In the Media

EU enlargement is currently one of the priorities in Brussels. According to Jana Faktor Juzová, an expert on EU enlargement and the Balkan region and an Associate Researcher at the EUROPEUM Institute, the far right in the EU could interfere with the enlargement process, as she explains in the “Bruselské chlebíčky” podcast, among other things.

The European Commission has suspended the payment of a portion of agricultural subsidies to companies within the Agrofert group due to a potential conflict of interest involving Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. However, the State Agricultural Intervention Fund continues to pay financial support to the holding company and has not even suspended the processing of further applications. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director and head of the Brussels branch of the EUROPEUM Institute, warned that if the fund continues to pay subsidies to companies within the Agrofert holding, it risks a major problem.

In the coming months, the European Commission will assess whether the Czech Republic has properly defined and proposed the acceleration zones. However, the first case from the Olomouc region already shows that the zones are more likely to restrict wind power projects than to facilitate them. Filip Křenek, an Associate Research Fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute, provided commentary for Ekonews.

An unexpected window of opportunity has opened for the European Union to influence U.S. trade policy. Surprisingly, this is thanks to the EU’s ambitious climate goals—which Donald Trump loves to criticize but which have put Europe ahead in terms of regulation. Read the commentary by EUROPEUM Institute analysts Karel Voldřich and Jacqueline Liu for Hospodářské noviny.

The Coalition of the Willing has expanded its activities to include an anti-ballistic coalition aimed at supporting the development of European ballistic capabilities. The Czech Republic did not join the coalition, even though Andrej Babiš was interested in participating. Shortly thereafter, however, he unveiled his own project, Europatriot. According to expert Zuzana Krulichová, Prague risks losing influence among its European allies as a result.

Critical raw materials are essential for electromobility and modern industry. Europe is therefore seeking ways to reduce its dependence on China—joint procurement and large-scale projects, such as lithium mining at Cínovec, are expected to help. Filip Křenek, an Associate Research Fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, provided commentary for Update-eu.

Ireland is taking over the presidency of the EU Council—one of its most difficult tasks will be negotiating the next seven-year financial framework. Martin Vokálek, executive director of EUROPEUM Institute and head of its Brussels office, commented on the matter for CNN Prima News.

The annual conference on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction is taking place in Gdańsk, Poland. The prime minister of the war-torn country expects more than 160 agreements worth over 240 billion crowns to be signed there. What significance does this conference have for Ukraine’s future reconstruction? And is signing more than 160 agreements even a realistic scenario? Filip Křenek, a Research Associate Fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, provided commentary for the Headline program.

One of the key topics at the upcoming European Council summit will be the issue of the trade imbalance with China. EU leaders, however, do not want to say this out loud—the word “China” does not appear even once in the draft conclusions of the summit. According to Martin Vokálek, executive director of EUROPEUM Institute, the European Union has not yet reached the stage where it would label Beijing as an outright enemy.

The leaders of China and North Korea reaffirmed their countries’ mutual support this week. Xi Jinping traveled to meet Kim Jong-un after a long seven-year hiatus, during which Pyongyang, among other things, provided direct military aid to Russia in the war in Ukraine. With whom does Kim’s regime now “get along” best? In the 5:59 podcast, Tereza Novotná, a Research Associate Fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, shared her insights on the topic.

The European Commission has given the Czech Republic one month to explain Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s conflict of interest. Agriculture Minister Martin Šebestyán claims that this does not concern agricultural subsidies. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute and head of Brussels office, warns: if the European Commission does not reimburse Agrofert’s subsidies, we will all pay for it out of our own taxes.

In theory, the European Union should be one large market where companies can reach customers just as easily as if they were operating within a single country. The reality, however, is different. What can be done about it? Filip Křenek, an analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, answered this question in the Ranní Brífink of Hospodářské noviny.