Articles and Publications

These dossiers highlight best practices from across the EU in industrial decarbonisation, featuring projects ranging from primary extraction to recycling of structural metals and CRMs. Three out of the five cases presented have been designated by the European Commission as ‘strategic projects’ under the EU CRM Act.

As Europe as a Task 2026 comes to a close, EUROPEUM sat down with one of this year's speakers. Chiara Rinaldi, Researcher at POLITICO Research & Analysis, returned to Prague for the conference for the second consecutive year. Before moving to Brussels, she worked at the Institute of International Relations (IIR) and became part of Prague's international affairs community through her engagement with EUROPEUM and AMO, the organisations behind Europe as a Task. In this interview, she reflects on her journey from Prague to Brussels and back again, the role of expertise in European affairs, and the opportunities available to young professionals seeking a career in the field.

On 9 June 2026, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, in cooperation with the Think Visegrad Platform, organised a roundtable discussion on European security and defence in Brussels. The debate focused on the evolving security environment in Europe, shaped by Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, uncertainty regarding future U.S. engagement on the continent, and the wider implications of instability in the Middle East.

The urban-rural divide has been one of the most popular topics in societal and political discourse across Europe. Such discourse seems to increase right after election results, as election maps have become the norm in visualisation of political inclinations within a country. Election maps typically portray a clear division between the urban and the rural parts of society, or between different regions. Although these differences exist, the perception that one's place of origin is the determining factor in one’s political beliefs has become a polarising narrative. Writes Tereza Vachmanská, an intern at the Brussels Office.

Climate change and environmental degradation have become some of the most pressing challenges facing societies today. Despite growing scientific consensus and increasing efforts to implement climate and nature protection policies, public support for such measures remains divided. Writes Tereza Vachmanská, an intern at the Brussels Office.

How can European countries better reconcile parenthood, career development, and gender equality? An expert discussion organised and moderated by Aneta Martinek and Linda Tejchman, under the auspices of Institut pro evropskou politiku EUROPEUM in cooperation with the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union, opened a broader debate on the position of women in the labour market, systemic barriers, and the future of social policies in both the Czech Republic and Europe.

On 23 March 2026, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, in cooperation with the Think Visegrad Platform, organised a roundtable discussion focused on the future of EU competitiveness in an increasingly challenging geopolitical and economic environment.

How are current geopolitical developments shaping the future of EU enlargement? The expert discussion “Western Balkans First? Enlargement with Ukraine and Moldova in Focus”, organised by EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy in cooperation with the Think Visegrad Platform, focused on the future of EU enlargement in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the changing security environment in Europe.

In an era of escalating climate change, geopolitical tensions and deepening dependence on imported fossil fuels, the Czech Republic stands at a turning point in its energy transition. Therefore, the implementation of ETS2 offers a dual-faced opportunity: on one hand, it can serve as another impulse for reducing reliance on foreign oil and gas, enhancing national resilience and autonomy; on the other, it risks becoming a flashpoint of political division and social backlash, especially among households and small enterprises in rural areas sensitive to rising costs.

How are geopolitical shifts reshaping the prospects for European Union enlargement in the Western Balkans? This report summarizes an expert discussion on the evolution of EU enlargement policy in the Western Balkans in the context of a changing security environment and the growing influence of external actors. The discussion highlights that, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, enlargement has become not only a technical, conditionality-based process but also a strategic instrument of European security. Participants pointed to uneven progress among Western Balkan countries, persistent challenges related to the rule of law and democratic reforms, and the increasing influence of external actors, particularly Russia and China. The publication also emphasises the need to preserve the principle of merit-based conditionality, strengthen gradual integration through tangible benefits for citizens, and improve the EU’s strategic communication towards local societies. A key conclusion is that the credibility and success of enlargement will depend on the EU’s ability to balance geopolitical urgency with sustained support for the region’s democratic transformation.

This briefing document maps the current state of negotiations regarding changes to the ETS2 emission allowance system proposed by the European Commission. The text is based on an expert roundtable discussion held on January 16, 2026. The discussion was attended by representatives of the European Parliament and the Commission, experts from Czech ministries, employer associations, companies, and regional organizations, as well as specialists from the non-profit sector, research institutes, and academia. The primary objective of this material is to bring necessary expert depth to the debate on the future form of ETS2 and to help the public and key stakeholders better navigate this complex topic, which will fundamentally affect not only household budgets but also key economic sectors. The authors of the text are our research fellow Rebeka Hengalová, analyst Kateřina Kolouch Grabovská (Fakta o klimatu), and researcher Tomáš Protivínský (IDEA at CERGE-EI).

As the European Union has significantly stepped up its political, institutional, and financial support for strengthening defence capabilities across the Union in recent years, the paper examines how the V4 countries rely on the levers of the “Europeanisation” of defence—particularly through European funds and frameworks for defence industry development. This aspect gains particular importance in early 2025, when the European Commission will assess national programmes submitted under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative for joint loan financing and decide on the allocation of funding for joint production, research, and development projects across European and partner defence industries, writes Tamás Csiki Varga in his policy paper.