When Jacques Delors launched the reform of the Structural Funds in 1988 – which led to the creation of the European cohesion policy as we know it today – the aim was clear: to reduce disparities in development between the Community's regions, an essential prerequisite for the success of the single market. The first ‘Delors package’ (1989–1993) established the founding principles of this policy: concentration of resources, partnership with local authorities, addit...Lire la suite

Seven weeks after the launch of the joint US-Israeli attacks against Iran on 28 February, the damage to regional production facilities and the virtual halt to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a rise in crude oil prices of nearly 60% for the WTI index and over 70% for Brent. Despite the two-week truce declared on 7 April, these increases have already had a painful impact on our economies. The duration of the tensions will, of course, determine the severity of the crisis,...Lire la suite

   In 2026, Europe is set to become an even stronger bastion for women's rights. A pioneer on the world stage, the European Union is translating its values into a set of guarantees to ensure the best possible situation for women. Behind certain regulations lies a political project with a new ambition: to transform the ethical values that form the very foundations of the European project into a tangible reality. In this area, European standards, which are always the result of discuss...Lire la suite

The question of what the Western Balkans want from the European Union is currently addressed in two different ways[1]. The Western Balkans comprise Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro[2], Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Albania, six states that have made European integration a major national objective and are therefore at ...Lire la suite

In international politics, a security guarantee is a promise made to a country that there are or there will be in place arrangements that ensure its safety. In the context of the war in Ukraine, a European security guarantee is a deterrent meant to ensure that, should a peace agreement – or, more likely, at least a ceasefire – with Russia be reached, this will in fact be respected ...Lire la suite