JamesPCross

Is a Land-Swap Deal with Kosovo Necessary for Serbian Accession to the EU?

by Arisa Herman Serbia, a small Balkan state, has long had its eye on accession to the European Union. One of the foremost candidates for accession, Serbia is in the process of negotiating the conditions of membership. Many of these specifications have been detailed in the Commission strategy titled ‘A credible enlargement perspective for andContinue reading “Is a Land-Swap Deal with Kosovo Necessary for Serbian Accession to the EU?”

‘Hostile takeover’ or much ado about nothing? Determining the political legacy of the entry of Democratic Left into the Labour Party

by Darren Litter At first glance, the Labour Party and the Workers’ Party are distant political entities. The Labour Party is a “very much a party of the Irish mainstream”[1], whereas the Workers’ Party have tended to operate within the sphere of “Soviet-style” Marxist-Leninism[2]. While there is undoubtedly considerable accuracy to this perception, an oft-ignoredContinue reading “‘Hostile takeover’ or much ado about nothing? Determining the political legacy of the entry of Democratic Left into the Labour Party “

European Commission v Republic of Austria (2007-2017) Why Austria’s quota system for medical studies is not an infringement of EU law

by Katharina Stöbich Art 45 (1) Every citizen of the Union has the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. Art 21 (2) Within the scope of application of the Treaties and without prejudice to any of their specific provisions, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited.Continue reading “European Commission v Republic of Austria (2007-2017) Why Austria’s quota system for medical studies is not an infringement of EU law”

Nord Stream 2: A Step Forward for Growth, a Step Backward for Unity

by Matthew Teasdale This blog was completed for the UCD Politics module: Introduction to EU Politics. Nord Stream 2 (NS2) began laying down its pipes on September 5th, 2018 and ever since has been flooded in controversy. Headlines recently have been jumping back and forth from last-minute French bargaining, to a shaky EU compromise, andContinue reading “Nord Stream 2: A Step Forward for Growth, a Step Backward for Unity”

The EU Migration Crisis and Operation Sophia: Shared Burden of Asylum Seekers is Needed

by Sydney Walters Although the European migration crisis, which heightened in 2015 after the Syrian conflict, has relatively steadied, the debate over migration and member-state obligations towards migration continues. Despite the fact that the numbers of migrants entering Europe from the Mediterranean has dramatically decreased since 2015, the number of migrant deaths in the MediterraneanContinue reading “The EU Migration Crisis and Operation Sophia: Shared Burden of Asylum Seekers is Needed”

What is hindering Kosovo’s goal of European Integration?

by Katrina Yoder Kosovo, a young state with just over a million citizens, has been hoping to move into the arms of the European Union since its birth in February 2008. However, with a weak economy, internal political fragmentation, opposition from Serbia, and five member states of the EU body who do not recognise its independentContinue reading “What is hindering Kosovo’s goal of European Integration?”

With one voice, or none at all? How divisions are impacting EU reforms, and its future

By Marc Planas The Future is Europe, reads a mural in La Rue de la Loi, in Brussels. A future, Europe certainly has one, but of what kind? Although the European Union has resisted the many threats of the past, the horizon seems far from idyllic. From an uncertain Brexit, the rise of national-populism, toContinue reading “With one voice, or none at all? How divisions are impacting EU reforms, and its future”

Exit Stage Left? What Scope for Progressive Politics against the EU?

Review essay: Costas Lapavitsas (2019) The Left Case Against the EU, Cambridge, UK and Medford, Ma: Polity Press. By Dr Andy Storey “The EU is not a nation state over whose mechanics the Left could give battle… It is a transnational juggernaut geared to neoliberal and hierarchical motion.”[1] This claim, made near the end ofContinue reading “Exit Stage Left? What Scope for Progressive Politics against the EU?”

Why have EU trilogues become so contentious?

By Ruairi Doyle ‘Trilogue’ is the name given to informal meetings which take place between representatives of the Parliament, Commission, and Council. The aim of these meetings, as defined in Lelieveldt and Princen’s The Politics of the European Union, is“to identify points of agreement and differences, and find a compromise on a legislative text” (LelieveldtContinue reading “Why have EU trilogues become so contentious?”

The EU tackling Climate Change

By Genevieve O’Keeffe Climate change is the most dangerous issue the world is facing and everyone will be affected unless extreme policy changes are made. As it is an issue that will directly or indirectly face all nations, it makes sense that a supranational organization such as the European Union takes an active role inContinue reading “The EU tackling Climate Change”