Energy has always had a prominent place in the European integration process. And yet, the establishment of an EU energy policy is relatively recent, particularly in its external dimension.
Sweden's capacity to implement EU law in a swift and efficient way has varied through the years. A sizeable amount of the complaints and lawsuits against Sweden are indeed caused by delays and other shortcomings in implementing EU directives and regulations.
Even though the Lisbon Treaty has made the rotating Council Presidencies less politically relevant, the country holding the presidency during six months still has an important role to fill. For Denmark, holding the presidency during the first half of 2012, the ongoing crisis in the Eurozone has posed particular challenges.
Cyprus assumed the EU presidency in the midst of the economic crisis. The presidency has been a challenging task, not the least since Cyprus itself has been severely hit by the crisis and is subject to austerity measures
The Swedish model of Government administration – with independent authorities and a comparatively small Government Office – differs from the model common in most other EU member states. Whether the Swedish model is appropriate in the context of the EU has therefore been a topic of discussion since Sweden became a member of the European Union
The political consequences of the euro crisis are considerabe. The role of the Eurogroup has been strengthened, with a corresponding widening of the gap between the Eurozone and other EU Member States.
The new Hungarian Constitution – that entered into force in January 2012 – has faced widespread international criticism. This analysis intends to explain why that is the case and views the debate from a legal and constitutional perspective.
The Greek general election of 6 May 2012 resulted in strong electoral support for political parties other than those traditionally in power. It confirmed a widespread discontent with the austerity policies, but still a majority of the voters expressed a desire to remain a member of the Eurozone.
Remaining problems with corruption in Bulgaria and Romania have prompted the EU to introduce the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM). This mechanism is to extend EU leverage into the post-accession period with the aim of triggering necessary reforms.
The EU has only in recent years adopted legislation in the field of nuclear safety. This legislation is not very far-reaching, and it largely replicates international conventions in the field.