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Priority dossiers under the Belgian EU Council Presidency
The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, with the monarch as Head of State and a prime minister as Head of Government. The current monarch, King Philippe/Filip has been on the throne since 21 July 2013, his heir apparent is Princess Elisabeth, the daughter of the monarch. The King has wide legislative powers constitutionally but is relieved of all responsibility, with his ministers signing the bills and royal decrees. It is the King's task to appoint ...
Qualified majority voting in common foreign and security policy - A cost of non-Europe report
Common foreign and security policy (CFSP) has a particular status in the EU legal framework, part of which is the unanimity rule within the Council. This report analyses decision-making rules in CFSP from a 'cost of non-Europe' perspective. It identifies CFSP challenges and the extent to which they could be attributed to unanimity. This allows us to identify the current 'cost of unanimity'. The report also analyses possible alternatives to unanimity decision-making in CFSP, such as a switch to qualified ...
2023 Country-Specific Recommendations - comparison of Commission and Council texts
This document compares the draft 2023 Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) proposed by the Commission on 24 May 2023 with the 2023 CSRs approved by the Council on 16 June 2023. The Council will finally adopt the recommendations in July.
Discharge for the 2020 budget: European Council and Council
In May 2022, the European Parliament decided to postpone the decision on granting discharge to the European Council and Council for the 2020 budget, and presented a number of observations. Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control has examined the situation again, and noting the lack of progress in this second report, again recommends not granting discharge to these two institutions. The vote on the second discharge report is scheduled for the October II plenary session.
Perspectives for EU governance: between Community method, new-intergovernmentalism and parliamentarisation
This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee, analyses the evolutions of the modes of governance at EU level. It shows that the so-called Community method has undergone a double evolution towards more intergovernmentalism, on the one hand, and more parliamentarisation, on the other. In particular, in recent years, the first trend has dominated. The study proposes solutions to defend the ...
Revision of Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of the proceeds of crime and proposal for a new directive on asset recovery offices
Confiscation of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime is a key tool for depriving criminals of ill-gotten gains that could be reinvested in further criminal activities. Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime was adopted in 2014 to harmonise the rules by introducing minimum standards. In 2019, following a joint statement by the Parliament and Council, a dedicated staff working document on non-conviction based confiscation measures in the ...
Russia's war on Ukraine: Russia ceases to be a member of the Council of Europe
The military invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has pushed hundreds of thousands of people to flee the country and seek shelter in neighbouring countries. With each passing hour, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating both within and outside the country. Several Ukrainian cities have reportedly lost access to water, heating, electricity and basic supplies, while the civilian population is subject to shelling and violence. While outside Ukraine's borders, the international humanitarian ...
Proceedings of the workshop on The EU’s current role in GRECO and ambitions for the future: How to move towards full membership
The Council of Europe (CoE) has been playing a crucial role in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law for more than 70 years. The fight against corruption is essential for maintaining the rule of law. Corruption undermines the functioning of the state and public authorities at all levels and is a key enabler of organised crime. Effective anti-corruption frameworks, transparency and integrity in the exercise of state power can strengthen legal systems and trust in public authorities ...
EU cooperation with the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO): how to move towards full membership
The Council of Europe (CoE) has been playing a crucial role in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law for more than 70 years. The fight against corruption is essential for maintaining the rule of law. Corruption undermines the functioning of the state and public authorities at all levels and is a key enabler of organised crime. Effective anti-corruption frameworks, transparency and integrity in the exercise of state power can strengthen legal systems and trust in public authorities ...
Story of the European Anthem
In the inter-war years, advocates of European unity began pondering the choice of an anthem that would convey the feeling of sharing a common destiny and common values. The creation of the Council of Europe in 1949 spurred further calls to this end. Proposals for scores and lyrics for an anthem for Europe began appearing spontaneously. It was not until 1972, however, that the Council of Europe formally adopted the prelude of Ode to Joy from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as the European anthem. For ...