The EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy invites you to a debate on the impact of modernization and the transition to a sustainable economy on employment and skills in the Moravian-Silesian Region.

More than twenty years ago, we said “yes” to the European Union — and since then, we’ve been balancing between sovereignty and cooperation, between Brussels and Prague. What have we gained, and what have we had to let go of? Is it possible to remain an independent state while being an active member of the European team?

We are happy to invite you to our conference "Platform Revolution: Shaping the Future of Work in the EU and Western Balkans".

The year 2025 was turbulent for the European and Czech automotive industries – US tariffs, strategic dialogue between the EU and the automotive industry, adjustments to emission targets, and the reopened debate on ending the sale of cars with combustion engines in 2035.

Economic security and competitiveness are becoming key issues for the European Union in order to maintain its global position and internal stability. The EU faces a long-term lag behind the United States in innovation and technology, while pressure from China and other economic rivals is growing. A new wave of American protectionism, geopolitical upheavals caused by Russian aggression, and the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the vulnerability of the European economy and its dependence on external supply chains. The European Commission has therefore presented a set of initiatives – from the Competitiveness Compass to the Clean Industry Agreement – aimed at strengthening resilience, reducing dependence on third countries, and streamlining the business environment. The Global Gateway initiative, which aims to diversify European trade and supply relations through strategic investments and partnerships, is also an important tool for strengthening the Union's global role. Given the strong industrial orientation and openness of the Czech economy, it is essential for Czechia to actively engage in these debates and formulate its priorities within the European economic security strategy.

At the end of November 2024, the European Parliament took a major step by adopting Regulation 2024/3015 banning products made with forced labour on the EU market. The ban, which will enter into force in December 2027, applies to the entire supply chain, with enforcement carried out by national authorities within the Union and by the European Commission in cases outside the EU. Although the measure has a global scope, it faces a number of challenges, particularly in relation to Xinjiang. Forced labour practices in the region have been repeatedly documented and acknowledged by both the International Labour Organization and the United Nations. At the same time, Xinjiang is a key supplier of solar panels, critical raw materials, aluminium, PVC, and cotton, while forced labour there often takes the form of state-organised mobilization outside internment facilities, which makes its detection especially difficult. For this reason, as noted by Jan Švec, Research Fellow at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, enforcing the Regulation will represent one of the most complex challenges for the EU’s trade policy.

We warmly invite you to the screening of the film Life Is Not a Competition, But I Am Winning (2023), followed by a discussion with our guests. Gender norms are reflected even in elite sports. Which bodies have historically been excluded from the Olympic Games and other sporting events, and which bodies are being pushed to the margins today? The film explores the discrimination against transgender athletes and queer women through the time travel of a group of athletes who revive forgotten female athletes from the past century. After the screening, we will reflect with our guests on what lies behind the curtain of elite sports. The event will conclude with light refreshments and space for informal conversation.

Join us together with JustGreen at European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels to see how citizen voices can drive a fair and inclusive future. Our session “Empowering Citizens to Shape a Fair Green Future“ will explore how to make green transition inclusive.

We would like to invite you to another debate in the series that provides a current perspective on key topics discussed at the plenary sessions of the European Parliament. This time, we will focus on recent events in Europe, specifically the presence of Russian drones on European soil and the related security risks.

On 19th June, the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM representing the Think Visegrad Platform organised a public event entitled ‘The Future of Transatlantic Relations: Between Unity and Uncertainty.’ The event took place at The Library Europe, Avenue de Broqueville 40, with a participation of 16 experts, researchers and civil society actors. The aim of the discussion was to critically assess the current state and future trajectory of transatlantic relations in light of shifting geopolitical dynamics, with particular focus on trade tensions, NATO’s evolving role, ideological divergence between the EU and the US, and external security challenges.

In 2009, Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks argued that public opinion in the European Union had shifted from permissive consensus to constraining dissensus, giving mass politics a stronger role in integration than traditional theories assumed. This sparked debate about the EU’s democratic deficit – a contested concept, but one with real political effects. The gap between citizens and EU institutions has long been visible in European Parliament elections, traditionally seen as “second-order” contests with low turnout and protest voting. However, the 2019 and especially the 2024 elections broke with this pattern: turnout increased, EU issues became more politicised, and party positions more polarised. These shifts suggest that a new transnational cleavage is emerging, marking a turning point for democratic engagement in the EU, writes Csaba Stefán, a Research Fellow at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, in his policy brief.

At the end of November 2024, the European Parliament took a major step by adopting Regulation 2024/3015 banning products made with forced labour on the EU market. The ban, which will enter into force in December 2027, applies to the entire supply chain, with enforcement carried out by national authorities within the Union and by the European Commission in cases outside the EU. Although the measure has a global scope, it faces a number of challenges, particularly in relation to Xinjiang. Forced labour practices in the region have been repeatedly documented and acknowledged by both the International Labour Organization and the United Nations. At the same time, Xinjiang is a key supplier of solar panels, critical raw materials, aluminium, PVC, and cotton, while forced labour there often takes the form of state-organised mobilization outside internment facilities, which makes its detection especially difficult. For this reason, as noted by Jan Švec, Research Fellow at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, enforcing the Regulation will represent one of the most complex challenges for the EU’s trade policy.