My father has a problem. He is, as well as around 1,2 million other people in Sweden, a user of snus. The damp tobacco that you place under your lip is banned all over the EU except for Sweden, which makes it complicated when users go abroad. - It is discrimination, says the Swedish minister of trade, Eva Björling.  Vacation in Spain. My family were relaxing by the swimming...
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Since 2002, countries such as Montenegro have been able to use the Euro as their currency despite not officially being a member of the European Union, whereas countries such as Lithuania, an official member of the EU, hasn’t been granted Eurozone status. By Liam Gascoigne and Peter Sharples Despite Montenegro recently being given the green light to open negotiations to enter the European Union, the fact that the currency...
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On Thursday, October 20th, Ukraine and the EU finalized the technical negotiations on the creation of the deep and comprehensive free trade area, even though the EU had cancelled the visit of the president of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych, which was planned to be held on the same day. Yanukovych was not welcome in Brussels because he has violated the rule of law, says Mårten Ehnberg, Sweden’s deputy ambassador in...
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Imagine that you have to plan in which room you are going to spend the night three months ahead. You have to be reachable for at least one hour a day, 365 days a year. And if you miss out on three tests you are not allowed to practice your profession for one year. One could easily be fooled to think that we are talking about criminals. But the...
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After the independence from the Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina had to go through one of the darkest periods in recent European history. Now twenty years on the country is aspiring to become a member of the European Union.   Bosnia and Herzegovina broke out of the former Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. It was by no means a happy break up though. The following three and half years...
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EUROPE Freedom of movement of people is fundamental within the EU and some none-meber states. But love across boarders is a legal jungle. On the 27 – 30th of October, the annual ILGA-Europe(European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) conference will take place. This year within the theme “Traditional Values”: clash or dialogue?” The organisation calls for insurance that everyone is granted full portability...
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Another year has passed in the membership negotiations between the EU Commission and the Turkish government. But as the negotiations drags on, the Anatolian country is drifting slowly away from its European neighbors. “The Turkish government and the Turks in general are increasingly indifferent towards the question of membership of the European Union, compared to how important it was back in 2004-2006”, says Daniella Kuzmanovic, assistant professor at the...
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On the 30th of November the Annual Eurochild’s Conference will take place in Cardiff, Wales (UK). During 8thconference this organisation will provide inputs to EU policy debates on fighting child poverty, promoting children’s rights and well-being, and on supporting and strengthening families. However, a phenomenon of Euro – orphans is still left in the dark.    Their parents are not dead, but absent. These children are being left behind...
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When the European Union was discussing what to put in a proposed constitution, the three pillars suggested were Christianity, Judaism and humanism. Although the pillars (and the constitution) were eventually turned down the idea is still very much alive. In a community where the top players (Britain, France and Germany) carry out policies considered to be anti-Islamic, is there room for Muslim states like Turkey? Earlier this month, when...
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