/r/eu

Photograph via snooOG

For in-depth discussion and analysis of policies and events pertaining to the European Union - EU - Europe.

Not for personal travel, career or immigration advice.


A place for understanding and discovery of EU related news, events, and discussion.


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The official motto of the European Union is "United in Diversity". Everyone has different beliefs and opinions, it's what makes us human, but remember to be respectful to people who you disagree with.


Related Subreddits:

Europe - /r/Europes

- /r/eurozone

Q&A - /r/AskEurope

Pictures - /r/europics

EU Parliament - /r/EuropeanParliament

Federal EU - /r/EuropeanFederalists

Pro EU activism - /r/acteuropa

Anti-EU/Euro - /r/eurosceptics

EU Law - /r/eulaw

EU privacy - /r/europrivacy

Schengen Area - /r/SchengenArea/

People of Europe - /r/europeans

European Economic Area - /r/EuropeanEconomicArea/

EU Customs Union - /r/EUCustomsUnion/

European Free Trade Area - /r/EFTA/

EU from a different angle - r/EuropeanUnion


Official Website of the European Union

Eurobarometer - Public Opinion Index


EU member states subreddits:

Austria - /r/Austria/

Belgium - /r/belgium/

Bulgaria - /r/bulgaria/

Croatia - /r/croatia/

Cyprus - /r/cyprus/

Czechia - /r/czech/

Denmark - /r/Denmark/

Estonia - /r/Eesti/

Finland - /r/Finland/

France - /r/france/

Germany - /r/germany/

Greece - /r/greece/

Hungary - /r/hungary/

Ireland - /r/ireland/

Italy - /r/italy/

Latvia - /r/latvia/

Lithuania - /r/lithuania/

Luxembourg - /r/Luxembourg/

Malta - /r/malta/

Netherlands - /r/thenetherlands/

Poland - /r/poland/

Portugal - /r/portugal/

Romania - /r/Romania/

Slovakia - /r/Slovakia/

Slovenia - /r/Slovenija/

Spain - /r/spain/

Sweden - /r/sweden/

(United Kingdom - /r/unitedkingdom/)


/r/eu

6,765 Subscribers

0

Are EU bottle caps designed to consume more?

A year ago I noticed some companies started using bottle caps which I presumed were of lower quality. Half a year ago I learned these tethered caps were enforced upon us by EU law. I learned it was not companies trying to skim on quality but the EU claiming they are reducing plastic waste.

I don't understand how this would reduce plastic waste? The caps don't close sufficiently giving the consumer the illusion of a closed bottled whilst the next time you open the bottle the drink has become stale. How many times a bottle fell over and sprayed half the content of the bottle because the cap only gave the illusion of being well closed ... I just spend more on drinks and produce more plastic waste because of these caps designed to produce less waste. I have been shouting "damn you EU!" so many times by now. 🤬

7 Comments
2024/11/03
07:46 UTC

18

Am I the only one who thinks it's crazy to say that Lithuania isn't part of the West?

23 Comments
2024/10/30
07:24 UTC

17

How long will the clocks be set back an hour every year even though most people don't want that !?

5 Comments
2024/10/27
21:26 UTC

8

Would it even be legal to sell lunchly in the EU?

EU food regulations are stricter and more comprehensive than those in the US. The EU emphasizes the precautionary principle, which means that products can be restricted or banned if there’s scientific uncertainty about their safety. In contrast, the US tends to require stronger evidence of harm before taking regulatory action. The EU also enforces stricter rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides, and food additives, often requiring more rigorous testing and labeling compared to the US, which adopts a more risk-based, less precautionary approach.

And its not stopping at that, the production, packaging and shipping are all regulated through and through. Some well-known local specialties even have precise rules about the portions in which ingredients can be used. For example, Italian cuisine or other Eastern European cuisines have many national dishes that can be made and called that in other countries, but strict rules must be followed when preparing them, such as the beer regulations in Germany.

So when it says „real cheese“ would it actually count as cheese in the EU? And not some BS Chemical mix that tastes like it?

Or Countless Pictures popped up that the „cheese“ in Lunchly is molding before even opening.

https://www.reddit.com/r/mrbeastsnark/comments/1g0wd47/more_mold_found_in_lunchly/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

their packaging would totally brake a hundred rules no?

1 Comment
2024/10/22
19:44 UTC

5

EU Citizens Initiative to an "Conversion Therapy"

4 Comments
2024/10/22
07:40 UTC

12

Sign like someone's life depends on it—because it does.

Your signature can be the difference for over 20 million women across the European Union who still face barriers to accessing safe abortion care. 

In Poland, women are dying in hospitals because abortion is banned. In Malta, women risk up to three years in prison for seeking an abortion outside of a few narrow legal exceptions. In Hungary, women are forced to listen to the heartbeat of a fetus and stand before a committee just to exercise their right to choose. Across Europe, women are suffering unnecessarily, because they are denied their most basic rights.

