B&K Newsletter: Swinging back on fact-checking, the TikTok ban and Senate hearings in the US
On 07 January, Mark Zuckerberg – CEO of the social media company Meta that includes Facebook, Instagram and Threads – announced a change in Meta policies which would include abandoning the use of independent fact-checkers on the platforms in favour of ‘community notes’. Meta’s fact-checking programme was launched in 2016 to create a network of […]
Security, Europe! The Polish presidency programme, IRIS² and national politics in the EU in the new year
Security, Europe!’ is the headline of Poland’s programme for its 6-month presidency of the Council of European Union starting on 01 January. The country is the first in the new presidency trio including Denmark and Cyprus, that will succeed it in June 2025 and January 2026 respectively. The focus of its programme will be security […]
Global Uncertainty Unfolds: Insights into the Key Geopolitical Developments of 2025
As we step into 2025, the world is teetering on the edge of unpredictability. Shifting power dynamics, regional conflicts, and emerging threats constantly reshape international dynamics. This analysis delves into the key trends and challenges that will shape the year ahead. Numerous countries held pivotal elections in 2024, sowing uncertainty. Now, the spotlight shifts to […]
Barnier: The Shortest-Lived Prime Minister
On Wednesday, the French government fell over negotiations on the new budget law, setting the stage for another political crisis in Europe, just a few weeks after the German Chancellor Scholz called for early elections. As widely reported in the last few days, the Parliament approved a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Michel […]
G20 in Brazil: Taxing billionaires, trillions for climate change and the fight against hunger and poverty
On 18 and 19 November, the G20 leaders met in Brazil in a summit concluding the year of Brazil’s presidency of the G20. The outcome of the Summit was the adoption of the Rio de Janeiro Declaration and the launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, a flagship of the Brazilian presidency. The […]
The Global Way Forward on Climate Change: Climate finance, the EU and US presidential elections at COP29
In today’s issue we guide you through the expected negotiations at COP29, the ‘Finance COP’ On Tuesday 12 November, European leaders attended the opening of COP29 – the UN’s annual Conference on Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan. While COP29 touches upon numerous issues linked to climate change, from mitigation to adaptation, COP29 has been dubbed […]
B&K Newsletter: As Donald Trump wins Presidency, is Europe losing on its future in tech?
As Donald Trump wins Presidency, is Europe losing on its future in tech? The global elections super-cycle is drawing to a close, with one of its most impactful moments potentially being Donald Trump’s election as the 47th President of the United States, securing over 300 electoral votes. Although EU leaders, including European Commission President Ursula […]
B&K Newsletter: COP16: an occasion to level up EU’s environmental policy?
Many good intentions but little money on the table? Deep in Colombia’s Valle del Cauca region, the city of Cali has transformed into a global environmental hub as it hosts what could be this year’s most crucial conservation summit. The 16th UN Conference of the Parties on Biodiversity (COP16) has drawn environmental leaders and delegates […]
B&K Newsletter: The first EU-Gulf Cooperation Council summit
This week, the outgoing President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the Emir of Qatar, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (as the rotating President of the Gulf Cooperation Council), will co-chair the first-ever summit between the European Union and the GCC. To mark the importance of the summit, the Saudi crown prince, […]
B&K Newsletter: The EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement: a now-or-never situation?
A tormented history Negotiators of the trade deal between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur countries are meeting in Brasília this week for a new round of talks. They aim to seal the deal as soon as possible, possibly by a November G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. On 28 June 1999, the European Union […]