I’m properly conscious surveys are an imposition. Which is why I would wish to thank all respondents to our reader survey from the underside of my skilled coronary heart and on behalf of everybody at EUobserver.
Final month has been considerably loopy.
We introduced a brand new imaginative and prescient and technique for supporting foundations and traders to develop EUobserver.
We ready the content material for Development Week, which it’s best to go take a look at for those who even have your doubts about GDP as a measure of human progress.
We finalised the articles for our upcoming journal on various proteins, which ought to be popping out in June.
However we additionally ran a survey amongst our readers to learn how we’re doing and what we could possibly be doing higher. Over 200 readers took the time to reply, and whereas not scientifically important, the outcomes had been helpful in shaping our plans for the longer term.
And since I do not consider within the funding of time with out dividend, I needed to share a few of the outcomes of the survey. In case you do not care, which I would completely perceive, skip via to learn the articles you shouldn’t have missed this week.
Among the many most trusted
Maybe unsurprisingly for a survey run on EUobserver.com, most readers (75.2 p.c) thought-about EUobserver as their important supply for information on EU affairs. Politico Europe, The Guardian and Euractiv adopted with respectively 44.2 p.c, 35.9 p.c and 30.1 p.c. One reader depends on ‘none of your excessive left wing propaganda and faux information’, which feels like an intriguing identify for a publication.
Nearly 70 p.c of readers ranked us as ‘among the many most trusted’ information sources, with 5.4 p.c rating us as ‘by far essentially the most trusted’ ❤️. Solely two readers ranked us as ‘not trusted in any respect’, however I am going to think about {that a} rounding error.
Most of our readers (60 p.c) come to us ‘to remain knowledgeable on EU information and coverage developments. Certainly one of our readers visits us ‘to snigger on the delusions of the over-educated and under-worked’. Thanks to your candour, reader.
On our journalism
Readers thought we might finest be spending our time on creating:
• Investigations — tales holding EU establishments accountable (58 p.c)
• Explainers or evaluation of reports tales (52 p.c)
• Every day EU information (39 p.c)
On that, excellent news, now we have a complete slew of investigations developing.
When requested what units EUobserver aside from different information publications, readers wrote — and I am making a non-impartial choice right here — the next:
“Authentic and, typically, in-depth protection of points that aren’t coated by others, migration particularly. And leftwing slant which typically will get in the best way of objectivity.”
“The migration part is extra essential of EU establishments than the common media outlet, though sadly not essential sufficient.”
“The tone may be very clear and to-the-point. Additionally luckily much less biased in direction of Western Europe and US politics, which is refreshing.”
“Not a company mouthpiece.”
“Usually an unbiased voice, some extra in depth desirous about what is occurring somewhat than chasing all the small print and headlines.”
“EUobs is extra reliable, much less pushed by industrial motives of promoting and house owners than Politico or Euractiv. Double down on this high quality.”
On memberships
Funnily sufficient, for a publication that is member-supported and may have a paywall that kicks in sooner or later, greater than half of respondents learn EUobserver each day — however 75 p.c of respondents additionally say they aren’t paying members.
Whereas not against circumventing paywalls (shout out to archive.ph and 12ft.io), this was considerably stunning — and to be frank, regarding relating to funding our publication for posterity. In any case, undoubtedly one thing we have to control and make clearer that our journalism depends on member help, and with out it, we stop to exist.
In that sense, it helps that readers additionally ranked what we might do from our finish to make being a supporting member extra enticing. Aside from entry to the total 20 yr archive and every day articles, readers would really like a members remark part and interplay with our journalists — each of that are within the works.
What additionally might assistance is decreasing our worth (presently €19/month or €150/yr). Round 75 p.c of our readers would really like a month-to-month worth level between €1 and €10 monthly.
So let me provide help to with that immediately. In case you fill in EDITOR50 when signing up, you will get 50 p.c off the yearly subscription worth, endlessly.
Most readers, like us, suppose that unbiased journalism ought to be funded by readers and members, carefully adopted by EU establishments (which ought to all clearly buy a bunch membership to EUobserver), advertisers and philanthropic organisations .
Options for enhancements
We additionally requested readers for concepts on what options we might add to EUobserver’s web site. Quite a lot of readers advised a discussion board the place members can talk about articles and coverage, which I believe is a improbable concept.
A devoted app was one other commendable (however costly) concept. Others advised alternative ways of organising our information into different classes, ‘an inventory of apologies for each faux information you posted’, and eventually ‘Extra images of scantily-clad folks? Nope, simply kidding. Or simply if it could improve subscription income.’
I admire all of the responses, even the unfavourable and jokey ones. It is your time, and also you selected to spend it serving to us out. So even to the 70 p.c of readers who do not pay for EUobserver, my thanks are many and eternal.
In different information, we’re operating a themed week on financial development referred to as Development Week. In it, we’re exploring what financial development means and for whom, but in addition subjects like post- and degrowth, different indicators for human progress, and we spoke to a few of the main thinkers.
The Development Week is tied to an occasion organised by MEPs referred to as ‘Past Development’, and in collaboration with the European Inexperienced Journal.