This is why a group of friends, activists, and organizations from across the EU has united to make Europe a safer, better place for all. We launched the European Citizens’ Initiative "My Voice, My Choice" to secure the right to safe abortion for every individual living in the EU

You can make a change by signing the initiative here: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/044/public/#/screen/home

On International Safe Abortion Day, we achieved an extraordinary milestone by collecting over 35.000 signatures on September 28th alone—an average of 24 signatures per minute! But we are not done.

From October 21st to 28th, we will hold a signature collection in memory of Dr. Savita Halappanavar, who died in Ireland in 2012 after being denied a life-saving abortion. Savita was a dentist of Indian origin, excited to start a family with her loving husband, which stated "It was her first baby, first pregnancy and you know she was on top of the world basically," "She was so happy and everything was going well, she was so excited.”

As each signature is a step toward a better Europe, where women have fundamental rights. 

You too can join the cause:

Learn more: https://www.myvoice-mychoice.org/ 

Become a volunteer: Join our team of passionate volunteers across Europe: https://community.myvoice-mychoice.org/ 

Together we can do it. 

2 Comments
2024/10/21
07:51 UTC

6

Is there any regulatory organ that deals with businesses that are systematically trying to scam their customers out of law mandated compensation?

I recently had a very lengthy and weird case with TAP airline.

Long story short: -Bought tickets with TAP consisting of 2 transfers each way.

  • when arriving at first transfer airport (cph) we were told that our next flight was cancelled, the flight still left on schedule, but we were refused boarding but given no reason (they overbooked).
  • we received new ticket 2 days later to our destination.
  • once we finished our vacation we opened a case for reimbursing our costs for accomodation, food and EU compensation due to delay.
  • TAP refused, claiming the cancellation was due to weather or situation outside their control (they tried both) but refused to give any documentation or evidence of this, even after several mails and phone calls with them to different reps and supervisors.
  • TAP continued to refuse to follow EU law regarding compensation even after presented with our proof that the flights we were supposed to be on still went as scheduled and arrived on time.
  • only after escalating the case with the danish transportation authorities, TAP changed their mind and says we are entitled to EU compensation, but refuse to tell us why they changed their mind or provide documentation or evidence to back their previous claims, they just told us they now consider the case as finished.

Throughout this experience i have talked to several people who have the same experience with TAP, they first refuse any compensation and most of them give up on their claim, a few have escalated it with the governmental institutions and TAP then magically changes their mind even though the case is the same.

I can only assume this is a conscious tactic by TAP to save money by having most of their costomers who are entitled to EU compensation not pursue their claim further.

Is there any regulatory instance where i can raise this issue and provide the evidence i have gathered? The danish authoroties say they can only help until the standard EU claim has been paid, which has finally been done, after just 15 months of fighting back and forth with TAP.

1 Comment
2024/10/17
12:37 UTC

13

Britain MUST return to the EU

Thank you very much, Boris Johnson! Look at the mess we're in now! House prices are getting higher and higher, we have a wider gap in between the rich and the poor, people cannot move out to other European countries, NHS is suffering, we have not managed to cut down immigration (however, we should still help those in trouble). If we stayed, we could have been a more secure and financially stable, fair country. Everything I've stated that happens goes against the fairer Western World out there. I mean, look at Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Belgium - they're part of the EU. Yes, very expensive to live there, but if we stayed, we could have had other countries helping to lower the gap in between the rich and the poor in the UK.

We must come back to the EU! We must come back!

28 Comments
2024/10/14
22:27 UTC

1

Essential workers across EU on STRIKE in Brussels

2 Comments
2024/10/14
11:37 UTC

3

How to find how a resolution was created

The resolution I am particularly interested in is Annex 1 of the GMP Guideline for Manufacture of Sterile Medicinal Products. Though ideally I would like to know how to find out more by myself.

I am interested in how this was drafted, which experts were consulted and the stances of different parties for this.

Unfortunately I was unsuccessful in finding any useful information in google - only a lot of news outlets reporting on what this is. The only thing that might be useful for me was https://howtheyvote.eu/ - however I was unable to find the above guideline there.

Anyone knows how I can get more resources on this topic (and others)?

4 Comments
2024/10/10
14:24 UTC

3

EU should reform English spelling

English is the de facto lingua franca of europe. Unfortunately for all us, English spelling is a nightmare. EU is in a very good position to reform English spelling. It is not the official language of any big member state (sorry Ireland and Malta) so there is not be the typical affection to mother tongues that makes any change unpopular. Also, the EU is very good at making standards. All european English learner and user will benefit enormously from the reform and given EU size there is the potential that other states and institutions will adopt it.

P.S. I know this is a reccurrent joke (http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/jokes/european-commission.html) in England, still I think it is a good idea.

78 Comments
2024/10/08
22:17 UTC

0

Brexit; Worth it or not?

Through doing some back of the napkin math, I have come to realize an important truth of Brexit and that it was needed.

