A voluntary ESG standard promoted by the mining industry is intended to simplify the fragmented field of certification. However, NGOs criticize it for being too vague. In addition, those affected are not sufficiently involved in projects.
By Alex Veit
The US government has announced that it will provide financial support to sympathetic organizations in Europe. Marco Rubio’s visit, during which he endorsed the election of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, is in keeping with this approach – but there is resistance to this malign influence.
By Markus Grabitz and Stephan Israel
A key implementing protocol for the methane regulation appears close to completion. It was developed by US researchers and is expected to be presented to the European Commission and member states in the coming weeks.
By Manuel Berkel
Most countries in the Western Balkans and the EU member states of South-East Europe are continuing to slide down the new corruption index. What this means for the accession prospects of the six Western Balkan states – and why protests are growing.
By Frank Stier
The President of the European Council wants to draw heads of state and government away from their traditional positions through an open discussion format. The goal is to set concrete deadlines for key dossiers related to further integration of the single market.
By János Allenbach-Ammann
No new superauthority, no gold-plating. Germany’s Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation Karsten Wildberger is distributing AI oversight across existing institutions, prioritizing coordination over centralization. Academia and industry warn that the fragmented model could create friction and inconsistent enforcement.
By Corinna Visser
The EU Commission has presented an action plan to counter cyberbullying. The plan bundles together existing measures and focuses on preventative approaches, but there are no binding minimum standards.
By Corinna Visser
The West is no longer just reacting defensively to hybrid threats, but is also taking proactive measures. For Teija Tiilikainen, Director of the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, this step is long overdue.
By Lisa-Martina Klein
While the British prime minister is under mounting pressure, he is expected to remain in office for now. But many political observers believe his authority has been fundamentally weakened.
By Henning Hoff
This year’s Munich Security Report examines the impact of the US president on European security, the Indo-Pacific, global trade and development policy – while the search for solutions to ongoing global crises takes a back seat.
By Wilhelmine Stenglin and Markus Bickel
