What’s in store for the European Union in 2024?

What’s in store for the European Union in 2024?

In 2024, elections will take centre stage – not only domestically but also EU-wide as well as in the USA and Russia. The Union is looking at elections in early June. Many of the present discussions revolving around migration, enlargement or the budget will remain hot-button issues. The beginning of the year is marked by the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union beginning as well as an extraordinary EU Council Summit. What are the individual countries looking at?

Europe in brief: EU decides to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova

Europe in brief: EU decides to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has said that the decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine was being overrated. The Dutch government has decided to lift its veto on Bulgaria joining the Schengen area. The EU is supporting an Albanian awareness campaign aimed at informing travellers about the rules for transporting money in and out of the country.

Europe in brief: Slovakian lorry drivers join blockade on Ukrainian border

Europe in brief: Slovakian lorry drivers join blockade on Ukrainian border

Similar to their Polish colleagues, Slovakian lorry drivers have begun blocking a border crossing with Ukraine in protest at competition from their Ukrainian counterparts. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that the negotiations for a trade deal between Mercosur and the EU could fail. Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon expressed her support for North Macedonia’s EU accession.

Europe in brief: Von der Leyen visits Western Balkans to discuss EU enlargement

Europe in brief: Von der Leyen visits Western Balkans to discuss EU enlargement

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited BiH as part of a four-day tour of the Western Balkans to discuss EU enlargement. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner questions Germany’s ability to phase out coal as an energy source by 2030. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković hopes his country would join the OECD in 2026.

Europe in brief: EU activates diplomatic contacts after escalation of Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Europe in brief: EU activates diplomatic contacts after escalation of Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Charles Michel and Josep Borrell have made contact with leaders in the Middle East following a flare-up in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Commissioner Janez Lenarčič visited Armenia to assess the situation of displaced Armenians after their exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh. At an informal meeting of EU leaders in Granada, Hungary and Poland vetoed the agreement on new migration rules.