The Treaty of Lisbon (2009) introduced a permanent President of the European Council – a clear institutional setback for the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU. At the same time, the Presidency retains an important function in the EU political system, with opportunities to exert influence. Austė Vaznonytė, Researcher in Political Science, analyses this changing role.
The EU is pursuing an increasingly activist industrial policy. Amid rising global competition, the aim is to create a level playing field for EU and non-EU firms and to strengthen European companies in the global market. Harry Flam, senior advisor at SIEPS, examines the flagship projects in the fields of semiconductors and batteries and finds it unlikely that they will succeed.