Speed Over Substance: How the Commission’s Better Regulation Reform Misdiagnoses EU Lawmaking Read more On 28 April 2026, the European Commission unveiled its “Better Regulation and Enforcement” reform package. The initiative promotes “simplicity by design,” regulatory deep cleaning across twelve priority areas, the reduction of national gold-plating, and faster enforcement — all presented as essential steps to cut red tape and boost European competitiveness. An Alternative EU Budget Read more An Alternative EU Budget examines whether the EU budget remains aligned with its original purpose of supporting the single market and addressing genuinely cross-border challenges. The Autocracy Playbook: Orbán’s Hungary and the price of institutional capture Read more The Autocracy Playbook analyses how sixteen years of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz government captured and eroded Hungary’s core democratic institutions and economic freedoms. Carbon Theatre: Why the EU’s MSR Amendment Won’t Deliver Read more This briefing examines the European Commission’s proposed amendment to the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) within the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). EU Regulatory Observatory: The TTD at a Crossroads Read more This briefing examines whether the proposed revision of the Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD) is a genuine risk-proportionate reform or simply a revenue grab that undermines public health goals.