In this interview, international lawyer Robert Amsterdam shares his perspective on what he describes as a “rule of law crisis” within Spain’s tax system. He argues that current practices undermine judicial independence, violate EU legal standards, and have far-reaching consequences for citizens, businesses, and the credibility of the Union’s legal order.

The discussion covers:

• Allegations of systemic issues in Spain’s tax enforcement and appeals process
• The impact on fundamental rights and access to justice
• Broader implications for EU governance and rule of law
• What actions Brussels could consider in response

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this interview are solely those of the interviewee and do not reflect the position of Euractiv's Advocacy Lab.

The Healthier Together – EU Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) initiative (2022–2027) aims to help EU Member States reduce the burden of major chronic diseases. As the end of this initiative approaches, non-communicable diseases – including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and liver conditions – remain among the EU’s most pressing and complex health challenges.

According to the European Parliamentary Research Service, 51% of the EU population aged 16 and over is overweight, and 17% is obese. Rising rates of overweight and obesity, poor diet, alcohol consumption and metabolic dysfunction are key drivers of NCDs across Europe. Among the conditions linked to these risk factors is Steatotic Liver Disease (SLD), a spectrum of liver disorders characterised by excess fat accumulation in liver cells that can progress to inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Despite its growing prevalence – affecting an estimated four in ten adults worldwide – SLD remains largely absent from EU health strategies, including Healthier Together.

The lack of attention to liver health within the broader NCD agenda risks leaving a major gap in prevention and care, which in turn could significantly undermine efforts to reduce the impact of chronic diseases across Europe. A more integrated approach that links obesity, metabolic health and liver disease prevention is urgently needed.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to explore how the EU can strengthen its response to NCDs, ensure obesity is addressed as a key risk factor, and integrate under-recognised conditions such as SLD into a more holistic approach to NCD policy. Key questions to be discussed include:

• What is the current state of NCD prevention in the EU, and how might this evolve in the next policy cycle?
• Which strategies are most effective for addressing obesity and other key risk factors, and how can Member States strengthen prevention and early intervention?
• How can the EU maintain health as a priority across interconnected sectors such as food, digital and social policy?
• How can liver health be better integrated into existing and future NCD strategies?
• What tools are available for early detection and management of SLD, and how can their uptake be supported across Member States?

Launched in 2023, the European Commission’s Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health is a holistic EU-wide strategy promoting prevention, access to care, and social inclusion, aiming to embed mental health across all policies and support well-being through early detection, assistance for vulnerable groups, and improved workplace mental health.

Women’s health is also gaining attention at the European level. This year, the European Parliament’s health committee is set to launch an own-initiative report on a strategy for women’s health, while the European Commission has published a Roadmap for Women’s Rights calling for gender-sensitive healthcare to address health inequalities and gender-specific health risks.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health condition affecting mothers after childbirth, and in severe cases can lead to suicide. It is the most common psychological condition after birth, affecting around 12% of mothers in Europe, yet it often goes undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, lack of awareness, and insufficient support, leaving many women without the care they need. Despite growing attention on both women’s and mental health, few EU-level initiatives specifically address PPD, highlighting the need for coordinated action and stronger policy support for maternal mental well-being.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss mental health in Europe, with a particular focus on women’s health and postpartum depression. Questions to be addressed include:

– How can the EU further embed mental health considerations across all policies to improve prevention, access to care, and social inclusion?
– What steps are needed to strengthen women’s health policies, including gender-sensitive healthcare and strategies to address health inequalities?
– How can awareness, support, early detection and treatment of postpartum depression be improved across EU Member States?
– What role can policymakers, patient groups, and other stakeholders play in strengthening policy action for maternal mental well-being?
– Which policy initiatives or best practices could serve as a model for improving screening, diagnosis, and treatment of PPD?

This is a Euractiv event funded by Biogen

Policy makers need to ensure that the tax system remains well aligned with societal and economic developments. Megatrends, such as the changing demography, the introduction of circular business models, the uptake of generative AI and declining multilateralism may all have an impact on the tax system and the tax mix.

The European Business Tax Forum (EBTF) and The Ex’tax Project Foundation (Ex’tax) would like to welcome you to the launch of the 2025 Total Tax Contribution (TTC) Study in light of the current megatrends, followed by a symposium focusing on fiscal barriers and enablers for the circular economy.

