European Union

Băile Herculane is among the oldest and most popular spas in Romania. It reached the peak of its splendour in the second half of the 19th century, when the region was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

After decades of severe decline, the historical spa town of Băile Herculane is gradually flourishing again. The credit goes to the efforts by a group of young people who mobilised to save the heritage and reclaim the spaces, and to EU funds

EU funds can have a real impact on the lives of citizens and local communities, provided they are spent taking into account the specific needs of each territory. Interview with Jasna Gabrič, former mayor of Trbovlje

Many low- and mid-altitude ski resorts, due to global warming, remain without snow, but not necessarily without tourists. There are ways to reinvent the mountain: an ongoing cross-border project, BeyondSnow, helps some Alpine resorts understand how to do it

In the European Union there is enormous potential for the production of renewable energy, still only partially exploited. It is concentrated above all in rural regions: with adequate investments, it could create a precious opportunity for development

The new Bulgarian government has relaunched a rapid entry into the Eurozone as a strategic priority for the country: Sofia meets the formal criteria, but for experts and public opinion the adoption of the Euro remains a controversial issue

Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen is the new EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. The appointment was welcomed in Pristina, but the outlook for the future of the negotiations remains murky

Europe’s rural areas could produce up to 30 times their energy needs with photovoltaics, but technical, environmental and social obstacles complicate their development. Networks, storage and community involvement will be crucial for a sustainable future

Europe aims to obtain 42.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030, but there is still a long way to go. While oil dominates the national energy mix, very different territorial realities are emerging, with rural areas ready for the ecological transition

Armenia has entered the pre-election year with all to play for. Yet, despite constantly declining ratings, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan could benefit from a new inadvertent supporter – the European Union

The absence of EU flags at anti-government demonstrations shows that accession has become a divisive issue in the candidate country. Interview with Srđan Majstorović, president of the board of the European Policy Centre (CEP)

The temptation to centralise the management of EU cohesion funds is a mistake, argues economist Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, who has edited a report on the future of this policy for the European Commission. An interview

Armenia has announced its intention to become a member of the European Union, however close relations with Moscow, particularly in the economic and energy spheres, complicate the possibility of Yerevan taking the European path

Increasingly hot summers and crops at the mercy of extreme events challenge growers in cross-border areas. In the face of the certainty of climate uncertainty, forces and data are being joined with the European AI-GRAPE project, created to introduce digitalisation into viticulture

Native to Siberia, the red-breasted goose winters on the western coast of the Black Sea. Threatened by poaching and climate change, this endangered species has benefited from various conservation projects in Bulgaria in recent years

Ahead of the discussions on the future EU budget, we interviewed Oliver Röpke, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, on the principles that should guide the way cohesion funds are delivered

In the last five years, the average speed of Internet access has quadrupled in Italy, in line with improvements that have occurred throughout Europe. However, some territories risk being left out: public investments in broadband supported by the EU are essential

A complex geopolitical web has entangled Georgia in another wave of protests. Following controversial elections held in October, thousands have taken to the streets in response to what many see as the government turning away from the European Union and moving closer to Russia

The new EU budget is starting to take shape. Cohesion funds could flow into a single National Plan, and the disbursement of funding could be tied to the implementation of specific reforms

"The Republic […] guarantees the protection and reproduction of the environment, the conservation of living nature in all its varieties and the reasonable use of natural resources". This is stated in Article 15 of the Constitution of Bulgaria, the first country in the European Union in terms of the share of its territory covered by protected areas

With the growing popularity of hiking and mountaineering, mountain accidents have increased significantly. The pressure falls on volunteers from rescue groups, who often work in collaboration with their colleagues across the border

Former Slovenian diplomat Marta Kos is set to take charge of relations between the European Commission and the countries that seek to join the EU. An overview at her priorities, and at the first reactions from Brussels and the Western Balkans

Amid a systematic erosion of editorial independence by the government, stronger international support is needed to uphold media freedom in the country. An interview with Igor Božić, news director of the independent N1 TV

Chapter 22 on cohesion policy is one of the most complex negotiating chapters Serbia has to deal with for EU accession. In this interview, Dragana Djurica provides crucial insights into the critical role of civil society, the importance of regional development, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead

To contribute to the European Commission’s Rule of Law monitoring, OBCT, in partnership with SCiDEV and IJAS, produced two Shadow Reports outlining the challenges and gaps in media freedom in Albania and Serbia. The main findings were presented during a webinar

Rijeka has a new modern city library, the “Gradska knjižnica Rijeka”, in a former industrial area redeveloped and transformed into an authentic cultural hub. Our reportage

An innovative library, created with EU cohesion funds, in the former industrial area of ​​Rijeka, now redeveloped and transformed into an authentic artistic district. We met the director of Rijeka City Library Niko Cvjetković

On 21 December 2023, the new Rijeka City Library was inaugurated in the so-called "T-Palace" in the former Benčić industrial complex. The modern structure, co-financed with European funds, is an integral part of a district that has become an important cultural hub.

Photos by Nicole Corritore

Italian Raffaele Fitto is expected to become vice-president in the next European Commission led by von der Leyen. Fitto will be entrusted with the delegation for Cohesion and Reforms, a key role at the European level in terms of political influence and budget management

Brief analysis on the progress of Chapter 22 in the negotiation process between the European Union and North Macedonia