Supplying critical goods: lessons from the pandemic
Security of supply for medical and pharmaceutical goods must become a high political priority—with industrial policies promoting reshoring.
An end to wage-dumping in the German meat industry?
The German meat industry is being pushed off its low road of migrant-labour exploitation towards regulation and potential collective agreement.
Big Tech media and the EU’s weak reed of ‘competition’
The attack on the US Capitol revealed the dangers of Big Tech media platforms—but envisaged EU competition laws won’t fix them.
Europe’s ‘long-Covid’ economic frailty
Last year’s agreement on an EU recovery package was widely celebrated. This year its inadequacy will sink in.
Time to put an end to union-busting
Trade union rights are human rights and must be protected in EU law.
Spain: more stable employment contracts
The Supreme Court has modified its jurisprudence on subcontracting, limiting the scope for abuse of temporary contracts.
Culture, creativity and coronavirus: time for EU action
The pandemic has highlighted a longer-term failure adequately to address the working conditions of cultural professionals in Europe.
Must try harder: recovering from educational inequality
School closures during the pandemic have hit socially excluded students hard. The EU needs to ensure every child can reach their potential.
Unsplendid isolation: Britain after ‘Brexit’
Paul Mason writes that a Biden US presidency allied to an EU pursuing ‘strategic autonomy’ leaves a ‘sovereign’ UK with a bit-part role.
Belarus needs more than the Sakharov Prize
Strengthening of civil society, construction of democratic institutions and economic support must all figure in an EU agenda for a post-Lukashenka Belarus.
Whither America?
It will take more than one person—and more than one presidential term—to overcome America’s longstanding challenges.
What saved American democracy?
Democracy in the United States survived the assault by Donald Trump and his supporting mob. But why it survived raises questions awkward for some.
No time to spare for the Paris climate promise
Having squandered past opportunities and shirked previous commitments, we now must start making up for lost time.
MEPs need to listen to more voices on artificial intelligence
The European Parliament’s committee exploring AI needs to give the floor to civil society. Big Tech has had enough influence.
Build back better—then pay for it
The pandemic-linked crisis is not the time for fiscal consolidation. But introducing a genuinely progressive tax system will become essential.
Germany bows to Keynes, again
Say it quietly, but Germany has learnt the lessons of Keynes. Would that others had done so too.
Protecting European migrants’ rights
National and EU-level action are needed to make seasonal labour migration in the single market a ‘win-win’ for the member states involved.