As the dust settles after a hectic period of post-election negotiations, Von der Leyen’s second Commission is faced with serious economic challenges. Recent reports of Draghi and Letta have clearly indicated that the EU is lagging behind other global powers in the areas of growth and competitiveness and this is reflected in the composition of the College as well as within strategic priorities for the next political cycle. Come listen and debate about challenges EU is facing!
Show moreOn September 26th, EUROPEUM’s Brussels Office organized an expert discussion titled “Ukraine’s EU membership: an economic challenge or an opportunity?” The debate focused on the potential economic impacts of Ukraine’s accession to the Union, including the EU budget, sectoral policies, energy or critical raw materials. It also evaluated the opportunities for Central European countries and their private sector to strengthen the ties between the two regions. Read the full report below.
Show moreThe automotive industry has long been the driving force of the Czech economy, but is currently facing fierce foreign competition and challenges in the area of decarbonisation and sustainability. Despite its strategic position in the automotive industry, the Czech Republic still lags behind its neighbours in circularity and lacks a long-term strategy for the development of the sector. How can we improve the conditions for the development of circular solutions in the automotive sector and attract key investments of the future to the Czech Republic? Come join the discussion and seek answers to these questions!
Show moreJozef Síkela will have a portfolio with a very broad agenda in the new European Commission. He will be in charge of cooperation with countries in Africa or Asia, where he faces the challenge of competing with China. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Voxpot.
Show moreThe new composition of the European Commission and the distribution of portfolios caused puzzlement in Prague. The head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, entrusted Jozef Síkela with the agenda of International Partnership and Global Gateway – a name that, apart from a handful of insiders in the Czech Republic, few people have heard of, instead of the long-talked about energy sector or international trade. EUROPEUM Institute analyst Zuzana Krulichová commented for Hospodářské noviny.
Show more25 of the 27 EU Member States have already nominated candidates for the new European Commission. So far, 17 are men and 7 are women. According to the President of the European Commission Ursula von den Leyen, only Bulgaria has nominated both a man and a woman. The President also confirmed that there will be a new position of European Commissioner for Defense. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Slovakian STVR.
Show moreIntense behind-the-scenes negotiations are currently underway in Brussels over the allocation of 27 positions in the new European Commission, which will once again be led by Ursula von der Leyen. The German politician faces two major challenges: the limited number of strong economic portfolios, which many member states, including the Czech Republic, are vying for, and the effort to create the first-ever gender-balanced Commission, complicated by the predominance of male candidates. The situation was commented on for e15 by Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.
Show moreWe invite you to another Café Evropa debate, this time as part of the Prague Pride week! What are the biggest challenges we face in protecting minorities in public debate? How can we combat hateful comments in the digital world? How do we deal with such comments? At the Scout Institute, we will discuss the state of dialogue in society and focus on the space that tolerance has in social debate.
Show moreThis year the Czech Republic celebrates twenty years of membership in the European Union. In the meantime, the EU has gone through turbulent years associated with a series of crises - from economic to migration to pandemic and security. However, the wealth of the Czechs has increased by more than 40 percent over the years and the standard of living has reached 90 percent of the European average. This is according to data presented by the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic on the occasion of the anniversary, while Czech exports grew by more than 320 percent thanks to EU membership. Žiga Faktor, head of EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, comments on the other challenges the EU now faces.
Show moreIf Donald Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election, trade relations between the European Union and the United States could face serious challenges next year. Trump has promised to impose a universal ten percent tariff on all goods imported into the American market. Although his rhetoric is primarily aimed at China, such a tariff would also significantly impact European manufacturers. Is the EU preparing for the possibility that Trump could become president again and implement this measure? How would European companies be affected if the next U.S. president were Democrat Kamala Harris? Kateřina Davidová, a senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, comments on this topic for e15.
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