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European Parliament, Agora Simone Veil
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The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union represents the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in dealings with European and international institutions, associations, NGOs and media. We work on the fields of European integration and globalisation. We focus on the shaping of common European foreign and security policy, European energy and climate policy, European neighbourhood policy and the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. For more information on our work, please check our latest newsletter.

Eurozone 2013

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Energy Transition: The German Energiewende-Blog

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European Union

Call for Participants

North-South Capacity Building "A Common Future in the Eurozone?"

April 25, 2013 - The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union (hbs EU) invites 15 young people from the southern member states of the eurozone and from Germany to Brussels in order to discuss the economic, social and political problems in their countries; their perception of their own future, that of their countries and of Europe with each other and with actors of the European institutions and organisations.  more»

Policy Paper

What Can the European Union Do in Syria? A Joint Policy Paper

- April 25, 2013 - As a follow-up to the closed workshop "The responsibility to protect in Syria - What can the European Union do?" organised by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Dutch peace organisation IKV Pax Christi on 5th of December 2012, here a joint policy paper focussing on human security and humanitarian aid. more»

DOSSIER

Europe – the Final Countdown or Resurrection Time? Reclaiming the European Project

- Ever since the outburst of the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone in 2011 the European Union makes the impression of a punch-drunk boxer just before the knock-out. Is the once great European project down for the count? The dossier ‘Europe – the final countdown or resurrection time?’ will provide an insight into the feelings and ideas which are held towards Europe by elites and (other) citizens in a wide selection of EU Member States. more»

Dossier

Spotlight on Croatia

- If  its accession will be ratified by all 27 EU-Member States, Croatia will enter the European Union on 1 July 2013 as its 28th Member State. When Croatia started negotiating its membership six years ago, the enthusiasm was great. In the meantime, things have changed. What do Croatians think, hope and fear in light of the approaching EU-Membership. more»
Budapest. Photo by Kanuchova

Dossier

Focus on Hungary

- The Heinrich Böll Foundation has compiled a dossier containing articles and interviews on the situation in Hungary since the right wing government came to power in April 2010. The driving goal behind the project is to analyze and interpret the changes in the domain of public life at ‘half-time’, two years before the next parliamentary elections. more»

DOSSIER

Is there a future for the eurozone?

- Many a swansong on the euro and the eurozone has been sung during the last months. Will the euro(zone) survive? Are the measures taken so far the right ones and what else needs to be done? more»

ARTICLE

Why the Green New Deal is a response to the European debt crisis

- The global economic crisis has not been overcome; its character has merely changed. For us parliamentarians, its most tangible characteristic is the smoldering debt crisis in some Euro countries. Similar to the crisis in the banking sector, the European government debt crisis is typical of a large-scale financial crisis, the "Second Great Depression," and managing it has to be addressed in this context. Dr. Gerhard Schick, MP more»

Human Rights & Gender

FEMINICIDE

Invitation Conference Bi-Regional Dialogue on Feminicide (UE-CELAC)

January 15, 2013 - Los feminicidios/femicidios o asesinatos de mujeres por razones de género no son incidentes aislados que ocurren de forma inesperada, sino que representan la última manifestación del contínuum de violencia contra las mujeres. Esta violencia constituye una grave violación de derechos humanos vinculada a la discriminación y a estructuras patriarcales altamente arraigadas en las sociedades y agravada por la pobreza y en muchos casos, por notables niveles de impunidad. more»

FEMINICIDE

¡NI UNA MUERTA MÁS!

- January 15, 2013 - Voluntad politica, valentia y recursos son la clave para acabar con la violencia contra la mujer y el feminicidio/ femicidio.  more»

FEMINICIDE

Report of Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women

- January 15, 2013 - "Globally, the prevalence of different manifestations of gender-related killings is
reaching alarming proportions. Culturally and socially embedded, these manifestations
continue to be accepted, tolerated or justified—with impunity as the norm. States‘
responsibility to act with due diligence in the promotion and protection of women‘s
rights is largely lacking as regards the killing of women." more»

FEMINICIDE

Event Report “Gender Related Murder of Women” in Latin America: A pressing problem which needs to be tackled now!

- “Gender-related killings of women” is the expression that Rashida Manjoo, United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on Violence Against Women (VaW), has chosen for her 2012 report2 to name the most “extreme manifestation of existing forms of VaW”. Feminicide is the term Latin Americans (LA) and some European countries are using to refer to these crimes. Following Rashida Manjoo’s report “these manifestations are reaching alarming proportions all around the world where they continue to be accepted, tolerated or justified – with impunity as the norm”. more»

FEMINICIDE

Feminicido: Un Fenomeno Global - De Lima a Madrid (Publication)

- January 16, 2013 - This publication maintains that feminicide is a crime against life, human rights and women's dignity. It is a state crime against its citizens as the state fails its duty to prevent women, investigate and punish violence against. It is an international community crime if this community does not react and instead satisfies itself by witnessing the murders, which means: protecting the crimes and the impunity that surrounds them.  more»

Democracy & Development

Natural resources

Buen Vivir and Green New Deal

January 15, 2013 -

A summary of the differences, similarities and possible articulations between the two concepts, Buen Vivir and Green New Deal.

Eduardo Gudynas more»
Cobar Mining Field in New South Wales

FACTSHEET

Is the Raw Material Initiative in line with the EU Policy Coherence for Development?

