Since Ursula von der Leyen was elected new Commission president, she has been underlining her priority for a sustainable climate policy. An important lever to achieve this is the future EU budget 2021-2027, which has to be adopted by the end of 2020 at the latest. For this purpose, AK Europa and ÖGB Europabüro hosted an event on 9th September to discuss the question, which contribution the EU budget can make in the fight against climate change.

On 9th September, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen presented the list of names and on the following day the portfolios of the other 26 EU Commissioners-designate. Various lists of names and allocations of the portfolios had already been circulating in the days before. However, the veil has been lifted and since 10th September we know who has been proposed for which job and that there will be some fundamental changes.

Event jointly organised by AK EUROPA and ÖGB Europabüro on 9 September 2019:

Europe climate-neutral by 2050: What contribution can the EU-budget make in the fight against climate change?

Presentation by Margit Schratzenstaller

(Austrian Institute of Economic Research WIFO)

AK EUROPA and ÖGB Europabüro cordially invite you to the following event:

A new study published by AK EUROPA shows how much influence internet companies such as Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, Deliveroo and co. have on European legislation. The thought behind this study is to shed light on the increasing and intransparent lobbying activities of the platform companies in Brussels

At the beginning of 2019, the European Commission presented a reflection paper, in which it elaborates as to how the goals for sustainable development and the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, formulated by the United Nations are to be fulfilled within the scope of the EU 2020 targets. Even though many ideas are to be welcomed there are still some gaps in the presented roadmap of the ‘sustainability turn’ from the AK’s point of view.

The European Working Time Directive has been in force since 2003. Increasing demands on employees in Europe, anti-employee changes in working time regulations in Austria in autumn 2018 and not least some important rulings of the European Court of Justice make it clear how important it is to regulate working time regulations at European level.  

This new study presented by the AK shines a light on the various ways big platform companies like Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, Deliveroo and Co actively influence European officials in the policy making process. Through meetings behind closed doors with high level officials of the European Commission, job offers and numerous corporate lobbyists, think tanks as well as business associations these internet platforms try to convince the policy makers of their interpretation of existing directives – already showing success in many fields.

On 8th July 2019, a meeting took place of the Council of the European Union on the “Economy of Wellbeing”, which the Finnish Presidency chose as a key issue of its time in office. This focus shall help to shape Europe’s future and move the people to the centre of policy-making again.

For the first time in its history, the Commission will have a female President: on 17th July 2019, the European Parliament approved the proposal of the European Council to install Ursula von der Leyen as holder of the EU’s most important position from 1st November 2019. However, with just nine more votes than the required absolute majority, it was a wafer-thin win.