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UK institutions and researchers top recipients of EU innovation funding
The UK is the top recipient of EU innovation funding in the latest rounds of two different programmes: the European Research Council's (ERC) proof of concept grant which supports ERC-funded researchers in bringing their ideas to market and Horizon 2020's Fast Track to Innovation scheme which does the same mainly for SMEs. These funding decisions were taken after the UK voted to leave the EU, another demonstration that, until the day it leaves, the UK remains a full member of the Union with all the rights and obligations that brings.
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Brexit and beyond – Europe's last chance?
On 30 January, Chatham House hosted Guy Verhofstadt, MEP and leader of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) in the European Parliament, for a keynote speech in which he outlined his vision for the future of the political order in Europe in the wake of the UK's decision to leave the European Union and in the face of electoral challenges from far-right and Eurosceptic movements across Europe.
Watch the speech here
Making a success of the EU's security union and the UK's role post-Brexit
EU Commissioner for the Security Union, Julian King spoke at the Centre for European Reform in London on 1 February. He argued that statistically in terms of terrorist threats the UK is in a better place now than back in the 70s and 80s but that the sense of insecurity and threat is reinforced today by the vast range of technological advances available to those who wish to cause harm. Commissioner King explained the need to boost awareness of the multiplicity of jeopardies and to build resilience to cyber-attacks. He went on to speak about the Commission's work and progress on security: for example, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, the revised Schengen Border code, the new Counterterrorism Directive and the firearms deal. He concluded: "The UK is leaving the European Union […] But the UK’s decision late last year to opt-in to Europol's new regulation was, I believe, good for the UK and good for everybody. [...] The interconnected world in which we live today offers unprecedented opportunities, including to criminals, terrorists, and hostile states. That is why it is essential to work together. The UK's departure from the EU will not change that reality. We are going to need to continue to have the highest quality security cooperation so we are ready for whatever the future holds."
Listen to the podcast here
Read Commissioner King's speech here
EU moves to end impunity for dangerous drivers but some media speed to wrong conclusion
New EU rules adopted by national ministers and the European Parliament mean people can no longer easily avoid paying fines imposed on them for driving dangerously in other EU member states than their own. This EU framework applies to all member states equally. There is no “quirk of EU law” discriminating in some way against British drivers as some UK media claimed last weekend. If the UK authorities choose not to pursue non-resident offenders, that is up to them. Neither are there any “EU-imposed fines” (The Times) or “hefty EU speeding fines” (Daily Express). Each member state is in full control of its traffic rules and levels of fines or other sanctions.
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EU is acting on scientific evidence to cut lead in toys, not stopping children colouring
The EU is introducing new measures reducing the limits for lead in toys, based on new and robust scientific evidence. Anyone with young children knows that they have tendency to chew toys – not least pencils and crayons. The latest scientific evidence supports the view that there is no safe threshold and even tiny amounts of lead present in such toys can contribute to the risk of children suffering disorders ranging from kidney disease to learning difficulties. So this is about making toys safer for children, not about “banning” crayons and colouring pencils as The Sun newspaper suggested on 29 January.
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