- All around the world, mining has led to resettlements of the local population, drinking water contamination by cyanide spillages, large reduction of farmland, inadequate compensation paid by mining companies, and waste dumps near resettled villages result in health problems and the loss of traditional jobs such as agriculture and pastoral activities at the place of extraction. Several paragraphs of the European Parliament resolution of 18 May 2010 on the “EU Policy Coherence for Development and the Official Development Assistance plus” concept are undermined by the European Commission's Raw Material Initiative. 

Johanna Sydow more»

Analysis of the EU Raw Materials Initiative

- February 4, 2011 - On 2 February 2011, the European Commission presented an update to its Raw Materials Strategy from 2008. What are the practical implications of this European strategy, especially for resource rich developing countries around the world? Johanna Sydow, Lili Fuhr, Ute Straub more»

Energy

copyrite Heinrich Böll Stiftung, 2011

DOSSIER

'A European Union for Renewable Energy' provides a collection of policy ideas for two key areas that will define the future of renewable energy development in Europe: grids, and support and remuneration schemes for renewables. The report shall serve as a stepping stone on the path to our sustainable, renewables-based future. At a moment of deep economic and institutional crisis in Europe, the vision of a ‘European Union for Renewable Energy’ is a positive project to give the EU a new push for integration. more»
Manic Street Preacher, Flickr under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 License

ARTICLE

Transatlantic Tar Sand Storms: Lobbying and Dirty Oil are Canada’s New Exports

- In its tar sands, Canada has the biggest oil reserves worldwide after Saudi Arabia. While delaying climate action at home, the Canadian government is undermining international efforts in fighting climate change.  Low carbon fuel standards in the EU and California or the denial to build the Keystone XL pipeline through the US would be a major setback for Canada’s export of oil from tar sands. Eva Zschirnt and Arne Jungjohann

ARTICLE

How Germany Became Europe’s Green Leader

- This article examines how German environmental policymaking over the last 40 years transformed Europe’s economic engine into the international driver of green growth Ralph Buehler, Arne Jungjohann, Melissa Keeley, Michael Mehling more»

DOSSIER

Heliosthana 2020

- The virtual Mediterranean nation Heliosthana was launched on 11th May 2010 by WWF and the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, at the Spanish EU Presidency conference on the Mediterranean solar plan in Valencia.
Heliosthana is built upon realistic solutions that pave the way towards 100% renewable energy and that are immediately applicable in many Mediterranean countries.
This dossier provides all documents relating to the Heliosthana 2020 project more»
Publication Myths of Nuclear Power

Publication

Myth of Nuclear Power - A Guide

- Some lobbyists and politicians carry on the myth that nuclear power is reliable, secure, and a source of unbeatable energy. The newest myth paints nuclear power as the necessary bridging technology to the solar age - in Europe and around the world. To address the myths of nuclear power, the Heinrich Böll Stiftung has commissioned renowned international nuclear experts to deliver reports that provide the public with an overview of current, fact-rich, and nuclear-critical know-how more»

Climate Change

DOSSIER

Seasons of Change - Climate, Energy and Resource Politics in the MENA Region

In the midst of turbulent times in the Middle East and North Africa, the State of Qatar is hosting the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Doha from November 26 to December 7, 2012. This trilingual webdossier presents analysis and perspectives from a wide range of international and regional experts on how climate change, resource and energy politics relate to political and social change. more...  

DISCUSSION PAPER

European Climate Leadership – Durban and beyond

- Can Europe assert leadership on climate change in light of its myriad problems? The EU was key in shaping the outcome of the last UNFCCC negotiations, the so-called Durban Platform.  This paper analyzes the prospects for Europe to continue to act as a driving force towards a greener planet, both at home and abroad. Hans JH Verolme more»

Dossier

Rio+20 - J'burg+10: A Personal Look back into the Future

-  The 1992 Rio Earth Summit is celebrating its 20th anniversary. But is that really a reason to celebrate? How far have we come down the road to achieving sustainable develoment around the world? How many objectives have been implemented from the Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration, the environmental conventions on Climate Change, Biodiversity, Desertification and Forest which were adopted 20 years ago? more»

DOSSIER

Climate - Migration - Security

- Growing evidence of links between climate change, migration and conflict raise plenty of reasons for concern and it's time to start thinking about new answers to these multifaceted crisis scenarios. more»

Publications

PUBLICATION

Going Green: Chemicals Fields of action for a resource-efficient chemical industry

May 3, 2012 -
The chemical industry is extremely important for Germany. For many, however, the chemical industry is also associated with environmental pollution, high risks and greenhouse gas emissions. The study Going Green: Chemicals describes the changes needed in the chemical industry in Germany and the European Union in order to meet environmental and climate protection targets while, at the same time, remaining competitive.
Uwe Lahl and Barbara Zeschmar-Lahl more»

DOSSIER

Climate - Migration - Security

- Growing evidence of links between climate change, migration and conflict raise plenty of reasons for concern and it's time to start thinking about new answers to these multifaceted crisis scenarios. more»

Article

Growth of Limits

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Nearly 40 years after the famous study by the Club of Rome entitled Limits to Growth, our unease about economic growth is returning. The nuclear disaster in Japan has also raised the question of whether the danger at which industrial society puts itself requires radical change. On the road to ecological modernity, is prosperity possible without having to destroy the basis of our livelihood? Ralf Fücks

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