The EU and its Member States face many challenges, from security and migration to innovation and climate change. Some are existential, all require some common effort, and all are expensive to address. Against that background, SIEPS senior advisor Daniel Tarschys examines options for boosting the EU’s finances and makes the case for an EU Market Access Fee.
The Conference on the Future of Europe invites the citizens of the EU to debate the future of the Union. But other EU actors and institutions are involved in the intiative. This SIEPS report investigates the influence of the ‘Europarties’ on the Conference’s agenda and its work. Karl Magnus Johansson and Tapio Raunio are both professors of political science.
When Germany’s new governing coalition agreed on an ambitious agenda for EU affairs, it raised expectations of a new momentum for the EU. But it will require compromises on multiple levels to fulfil the announced aim of a stronger Europe, writes Valentin Kreilinger, senior researcher in political science at SIEPS.
France has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. What does this major Member State hope to achieve during its term? And what will be the impact of France’s general elections, which are to be held in April and June? These questions are discussed in a European Policy Analysis by Olivier Rozenberg, Associate Professor at Sciences Po, Paris.
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.
The concept of strategic autonomy has been a frequent topic in the EU in recent years. The continuous management of political crisis has expanded the discussion beyond security and defence. How do the Nordic countries relate to this pursuit of sovereignty and capacity to act? This anthology explains and analyses how Denmark, Finland and Sweden view strategic autonomy, what similarities and differences exist between the countries' attitudes and how they view their and the EU's role in a polarized world.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, most EU Member States found themselves obliged to derogate from certain civil and political rights. Even though these derogations differed in both style and extent, they have had implications for the democratic systems in the Member States. But what are the implications of these derogations for the EU legal system? Valeriia Varfolomieieva, Research Assistant in law at SIEPS, raises this issue by analyzing the European and EU legal framework for human rights derogations.
The European Green Deal could accelerate convergence between newer and older member states. But if its implementation is badly managed, argues Julian Popov of the European Climate Foundation, it will instead widen the economic and social gap between East and West.
In response to rising antisemitism the European Commission has presented the first EU Strategy on Combatting Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life. Ned Hercock, Research Assistant at SIEPS, reads between the lines of the strategy and considers its historical and political context.
Is there sufficient political accountability in the EU’s multilevel governance system? Are the public and their representatives able and willing to have decision-makers answer for their decisions? In this report Professor of Public Policy Yannis Papadopoulos examines the mechanisms of horizontal and vertical accountability vis-à-vis the EU institutions and assesses their effectiveness.