The potential impact of the Slovak elections on support for Ukraine. Following the September 2023 Slovak parliamentary elections, the European Union (EU) and Ukraine may have something to worry about. The recent Slovak parliamentary elections saw the return of Robert Fico to national office. The success of Fico and his populist left party, Smer-SSD (in…
Shedding light on the EU’s future path towards a self-sustaining defense capacity. Defense integration could be imperative for ensuring the internal stability of the European Union (EU) in the long term. The EU has been steadily advancing its ambitions in this area over the last decade. Right now, it has the opportunity to accelerate the…
A look ahead to the European Parliament elections on 6 – 9 June. In June 2024, the European Parliament elections will be held again. For the tenth time, citizens of the European Union Member States will elect the members of the European Parliament (EP). Although it still seems far away, European politicians are already starting…
The contextualisation of the conflict between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an attack on the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan claims it did this after four Azerbaijani soldiers and two civilians were killed in the enclave that same month. A ceasefire was declared rather quickly after the attack, so…
The history and current role of botanical gardens, and the mutual cooperation between them. Exotic plants that you normally never see, the sweet smell in the tropical greenhouses or the special style of a Japanese garden. These are the views that surround you in botanical gardens. But there is more going on in the green…
How European trade supports the illegal Israeli settlement economy. In the war between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories plays an important role. The construction and expansion of illegal settlements in these territories is condemned by the international community because it violates international humanitarian law and human rights treaties. International condemnation…
How European investment in Israel’s illegal settlement economy stands in the way of sustainable peace. On October 7, 2023, the world was shocked by an attack by the terror organization Hamas on Israel, resulting in the killing, wounding, and/or kidnapping of hundreds of Israelis. A day later, Israel officially declared a state of war. Since…
The European Union’s position in the battle for our galaxy. In late August, a special event took place in the world of space exploration; India became the fourth country ever, after the former Soviet Union in 1959, the United States in 1969, and China in 2019, to safely land a rocket on the moon. Not…
The position of fossils in the debate about looted art. Looted art is a subject that has received increasing attention over the past few decades. Often this involves art objects that were taken from colonies and have since resided in European museums. There also exists disagreement between European countries about “stolen” objects. The discussion often…
Why the Union List on invasive alien species is so important. Intensive luggage searches at customs looking for… fruit? You may have seen it on the TV programme Border Security. The Australian version of this programme follows the country’s customs. They have to deal with all kinds of matters, including drug smuggling or the import…
Recent articles
Shedding light on the EU’s future path towards a self-sustaining defense capacity. Defense integration could be imperative for ensuring the internal stability of the European Union (EU) in the long term. The EU has been steadily advancing its ambitions in this area over the last decade. Right now, it has the opportunity to accelerate the…
A look ahead to the European Parliament elections on 6 – 9 June. In June 2024, the European Parliament elections will be held again. For the tenth time, citizens of the European Union Member States will elect the members of the European Parliament (EP). Although it still seems far away, European politicians are already starting…
The contextualisation of the conflict between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an attack on the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan claims it did this after four Azerbaijani soldiers and two civilians were killed in the enclave that same month. A ceasefire was declared rather quickly after the attack, so…
Conflict and Defense
The potential impact of the Slovak elections on support for Ukraine. Following the September 2023 Slovak parliamentary elections, the European Union (EU) and Ukraine may have something to worry about. The recent Slovak parliamentary elections saw the return of Robert Fico to national office. The success of Fico and his populist left party, Smer-SSD (in…
Shedding light on the EU’s future path towards a self-sustaining defense capacity. Defense integration could be imperative for ensuring the internal stability of the European Union (EU) in the long term. The EU has been steadily advancing its ambitions in this area over the last decade. Right now, it has the opportunity to accelerate the…
The contextualisation of the conflict between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an attack on the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan claims it did this after four Azerbaijani soldiers and two civilians were killed in the enclave that same month. A ceasefire was declared rather quickly after the attack, so…
Climate and Sustainability
The history and current role of botanical gardens, and the mutual cooperation between them. Exotic plants that you normally never see, the sweet smell in the tropical greenhouses or the special style of a Japanese garden. These are the views that surround you in botanical gardens. But there is more going on in the green…
Why the Union List on invasive alien species is so important. Intensive luggage searches at customs looking for… fruit? You may have seen it on the TV programme Border Security. The Australian version of this programme follows the country’s customs. They have to deal with all kinds of matters, including drug smuggling or the import…
Bringing mass tourism to a halt: How Slovenia is putting sustainable tourism on the map. The small, central European country of Slovenia has been discovered by more and more tourists in recent years. And rightly so, because the little country has an awful lot to offer. From the lively and trendy capital of Ljubljana to…
International Relations
The European Union’s position in the battle for our galaxy. In late August, a special event took place in the world of space exploration; India became the fourth country ever, after the former Soviet Union in 1959, the United States in 1969, and China in 2019, to safely land a rocket on the moon. Not…
The position of fossils in the debate about looted art. Looted art is a subject that has received increasing attention over the past few decades. Often this involves art objects that were taken from colonies and have since resided in European museums. There also exists disagreement between European countries about “stolen” objects. The discussion often…
Why the EU fails to solve the Migrant Crisis. In recent years, Europe has faced a significant migration crisis as millions of people have fled war, persecution, and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The crisis has placed a huge burden on countries in the European Union (EU), particularly those located on the…