NEW EU COMMISSONERS AT A GLANCE

Prosperity and Industrial Strategy

Stéphane Sejourné, Executive Vice-President

EU COMMISSIONER FOR ENERGY

Dan Jorgensen, Denmark

TECH SOVEREIGNTY, SECURITY AND DEMOCRACY

Henna Virkunen, Executive Vice-President

Nearly half of Republicans say they won’t accept the results of the presidential election if Trump loses and some of them say they would “take action to overturn” the results. 46% of Republicans wouldn't accept results, and 14% of Republicans said they would "take action."

Only 29% of Republicans said that the electoral process is free from corruption. Only 43% of Republicans believe that votes are counted accurately. There are low levels of trust in the process, particularly among Republicans. So it is like a recipe for potential conflict in the aftermath of the election.”

Distribution of EU Portfolios by country

Challenging the Commission's Portfolios  

Source: Prof. Dr. Cristina Vanberghen, Academic and Political commentator, currently based at the European University Institute (EUI), Florence, and a senior expert at the European Commission.

Portfolio should address the broader European agenda. The image of Europe – its vision, focus, and purpose – starts with how these portfolios are designed. There are no inherently weak portfolios, only weak leadership or inadequate execution.

THE BRICS EXPANSION ON THE HORIZON

Members

1. Brazil
2. Russia
3. India
4. China
5. South Africa
6. Egypt
7. Ethiopia
8. Iran
9. UAE

Potential Candidates For Future Membership

Procedure for BRICS membership expansion:

SPECIAL REPORT ON THE EU TRANSPARENCY REGISTER

Source: European Court of Auditors 05/2024

The EU transparency register provides useful information to allow citizens to follow lobbying practices, but weaknesses and gaps reduce the transparency of lobbying activities taking place in the three signatory institutions.

Five of the candidate countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia – are in the Western Balkans. Georgia and Moldova are in a very different situation as former Soviet republics with pro-Russian breakaway regions, and Ukraine is fighting a defensive war against its much larger neighbour. 

While Georgia recently approved a contentious law targeting alleged foreign influence has set back its membership aspirations, Ukraine and Moldova entered official accession negotiations with the EU on 25 June.