In the Media

Farmers' protests have reminded that the measures of the Green Deal for Europe may not be politically viable for Europeans. To make climate policies politically viable, the EU should therefore focus on its commitment not to leave anyone behind in the green transition. Klára Votavová, a researcher at EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, discusses the current development of the Green Deal for Europe and its social policy aspects in an expert publication for the Social Policy Forum.

The Czech car industry is lagging behind the rest of Europe and the world. It may not be able to pick what to produce, but it has the opportunity to strengthen its competitiveness and resilience. However, it needs trained and educated employees, which are hard to find on the local labour market. So are we going to train the automotive workforce, strengthen the position of our strategic sector and promote a just transformation? Or are we going to continue to say that the transition to electric mobility does not concern us and that the Green Deal for Europe is to blame for increased unemployment? How to produce electric cars and remain competitive? Rebeka Hengalová, a researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, discusses this topic in her article for economic daily Hospodářské noviny.

The migration pact that European Parliament passed on Wednesday continues to stir emotions. Vít Havelka, senior research fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke to TN.cz about how migration is perceived in society and how politicians communicate it to the public.

The package consists of ten legislative proposals. Its support was by no means certain, with the fractions counting every vote. What demands does this comprehensive package place on the Member States? And does the package contain mandatory quotas, as the Czech opposition claims? Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, commented on the approval process of the new legislative package for ČT24.

French President Emmanuel Macron is talking about sending troops to Ukraine, but his country has already sent 600 million euros to Russia for liquefied gas this year. And the country is not alone in this. What do Martin Vokálek and Vít Havelka from the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy say about this?

Russia has a significant interest in influencing European elections, which raises awareness in the European Parliament. The issue of Russia's interference will also be addressed in the plenary session. Measures such as restricting visits to the Parliament building or holding events on its premises are being considered. Nevertheless, member states still play a crucial role in foreign and security policy of EU, as commented Jonáš Syrovátka, a researcher at the EUROPEUM Institute, for main evening news broadcast on TV Nova.

The newly elected Slovak President Peter Pellegrini will follow a long-standing tradition and his first foreign trip will be to the Czech Republic. This is despite the cooling of diplomatic relations between the countries. According to Kristína Chlebáková, project manager of EUROPEUM Institute, the relations are still highly superior and the new Slovak president will not want to disturb them. She commented on the future of Czech-Slovak diplomatic relations for the daily MF DNES.

The remaining two months until the European Parliament elections in June represent a crucial period for political debate and public discussion. What kind of issues will resonate across Europe? And can we expect a strengthening of nationalist parties? EUROPEUM Institute analyst Vít Havelka commented on the upcoming elections for TN.cz.

The Czech Republic ranks among countries with highest emissions, with industrial and domestic heating being the main source. From 2027 onwards, new measures will be implemented, affecting households and automobiles, as part of the European commitment to the Green Deal for Europe. One of these measures is, for example, the second version of emission permits. Research associate from the EUROPEUM Institute, Rebeka Hengalová, discussed this system on the main broadcast news on TV Nova.

Recent investigation into the purchase of Pfizer vaccines by the EU has revealed the involvement of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, raising questions about transparency and accountability. With the interconnection of several cases, including allegations of undisclosed agreements and legal actions, attention to negotiation processes and financial management within the Commission is increasing. The outcomes of these investigations may influence public trust and future leadership of the EU, highlighting the delicate balance between transparency and privacy protection. Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of the Brussels Office of the EUROPEUM Institute, offered a commentary for iRozhlas.cz.

The Czech Republic uses the most money from EU funds for the reconstruction of railway stations, new railway corridors or new motorways. At the same time, traffic is continuously increasing and in some places the capacity is no longer sufficient. Rebeka Hengalová, researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, commented on this issue for the main evening broadcast of TV Nova.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces charges related to the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer. The first information came from the The New York Times, which has subpoenaed European Commission documents relating to the negotiations for the purchase of the vaccines. Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of the EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, commented on the case for TN.cz.