At this event, the 7th edition of the TTC Study will be presented, followed by a panel session, discussing how the current megatrends could impact the different elements of the Total Tax Contribution for both businesses and policy makers. The Tax & Circular Economy Symposium will explore questions such as:
-What will be a healthy tax mix for governments and businesses?
-How would a taxshift from labour to green taxes impact strategic investment decisions and innovative business models?
-Can every business be a ‘winner’, by evolving its portfolio towards solutions of the future?

Europe’s world class ecosystem of research and technology infrastructures is a compelling reason for top scientists and innovators to choose Europe. These infrastructures are the backbone of its research and innovation system, enabling scientific excellence, deep-tech innovation, and supporting industrial competitiveness.

This event will highlight how the recently published European strategy on research and technology infrastructures will maximise their impact for our prosperity, resilience, and technological sovereignty. It will showcase how these infrastructures turn public investment into tangible results, supporting the green and digital transitions, unlocking medical breakthroughs, and underpinning the European Research Area. Through concrete examples and open discussion, participants will explore how Europe’s world class infrastructures form an integrated ecosystem from frontier science to technology validation and how coordinated EU and national action can ensure sustainable, world-class capacities benefiting all European users and citizens.

Electrification is emerging as a key theme under the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal. If incentivised correctly, it can support Europe’s competitiveness, autonomy and resilience. However, electrification in Europe has been stalling in recent years, stuck at 23% of total energy for the past decade. At a time when electricity demand should be increasing, it instead dropped by 7.5% between 2021-23, before a small increase of 1% last year. This lag in demand is creating challenges in the power market, including RES curtailments and negative prices, which jeopardise the business case for the new investments we need in generation capacities.

While the technologies and challenges involved on the supply side are well understood and progress is under way, attention is increasingly turning to demand, a crucial but complex part of the equation. Beyond simply electrifying their processes, industrial consumers can play an important role in supporting the electricity system. For example, large and predictable baseload consumption can help optimise grid planning, reducing uncertainty regarding future electricity demand in order to accurately size our electricity grids while avoiding overbuilds. Industrial consumers also facilitate the integration of renewable energy by consuming power when overall demand is low, helping to reduce curtailment. Flexibility services offered by industrial consumers, to the extent this is technically feasible and economically desirable, can also play an important role in keeping the electricity system in balance.

Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the role of industrial power consumption in Europe, and what opportunities it can create for the power system. Questions to be discussed include:

-How can predictable industrial demand help integrate more renewables and reduce system costs?
-What is the flexibility potential of key industrial sectors, such as aluminium, steel and cement?
-How can industry contribute to grid flexibility while remaining competitive globally?
-What incentives are needed to make industrial electrification investments viable and timely?

In this Policy Triangle, supported by Humane World for Animals, we explore how Europe can modernise its chemical testing framework as part of the upcoming revision of REACH. Policymakers are considering how to update the regulation for the first time in nearly two decades, in light of advances in non-animal safety assessments and the European Commission’s forthcoming roadmap to phase out animal testing.

Since then, questions have emerged about whether Europe can align regulatory frameworks with scientific innovation quickly enough to maintain global leadership. Will tools such as regulatory sandboxes, clear roadmaps and centralised validation processes enable trust and collaboration across stakeholders, or risk falling short of expectations?

Experts from Humane World for Animals, Cefic and the Dutch government debate whether the EU can build a future ready system that protects people and the environment while driving innovation and competitiveness.

In this Euractiv Thought Leadership Interview, Jennifer Baker sits down with Romano Hoofman, Strategic Development Director, imec & EU Chips Design Platform Coordinator and Patrick Pype, Strategic Partnerships Director, NXP, to discuss Europe’s Chips Future — the strategic investments driving the continent’s semiconductor industry and their real-world impact.

They explore why semiconductors are essential for Europe’s sovereignty and competitiveness, how strategic investments are reshaping the landscape, and what tangible results have already been achieved under the EU Chips Act. The discussion looks at:

- Why chips are crucial for Europe’s future and global supply chains
- How the EU Chips Act aims to strengthen Europe’s fabrication and design capacity Ensuring a level playing field for investment with other continents
- How semiconductors contribute to clean energy and power efficiency
- Supporting industrialisation and innovation through EU-level cooperation
- Stimulating new startups and research collaboration to grow Europe’s chip ecosystem

Patrick and Romano share insights on Europe’s progress so far and the next steps needed to translate research excellence into industrial success.