The Soviet Union was far from a superpower when the Cold War began. Faced with unmatched American power, Stalin chose to pursue a cautious approach instead of direct military confrontation to exert Soviet influence. While Russia today poses a completely different threat from its Soviet predecessor, Vladimir Putin does share similar geopolitical challenges. Read the commentary of EUROPEUM Institute Associate Research Fellow Hugo Blewett-Mundy for EUobserver.

On Thursday, 17 October 2024, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy in cooperation with the Institute for Circular Economy INCIEN organized a conference entitled Circularity in the Czech Automotive Industry: opportunities and obstacles, in which the Czech Battery Cluster was a partner. The conference was attended by representatives of the Czech automotive industry, state administration and research organizations. The press release from the conference and presentations of the organizations can be found in the text below.

Last year, Moldovan intelligence services detected Russian funding worth at least half a billion Czech crowns, which was used to stop the prosecution of illegal political activities, incitement to anti-government protests and corruption. EUROPEUM Institute non-resident associate research fellow Hugo Blewett-Mundy wrote a commentary for Seznam Zprávy.

Moldova stands at a critical juncture that will determine its position within Europe. In the elections on Sunday, the incumbent president Maia Sandu is seeking a second term and a positive result in the EU accession referendum to reaffirm her country’s path towards Europe. But the hybrid threat facing Moldova from Russia will not dissipate, particularly as next year’s pivotal parliamentary elections approach in the tiny former Soviet republic. Hugo Blewett-Mundy, a non-resident associate research fellow from EUROPEUM, analyses the current situation in Moldova and provides an outlook for the country in 2025.

The 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!

The extension of the emissions trading system for local heating and road transport, the so-called ETS2, is due to come into effect in 2027. ETS2 now needs to be adopted into Czech legislation under the Emissions Trading Act. In this factsheet you will find basic facts and answers to questions that the Czech public often asks. Please also see the attached materials from the organisations that contributed to the factsheet.

Together with the Association for International Affairs and EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, the Centre for an Informed Society has prepared a series of Resilient Europe events from 8 to 10 October 2024. This was a forum aimed at strengthening strategic communication and countering disinformation. It aimed to share best practices from different countries and learn from their successes and mistakes in strengthening democratic principles, countering authoritarianism and populism, and uniting society against divisive influences.

Despite the fact that women make up half of the population, they are still not equally represented in the key institutions of the European Union, even in leadership positions. The European Parliament and the European Commission are taking a number of steps to improve gender equality, both internally and towards the public. Adéla Gajdošíková writes in her blog what the current representation in these institutions looks like and what concrete measures they are taking.

How has the Czech Republic changed during its membership in the EU, how has it managed to catch up economically with its western neighbours? Where has it moved and where is the next potential? And does the Czech Republic have a strategy to build on? Come and listen to renowned speakers from across Europe and join the discussion on what we have achieved in the last 20 years in the EU and where we are moving as a country. We are co-organising the conference with the Prague University of Economics and Business.

This year's summer school of the Center for an Informed Society is over! In Horka nad Moravou, it offered students a unique opportunity to meet and discuss current issues of security and European politics. The event was held in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, Eurocentrum Olomouc and EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy.

We invite you to a screening of the film Stranger in Paradise (2016) from this year's One World Festival, which will be followed by a debate on the topic of migration to Europe. The film focuses on questions often faced by immigrants coming to Europe: What do you really want from Europe? Is Europe just a paradise where you can freely pick its fruits? Belgian actor Valentijn Dhaenens, who plays the role of a mentor in the documentary, confronts them with various model reactions from Europeans to their arrival. The film explores issues such as who gets the chance to stay in Europe, on what criteria these decisions are based, and how complex the mechanisms are that determine entry into this "paradise."

EUROPEUM Institute is currently looking for a Senior Researcher/Leader of a Research Programme for one of our work streams with a research focus on topics such as EU’s climate policy and decarbonization of industry, role of the EU as a global player, social dimension of EU regulatory framework, cohesion policy and/or MFF.