Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 21h

Among the aims: 'help[ing increase the countries’ competitiveness and ultimately prepares the WB 6 for EU Membership'

1

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 21h

On the Berlin Process: www.berlinprocess.de

Berlin Process | Berlin Process

The Berlin process was set up in 2014 as a platform for high-level cooperation between high official representatives of the Western Balkan Six (WB6), consisting of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kos...

www.berlinprocess.de

1

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 21h

Coverage striking for omitting any mention of some EU(27) Foreign Ministers attending and that meeting is part of the Berlin Process designed to 'increase cooperation between the Western Balkans Six and the Berlin Process host countries as well as the EU'. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Yvette Cooper hosting Balkans security summit at Hillsborough

It will focus on preserving security and stability in the Western Balkans.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1 3

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 1d

NI as testbed for UK to demonstrate it can meet obligations towards the EU.

www.ft.com/content/7238...

EU warns UK must improve NI border checks before veterinary deal is signed

Officials say London must comply before it can start serious talks on a sweeping agrifood agreement

www.ft.com

3 4

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 1d

Interested in what voters in Northern Ireland currently think about Brexit, the Windsor Framework and UK-EU relations?

Join @katyhayward.bsky.social and me on Friday 24 October as we present the findings from our latest polling with @lucidtalk.bsky.social

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/post-brexi...

Post-Brexit Clinic at Queen's - October 2025

Join us online for our latest Post-Brexit Clinic for updates on the Protocol/Windsor Framework.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

3 4

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 2d

Deadline for submissions extended to 15 October

councilforeuropeanstudies.org/conferences/...

Council for European Studies @ces-europe.bsky.social · Aug 20

📢 Call for Proposals

CES is pleased to invite submissions for its 32nd International Conference of Europeanists, to be held in Dublin, June 16–18, 2025.

For more information about the Conference Theme and how to apply visit: councilforeuropeanstudies.org/conferences/...

4 1

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 3d

Mandate still to be adopted.

Sefcovic in Dublin last week👇

www.reuters.com/business/ret...

UK, EU food trade deal could be implemented within a year, EU trade chief says

An agreement struck between Britain and the European Union in May to reduce friction on the trade of agricultural produce could be implemented within a year with "good political will," EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic told a conference on Thursday.

www.reuters.com

2 2

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 7d

Sefcovic: “Based on the trust we have rebuilt over the last years, I’m convinced that we can proceed with the SPS negotiations very quickly. We are now very well advanced in getting the mandate from the member states to do that.”

www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

Talks on food and meat sales between EU and UK could be completed ‘in less than a year’

It had been understood that they could take until 2027

www.irishtimes.com

1 8 8

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 7d

‘versus just 22 percent who are opposed’

www.politico.eu/article/uk-w...

Brits want Nigel Farage to step away from the Brexit shredder

Polling commissioned by POLITICO shows wide public support for Labour’s EU reset.

www.politico.eu

6 18 84

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 7d

‘Polling commissioned by POLITICO shows the government’s agri-food deal agreed in principle with Brussels is popular with Remainers and Leavers alike — even when they're told it means following EU rules.

‘Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of voters back the deal…

12 120 310

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 7d

Joint Statement from today's EU-UK Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework.

Work still to be done on 'full, timely and faithful' implementation.

More detail than in past statements

Value of stakeholder engagement flagged

commission.europa.eu/document/dow...

3 5

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 8d

Latest European Political Community summit in Copenhagen today.

'While the gathering hasn’t lived up to the hype set by Macron, most of those who spoke to POLITICO said it would be wrong to consider it a failure. Dialogue doesn’t hurt anyone, after all.'
www.politico.eu/article/macr...

Macron’s big European meeting is turning into a speed-dating exercise

The once-hyped European Political Community hasn’t produced major deliverables, but it’s still useful for dialogue and showcasing policy initiatives.

www.politico.eu

4 2

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 8d

Next meeting of the EU-UK Specialised Committee on the Windsor Framework meets tomorrow, 2 October 2025.

Agenda 👇 (same as for previous meeting in June)

commission.europa.eu/publications...

1 4 8

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 9d

‘on Turkey’s membership, just as Bulgarians want to be able to draw the line on North Macedonia, and Croats to block Serbia.’

2

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 9d

‘The plan faces pushback from several EU countries, including France, the Netherlands and Greece, … they would also be limiting their own ability to block membership bids they see as problematic… It’s important to the Greeks…to show they can hold up talks on…
www.politico.eu/article/hung...

Hungary’s Orbán has unlikely potential allies in bid to keep Ukraine out of the EU

Other European leaders may disagree with Hungary, but several support his right to veto EU membership bids at every step.

www.politico.eu

1 4 2

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 10d

‘The European Commission has proposed adjusting its own rules to circumvent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s veto by starting the technical work in several “clusters” even in the absence of a formal decision to open talks in those areas… officials said.’
www.ft.com/content/3642...

