Europeum

Policy paper | Here to stay, but in what form? Researching the potential of cross-border telework in the digital economy

June 04, 2024

The rapid uptake of telework, facilitated by digitalisation, has upset a system based on physical presence in the workplace in the EU. Especially since the pandemic, telework has become increasingly prevalent and an integral part of employees’ working and expectation patterns. Our research fellow Silke Maes covered this topic in her policy paper, highlighting the challenges and opportunities telework presents for cross-border coordination.

Euractiv | Ursula von der Leyen faces pre-election challenges

May 28, 2024

If Ursula von der Leyen wants to sit at the head of the European Commission for a second term, she will likely have to prepare a less green program than five years ago. While no surprises are expected for her nomination, a power shift is anticipated in the European Parliament, which approves the new head of the Commission. Pre-election models predict a strengthening of parliamentary factions critical of the Union. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Euractiv.

CNN Prime News | The most influential Czech MEPs. Who has the best attendance and who really influences politics?

June 03, 2024

In a few days, the elections to the European Parliament will be held, during which Czech voters will choose 21 of their representatives. What was the attendance of the current MPs? And which Czech politicians turned out to be the most influential? EUROPEUM Institute compiled with the help of experts a ranking that tries to evaluate these categories. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, introduced it on CNN Prima News.

IEMED | Serbia: The Dilemma between European Accession and Alliance with Russia

May 30, 2024

With Ukraine’s defence against Russia heading toward a stalemate in the second half of the year and increased pressure inside the EU to deliver on its promises to provide the country with needed financial and military support, Serbia’s ambiguous relationship with Russia and the West has been brought increasingly into the spotlight in 2023. The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), ruling since 2012, and President Aleksandar Vučić have been responsible for continued democratic backsliding and have failed to align with the Union’s foreign policy during Serbia’s lengthy EU accession process, pushing the situation closer towards a tipping point in Serbia-EU relations. Senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, Jana Juzová, describes this in more detail in her article for the European Institute of the Mediterranean.

Hospodářské noviny | Sooner or later the Green Deal will hit our wallets and politicians are exploiting that fear. But it can't be stopped anymore

June 01, 2024

The Green Deal is becoming one of the main topics of the upcoming European Parliament elections. Candidate parties emphasize its importance and influence on future politics, with the expected changes affecting various sectors of the economy and the daily lives of citizens. In particular, the amendments to the rules for the ban on the sale of cars with internal combustion engines from 2035 and the upcoming ESG reporting, which could mean a significant administrative burden for medium-sized companies, are being discussed. The transformation towards green technologies brings both opportunities and challenges, and the outcome will depend on the skills and strength of individual negotiators in the coming negotiations. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, discussed the topic in the Hospodářské noviny podcast.

TN.cz | Possible changes in European subsidies

May 28, 2024

The European Parliament elections are less than two weeks away, and one of the main topics will be the subsidy system. A number of experts are calling for it to be changed, and questions arise as to where the European Union will get the money for subsidies. The transformation of the EU towards green technologies could limit financial resources for structural funds, which would have a negative effect mainly on poorer countries, including the Czech Republic. Economists also point to possible financial problems for the EU after the departure of Great Britain, one of the biggest contributors. Klára Votavová, a researcher at the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the situation for TV Nova.

Aktuálně.cz | Von der Leyen is almost certain to secure a second nomination, but she may face challenges in the European Parliament

May 28, 2024

The campaigns for the European Parliament elections are not only relevant to Czech politicians but also to those from other countries. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, spoke with Aktuálně.cz about the chances of the current President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. How did she perform in the previous electoral term? And what points should she focus on in her campaign?

Teď naozaj! | EU elections: Disinformation a euroscepticism

May 24, 2024

What are the trends in the campaigns for the European elections? What disinformation is circulating in the public space about the European Union? What are the reasons for the strong euroscepticism in the Czech Republic? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director in the Institute EUROPEUM answered these and other questions in the Czech-Slovak podcast "Teď naozaj!".

Debate: 25 years in NATO - what has membership given to the Czech Republic?

June 12, 2024

We invite you to the second regional debate within the 25th anniversary of the Czech Republic's accession to NATO! Membership has brought benefits to the Czech Republic, but it also comes with a number of obligations. What is the importance of this alliance for us? And what do you think about NATO? Come to Ústí nad Labem to discuss these and other questions.

EUROPEUM Institute's ranking of MEPs' influence

May 27, 2024

EUROPEUM Institute organized a survey among selected experts and stakeholders in European politics to evaluate the performance of current Czech MEPs. The performance of MEPs is difficult to evaluate because there is no completely objective set of criteria that would clearly show this. Therefore, EUROPEUM approached diplomats, officials, academics and other experts from the EU policy environment to compile its own ranking.