Now, onwards to the information you shouldn’t have missed this week (I am experimenting with barely longer recaps of articles right here, let me know if that is good or dangerous).
Development Week
Kate Raworth, creator of Doughnut Economics, proposes a imaginative and prescient for prosperity past development, arguing that societies ought to purpose to satisfy everybody’s wants inside the planet’s means. She criticizes the present deal with financial development, particularly in rich nations, because it usually results in extreme useful resource consumption and environmental degradation. She additionally dismisses the notion of inexperienced development as unproven and inadequate to handle the local weather disaster. Raworth urges a shift in financial pondering, advocating for ecological boundaries, distributive economies, and regenerative practices, with Europe probably main the best way.
Learn it.
In a dialog about the way forward for the European Union’s financial system, European commissioner for financial system Paolo Gentiloni and co-president of the Greens/EFA Group within the European Parliament Philippe Lamberts talk about the viability of sustainable development. Gentiloni believes that development is important to keep away from recession and stagnation, and argues for an expanded understanding of development that features sustainable improvement objectives. Lamberts, nevertheless, questions the feasibility of infinite development, highlighting the necessity to decouple financial measurement from its environmental impression. Each agree on the significance of addressing inequality, however differ on the position of development in reaching this, with Gentiloni pointing to historic durations of decreased inequality throughout excessive development, and Lamberts suggesting that inequality discount may be achieved via political selections, not essentially tied to development.
Learn it.
Investigation
Quick meals large McDonald’s is main a serious lobbying marketing campaign in opposition to new EU legal guidelines geared toward decreasing packaging waste. Along with packaging producers and commerce associations, McDonald’s wrote to European policymakers demanding a pause to laws selling reusable packaging. The business’s opposition relies on claims that the laws would undermine Europe’s web zero ambitions, regardless of critics accusing them of selling scientifically doubtful proof. The lobbying effort has concerned funding research, launching web sites, and sponsoring articles attacking the laws, which goals to sort out the expansion in packaging waste and single-use plastic. Critics argue that business teams are resistant to vary as a consequence of issues about profitability and the necessity for important funding.
Learn it.
Labour
Two Italian MEPs, Licia Ronzulli and Daniela Aiuto, introduced their infants to the European Parliament throughout plenary classes to advocate for ladies’s employment rights and spotlight the challenges confronted by moms. Nevertheless, the principles of the European Parliament don’t recognise maternity or paternity depart for MEPs. Presently, MEPs can take excused absence earlier than or after giving start, however they lose their proper to vote in plenary. Some MEPs are calling for the popularity of maternity depart and the appropriate to vote whereas being a mom, in addition to the opportunity of distant voting, which was efficiently applied throughout the pandemic. Failure to modernise these guidelines might discourage folks, particularly girls, from pursuing a political profession.
Learn it.
Migration
Discussions on asylum reform inside the EU embody proposals to detain households with babies alongside the borders, shifting duty onto international locations like Italy and Greece. Critics argue that this method will result in extra detention, unlawful push-backs, and probably create ghetto-like camps much like these beforehand seen on Greek islands. The European Fee’s authentic proposal sought to exclude households with youngsters below 12 from expedited asylum processes, however the Swedish EU presidency now desires to incorporate them. The proposal faces opposition from the European Parliament, with some MEPs advocating for a better age restrict and emphasizing the necessity to shield the rights of kids.
Learn it.
Ukraine
The European Fee’s “whistleblower software” has been receiving nameless tip-offs on Russia-sanctions violations, however EU member states usually are not actively sharing data on frozen belongings. The fee has been selective in referring instances to member states for follow-up investigations, relying totally on customs information somewhat than laborious intelligence to curb circumvention of sanctions. A brand new IT platform, SIER, is being developed to facilitate information-sharing amongst EU capitals, however for now, a beta-testing messaging board referred to as FSOR is getting used with restricted participation. EU international locations are discussing new Russia sanctions, however preliminary proposals have upset some frontline international locations, and there are challenges in implementing and implementing sanctions, equivalent to monitoring Russian oligarchs’ management over EU firms and minimising job losses.
Learn it.
Economic system
MEPs have expressed issues that the proposed new income sources for the EU’s €800bn Covid-19 restoration fund won’t be adequate to cowl borrowing prices. Repayments and borrowing prices are estimated to be no less than €15-20bn per yr till 2058. The European Parliament referred to as on the European Fee to current new proposals for added revenues by the third quarter of 2023. The Fee’s proposed income sources, together with the carbon market, a carbon border levy, and a tax on massive multinationals, are anticipated to generate solely round €6.5bn per yr, falling wanting the wanted quantity. MEPs advised potential new sources of income, equivalent to a monetary transaction tax, a digital levy, and a good border tax.
Learn it.
As at all times, thanks to all new subscribers to this text, and my varied inboxes are open for suggestions, strategies, suggestions, leaks, concepts and gossip. And do not forget to develop into a member (or subscribe to our every day e-newsletter) to help our work.
See you subsequent week,
Alejandro