EU moves to advance Ukraine’s accession by sidestepping Hungary

Brussels advises Kyiv to advance technical work despite Budapest holding up talks

www.ft.com

1 5 14

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 11d

‘[The] Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) secured 50% of the vote, with most of the 1.6m votes counted, far ahead of the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc on under 25%. Turnout was 52%, higher than in recent years.’
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Pro-EU party in Moldova set to win vote mired in claims of Russian interference

The election was seen as critical for Moldova's EU path, and President Maia Sandu warned the country's future was in danger.

www.bbc.co.uk

7

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 11d

‘Under Costa’s proposal, so-called negotiating clusters — key legal steps on the path to membership — could be opened with the assent of a qualified majority of EU countries rather than unanimous agreement. Closing a cluster would still require [unanimity]’
www.politico.eu/article/anto...

Costa seeks to bypass Orbán’s veto on Ukraine’s EU membership bid

Brussels’ rules requiring all 27 member countries to agree on new entrants will face scrutiny at a summit this week in Copenhagen.

www.politico.eu

2 7

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 13d

“immediate sphere of influence, and at the same time it would embolden both Ukraine and other neighbors.”

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 13d

“EU accession is both Moldova’s opportunity and its vulnerability. For citizens, it represents a way out of Russia’s grip and a path to stability. For Moscow, it is a make-or-break issue. Losing Moldova to Europe would expose weakness in what it considers…
carnegieendowment.org/research/202...

Moldova’s Election Is a Test for Russian Influence in Europe

Moldova’s parliamentary election is make-or-break for the country’s European future. The outcome will test whether Chișinău will stay on the EU accession path or fall prey to Russia’s multi-domain int...

carnegieendowment.org

2 2 4

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 15d

"undecided voters and Russian vote-buying could tip the scales on Sunday. If PAS does not get the majority, which looks increasingly likely, experts predict it will be left without reliable coalition partners — and Champagne corks will be popping in the Kremlin"

www.politico.eu/article/maia...

EU and Russia on the ballot in Moldova’s existential election

Maia Sandu’s pro-European party fights to preserve its parliamentary majority as Russia ramps up vote-buying and disinformation campaigns.

www.politico.eu

1 3

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 15d

As so often the headline misleads

It's a question of 'may'.

And so much depends on each side's priorties, the trade offs they are willing to make and securing the requisite progress across a complex set of parallel negotiations.

inews.co.uk/news/politic...

UK students get chance to study in Europe from January 2027 under new Erasmus deal

The EU is pushing for a rapid agreement for Britain to rejoin the student exchange scheme

inews.co.uk

3 6

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 21d

"The Commission should abandon waiting for Member States’ unanimity at every single step in the negotiation process. This relatively recent practice has no basis in EU law and should be dropped" - Michael Emerson and @stevenblockmans.bsky.social at @ceps.eu
www.ceps.eu/ceps-publica...

How to radically simplify and streamline the EU enlargement process – CEPS

Over the last year the EU’s enlargement process has seen the implementation of a new ‘gradual integration’ concept, allowing for some modest elements of single

www.ceps.eu

6 11

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 23d

'A large majority of member states oppose restrictions on UK participation, as they want flexibility over defence procurement. One EU diplomat described the proposed 50% limit as “the classic French obsession”.'
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

France proposes ceiling on value of UK components in €150bn EU defence fund

Negotiations soon to begin on UK’s entry to Safe scheme, which it hopes will secure bigger role for its defence firms

www.theguardian.com

6 11 25

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 23d

And a nod to a previous Bruges speech 37 years ago…

1 5

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · 23d

Latest speech on UK-EU relations from Nick Thomas-Symonds… in Bruges

“Sovereignty is not some delicate fossil…

…it should be a modern tool which helps us to make pragmatic decisions about the future.

All this means some alignment on standards…”

www.gov.uk/government/s...

1 2 6

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · Sep 5

‘Both the Labour party and [the] Conservatives want Norway to join the EU but neither want to call for a new referendum imminently, as opinion polls show most voters reject membership of the bloc’

www.ft.com/content/6c89...

Norway is increasingly disadvantaged outside EU, foreign minister says

Espen Barth Eide and centre-right rival say Oslo is vulnerable while it remains outside bloc but neither plan a vote on joining

www.ft.com

1 4 4

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · Sep 4

Post-Brexit review fails to offer solutions, says DUP leader
www.bbc.com/news/article...

DUP leader Gavin Robinson says post-Brexit review fails to deliver solutions

Gavin Robinson says an independent review "has not challenged the reality" of Northern Ireland being subject to EU laws.

www.bbc.com

2 2

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · Sep 4

Coverage of and reaction to the report:

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...

Small businesses ‘bewildered’ by post-Brexit trade rules, says major review

An independent review into Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade arrangements has found that small and medium-sized companies are “often bewildered” by new rules and processes.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

2 2

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · Sep 4

For background 👇

bsky.app/profile/dphi...

David Phinnemore @dphinnemore.bsky.social · Jan 10

Terms for the UK's Independent Review of the Protocol/Windsor Framework now published.

In addition to re-stating purpose, potential scope, anticipated breadth of consultation, reporting process, they set out...
www.gov.uk/government/p...

Independent Review of the Windsor Framework: Terms of Reference

The Independent Review (the ‘Review’) is established under the terms of Schedule 6A to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

www.gov.uk

2 2