Articles and Publications

Europe is closing out 2025 in the same strategic debate that defined its beginning, albeit now under conditions of significantly heightened uncertainty and tension. The continent is striving to define its own strategic autonomy while simultaneously seeking a response to the diplomatic “blitzkrieg” coming from Washington, even as decisions are still being made on the terms of a just peace in Ukraine and on the future security architecture of the wider European space. Rather than actively shaping its own framework for the post-war order, however, the European Union is increasingly confined to a reactive role, write Eva Rybková and Maria Gorbatova.

The 2025 Enlargement Package highlights a clear distinction that has emerged in recent years between countries advancing on their EU accession paths through the adoption and implementation of reforms and those falling behind for various reasons. For a long time, the EU has applied a regional approach to the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe (the “Associated Trio”). It has now become evident that a more nuanced approach is necessary, as disparities are growing both among countries and within the two enlargement regions, writes Jana Faktor Juzová.

The increasing presence of Chinese connected vehicles on the European market has heightened concerns about cybersecurity risks, particularly regarding their potential use for surveillance, espionage, and cyber operations. Discussions on this issue frequently draw on regulatory approaches and risk assessments developed elsewhere, most notably in the United States. Yet China itself has established one of the most comprehensive regulatory and technical standardisation frameworks for connected vehicles worldwide, writes Paulina Uznaska.

In this blog post, EUROPEUM intern Emma Šílová examines how digital exclusion continues to limit older people’s access to eHealth services in Czechia. Drawing on national data, EU and national strategies, and recent reforms in healthcare digitalisation, the article explores the barriers faced by older adults when accessing eHealth services, assesses Czechia’s performance in eHealth inclusion, and outlines policy recommendations to ensure that the digital transition in healthcare does not leave seniors behind.

As there is a shifting trend towards a geopolitical framing of several EU-related policy areas, such as enlargement, agriculture and energy, a geopolitical turn in EU public diplomacy is an approach one must also contemplate in the highly competitive communication environment of today, writes Oszkár Roginer-Hofmeister. He argues that to tackle the challenges from Russia, China, and more recently the US, the EU is making an effort to rebrand itself as a geopolitical actor. Find out more in Oszkár’s text below.

Is it possible, in an environment of growing Euroscepticism and media polarisation, to connect the European Union’s value-based language with a utilitarian understanding of its role? Drawing on two EU communication campaigns in Hungary conducted in 2024–2025, the text examines this tension and shows that the clash between the EU’s normative framing and the Hungarian government’s transactional, sovereignty-centred narrative is not merely a matter of messaging, but a structural feature of the domestic political and media landscape. The analysis suggests that isolated campaigns have only limited capacity to shift public attitudes in such a hostile and saturated information environment.

On December 9th, the Brussels Office of the EUROPEUM Institute, representing the Visegrad Platform, in collaboration with MEP Miriam Lexmann and her office, organised a roundtable discussion titled ‘From Partner to Rival: How Should Europe Respond to China’s Growing Influence?’. The event aimed to explore how shifts in EU–China relations, driven by deepening strategic rivalry, economic pressures, and geopolitical uncertainty, are reshaping the EU’s strategic direction.

Since the 2015 migration crisis, the Visegrád Four (V4) countries – Poland, Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia – have adopted strongly securitised migration narratives focused on control, sovereignty, and national identity. Although the region faces only minimal migratory pressure, migration remains a key political issue, often invoked during elections and EU-level negotiations. Yet this narrative of exceptional threat contrasts with the V4’s growing dependence on legal labour migration from third countries, driven by shrinking working-age populations, structural labour shortages, and low wages in key sectors. This paper examines these contradictions and governance gaps, focusing on the tension between securitised political discourse and economic reality.

On October 1st, the Brussels Office of the EUROPEUM Institute, representing the Visegrad Platform, opened the month with an expert roundtable discussion titled “Prospects for the EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans: A Missed Opportunity or a Strategic Turning Point?” The event explored the achievements, shortcomings, and future outlook of the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans, while promoting an open dialogue among leading experts and policymakers in the field.

Even though the vote on Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 has already taken place — and some countries are now stepping back from the contest — the core dilemma remains unchanged. This piece breaks down how Eurovision found itself at the center of global politics — and why the debate over Israel is only one chapter in a longer struggle over neutrality, reputation, and the future of the contest. Perfect for anyone trying to make sense of what’s unfolding now.

This policy paper explores how the image of the European Union is shaped on Armenian social media amid growing political uncertainty and shifting expectations. It analyses key online narratives and actors, as well as the tension between hopes invested in the EU and frustration over limited outcomes in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.

This policy paper examines how Ukraine’s prospective EU accession has been turned into a tool of domestic political mobilisation in Hungary. It traces how Viktor Orbán and government communication frame Ukraine as a threat and embed the issue into a broader anti-Brussels narrative built on fears of war, loss of sovereignty, and “foreign values” in the run-up to the 2026 elections.