Over the next 60 years or so, as long as the UK can keep their GDP above zero and slowly regain the estimated 2 million jobs lost as a direct result of their withdrawal from the EU by other means then it was worth it. During this time, the UK will have to lean on their bilateral agreements and invest in themselves to develop a new baseline understanding.

Then, another period of 20 years or so ensues when the UK would be placed on an escalator to become a potential crown jewel for the EU in their own right on more favorable terms. The financial benefits of membership in this group would be enhanced while the geopolitical risk of future withdrawals is minimized with less complicated platforms.

4 Comments
2024/10/08
17:23 UTC

3

Protester interrupts Viktor Orban's speech at the European Parliament

0 Comments
2024/10/08
14:05 UTC

17

The European Union is playing things right.

  1. By bringing Bulgaria under the Euro currency and maybe some other countries, Europe will at the very least see a less unattractive stance for outside investment based on M0 money supply and relaxation of checkpoints means goods flow through quicker.

  2. Germany will see more efficiencies and economies of scale with the Fehmarnbelt tunnel coming online circa 2029 and cost savings with holocaust victims passing on to the next life over the next few decades. Reduced headwind and revived tailwind is huge.

Basically, the whole of Europe, Germany and eastward, will see a degree of new investment as it's relatively cheaper to invest in this part of the new trans-atlantic system that's been developing, and it's more ripe than other areas.

Pulling the Euro closer to the value of the Dollar means less pressure on smaller and smaller businesses to differentiate in pricing and there is more of an advantage to simply call things even between the two currencies.

8 Comments
2024/10/03
02:09 UTC

7

Borderpolice abuse power

I (27,m.) was travelling from the Serbien to the croatian Country with Flixbus. We got ID-checked and had to get out of the Bus in the middle out of the night two Times. The second time they pulled me out off all passengers and said that i have to open all of my luggage. They went in a seperate Building with me. The cops didnt give me any reason and didn't speak english at all beside some few word's. They found a Card Game and some parts of a chocolate cookie which convinced them, that i am gambler and drug smuggler. They cops Said its Heroin or Weed... Enough evidence for them forcing me to be fully naked. In the end they let me Return to the Bus, because i believe one of them explained that its narcotics. Of course i didnt have any drugs with me. I am German Citizen with German Passport, which leads me to the thought that the success of AFD and Overall rise of the rightwing Parties all over Europe Show directly an Effect. Abusive cops at the border gaining more Power. I am White btw., so no radial profiling. Maybe my long hair was already enough of a stupid reason. Just for you travelers as a warning and if someone has an idea if this is reportable in some institutional way, let me know.

8 Comments
2024/09/22
12:12 UTC

3

Passenger records for Trains in EU, is it kept?

I have been coming and going between france and germany quite a lot this summer. As a German resident visa holder, I am worried now that there are border controls for Germany, I will get in trouble for it. Does anyone know, if the passenger names and records are kept for who is traveling by trains in EU? Or is that only for air travel? Thanks

4 Comments
2024/09/18
10:08 UTC

4

What EU police agreement is this?

Just got checked by a French policeman at a non-French EU airport, and after asking him how come here's here he said it's part of some sort of EU agreement Any idea what agreement that is?

2 Comments
2024/09/12
11:11 UTC

11

The EU buys too much defense equipment abroad, especially from the US, a major report says

The EU buys too much defense equipment abroad, especially from the US, a major report says
https://candorium.com/news/20240909114709943/the-eu-buys-too-much-defense-equipment-abroad-especially-from-the-us-a-major-report-says

0 Comments
2024/09/09
21:24 UTC

1

Traveling within the EU with a valid residence permit and valid passport (3 weeks to expiry)

Hello All,

I am a Nigerian living/working in Poland with a valid residence permit and I would like to travel by air to Austria to renew my passport at the Nigerian Embassy in Austria. My passport is currently valid but will expire in about three weeks. I plan to be in and out of Austria before it expires.

Would there be an issue traveling by air based on the above?

I’ve called the europa.eu contact center and they said it shouldn’t be a problem since I have a valid residence permit but they couldn’t give me a definitive answer and advised I call the Austrian embassy in Poland. I did that, and they also said there shouldn’t be any problems but they also didn’t sound too sure and advised I called the Nigerian Embassy in Austria - I didn’t do this because I don’t see how they can be an authority in this matter.

I guess I’m asking here to see if anyone has been in a similar situation and can advise?

Thanks in advance.

2 Comments
2024/09/09
08:34 UTC

3

Thesis research question

Hey guys, I am doing a masters in European Studies and I am looking for a thesis topic. I am interested in political communications and was thinking of doing some kind of content analysis on how the EU communicates policies and how this is related to the lack connection people feel with the EU. However, I am not 100 percent set on this. I thought I might jump on here and ask if there are some interesting topics you can think of that you would think are relevant and interesting to look into :)

3 Comments
2024/09/07
15:00 UTC

2

Is the right stopping the green Deal?

2 Comments
2024/09/03
21:51 UTC

1

This is what litter looks like on the doorsteps of the EU Parliament

0 Comments
2024/08/31
13:29 UTC

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