health in the wake of Covid-19

25/01/2021 -  Emanuela Barbiroglio

With COVID-19 in the spotlight, refugees and undocumented migrants disappeared from public attention. Precisely what swept these communities away from the agenda, however, disproportionately affected them. An analysis by Emanuela Barbiroglio, making use of a survey by the World Health Organisation

Vaccines and Covid-19: the Western Balkans feel excluded

22/01/2021 -  Francesco Martino

Doubts, controversies, delays. Vaccination campaigns against Covid-19 in the Western Balkans have only started in Serbia and Albania, while the other countries in the area risk dangerous delays, despite some support initiatives promoted by the European Union

European banks are still major backers of the fossil fuel industry

25/01/2021 -  Gianluca De Feo

As public institutions struggle to implement their plans effectively, private banks are still not pulling their weight. With the slowness and mounting obstacles facing public finances, combined with the unreliability of the private system, how secure is the future of energy transition?

Environment in Southeast Europe: lockdown abuses

23/12/2020 -  Marco Ranocchiari

As the eyes of the whole world are fixed on the pandemic, vigilance over environmental abuse is loosening. A study by the NGO Arnika documents the situation between Central-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and the Balkans

EU takes its best action against foreign interference when tackling the big issues

22/12/2020 -  Giorgio Comai

A swirl of new acts and strategies has been announced in the last couple of weeks by the European Commission, including the European Democracy Action Plan, the Digital Markets Act, and the EU’s Cybersecurity Strategy. If we ask the right questions about foreign interference, these are all part of the answer

Matteo Moretti: Design and European Data Journalism

22/12/2020

Matteo Moretti, designer and founder of Sheldon.studio, explains his approach to journalism, with a special attention to visual journalism, interactive and responsive products, and informative experiences. He reflects upon the potential and challenges of data journalism in covering issues such as COVID-19 and the climate crisis.

MEPs call for an end to illegal logging in Romania

21/12/2020

Illegal logging is deforesting vast areas in Romania and the environmental degradation in Europe's last primary forests has reached unimaginable proportions in recent years

Emissions in Europe: how much CO2 does energy cost us?

15/01/2021 -  Ornaldo Gjergji

In terms of CO2, energy production is the human activity with the worst impact on the environment in Europe. Emissions in the EU may be falling, but there are still major obstacles to achieving climate neutrality. Meanwhile, to the east, dozens of new coal plants will be built in the near future.

EU, Russia, and the tug-of-war on disinformation

15/12/2020 -  Elisa Piras

With the growing concerns about disinformation activities by Russia and China, the EU and - to varying degress - individual countries have shown increasing interest and initiative in the area of propaganda and strategic communication

Online ads know you well

09/12/2020 -  Federico Caruso

Online advertising is based on the collection and sharing of user data, a system which rests mostly in a few powerful hands, including Google. Privacy and data protection are at issue, and Europe is debating what action should be taken

EU-Balkans: more glue for this house of cards

14/12/2020 -  Benedetta Arrighini

We need a new approach to enlargement policies, lest their complete failure. And it is necessary to start afresh from the abolition of unanimous voting. An interview with Srdjan Cvijić, author together with Adnan Ćerimagić of "Rebuilding Our House Of Cards: With More Glue"

SLAPPs, a directive drafted by civil society organizations

02/12/2020

The international anti-SLAPP coalition invested time and funds to draft a model directive that would help tackle the issue of vexatious lawsuits: now this paper will be presented to EU institutions and stakeholders, and could serve as a pattern for the promised EU initiatives against SLAPPs

Croatia: How to use EU funds?

23/12/2020 -  Toni Gabrić

Croatia is expected to receive a good wealth of EU funds in the coming years. However, the strategic priorities doesn't appear very bold and clear, and the plan for the use of the Recovery Fund is not ready yet

Bulgaria – North Macedonia, a short-sighted veto on the road to the EU

25/11/2020 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

With the veto on the opening of negotiations for North Macedonia's accession to the EU, the Bulgarian government plays the nationalist card, above all for contingent reasons of domestic politics. The consequences, however, are likely to be heavy in the medium and long term

North Macedonia, inflated administration and ethnic balance

20/11/2020 -  Aleksandar Samardjiev Tetovo

In North Macedonia, institutions guarantee ethnic quotas in the administration: a principle that has also had negative repercussions, inflating the number of employees in the public sector, who often do not even go to work

Europe against SLAPPs, the malicious lawsuits

11/11/2020 -  Paola Rosà

As the list gets longer of European journalists and activists targeted by vexatious lawsuits, institutions deliver concrete commitments for legislative actions and interventions that OBCT has also solicited in the last, intense year of transnational advocacy

#CyprusPapers, if the EU passport is for sale

15/10/2020 -  Francesco Martino

Cyprus has cancelled its controversial "citizenship for investment" programme after an investigation by Aljazeera – called #CyprusPapers – uncovered corruption and irregularities that allowed dozens of suspected or convicted individuals to obtain an EU passport

EU and the Western Balkans, a long engagement

14/10/2020 -  Francesco Martino

Cautious optimism and a new package of economic incentives for the Western Balkans: with the "2020 enlargement package", the EU tries to relaunch the integration of the region, but the prospects remain of slow, never predictable progress

What will the Euro effect be in Croatia?

13/10/2020 -  Toni Gabrić

The most realistic date for the introduction of the Euro in Croatia is January 1st, 2024, but what does the introduction of the single currency entail? And what do Croatian economists think?

Investors: Georgia’s Nenskra Dam violates Svan rights

25/09/2020 -  Tamuna Chkareuli

For now, the EBRD and the EIB have suspended their financing for the construction of a dam in Georgia. Pending further assessments on the violation of the rights of the local Svan community