European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen already knows almost all the candidates for her future team. The deadline for member states to make their views known ends on Friday, August 30. In July, the EU chief executive asked member states to propose both, a man and a woman so that she will have an equal representation in the Commission. So far, only Bulgaria has heeded the EC chief's request and as the only country offered both a man and a woman. Also, the Lithuanian candidate has not been officially nominated, but his name has been mentioned in some media. For ČT24 comments Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.
Show moreCome join the next event in the Café Evropa regional debate series; this time, we’ll be in Litomyšl. What do you think of 20 years of Czechia in the EU? Are you concerned about what the Migration Pact or the Green Deal might bring? Have European subsidies helped in the development of the town? What has the European Union given and taken from you? We want to hear from you!
Show moreCome join the next event in the Café Evropa regional debate series! This time, we will be in Klášterec nad Ohří. What do you think of the Czech Republic's 20 years in the EU? Are you concerned about what the Migration Pact or the Green Deal might bring? Have European subsidies helped in the development of the town? What has the European Union given and taken from you? We want to hear from you!
Show moreThis year the Czech Republic celebrates twenty years of membership in the European Union. In the meantime, the EU has gone through turbulent years associated with a series of crises - from economic to migration to pandemic and security. However, the wealth of the Czechs has increased by more than 40 percent over the years and the standard of living has reached 90 percent of the European average. This is according to data presented by the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic on the occasion of the anniversary, while Czech exports grew by more than 320 percent thanks to EU membership. Žiga Faktor, head of EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, comments on the other challenges the EU now faces.
Show moreIf Donald Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election, trade relations between the European Union and the United States could face serious challenges next year. Trump has promised to impose a universal ten percent tariff on all goods imported into the American market. Although his rhetoric is primarily aimed at China, such a tariff would also significantly impact European manufacturers. Is the EU preparing for the possibility that Trump could become president again and implement this measure? How would European companies be affected if the next U.S. president were Democrat Kamala Harris? Kateřina Davidová, a senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, comments on this topic for e15.
Show moreA diplomatic rift has erupted between Budapest and Warsaw over the different attitudes of the two countries towards Russia. First, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán branded Poland as the country with the most hypocritical policy in Europe, while the Poles hit back by pointing out the close relations Orbán maintains with Russian President Putin. The media are also talking about the possible end of the V4 group. EUROPEUM Institute researcher Vít Havelka spoke more about the dispute in an interview with TN.cz.
Show moreHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took over the EU Council presidency less than a month ago, but he has already managed to provoke the EU institutions and most member states with his unauthorized "peace" mission to Russia and China. During this mission, he presented himself as a representative of the European Union, despite having no authority to do so. European politicians have responded to this situation with initial retaliatory measures. How will Viktor Orbán proceed? What strategies and tactics might the Hungarian Prime Minister use during his presidency? Oszkár Roginer-Hofmeister, a research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, commented on this for e15.
Show moreMost European Union states have decided to boycott the Council meeting in Budapest. This decision is a reaction to Orbán's "peace mission", during which he met with Russian President Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and former US President Trump under the banner of the Hungarian presidency without any mandate from the EU. Will EU criticism slow Orbán down in his next steps? Can Hungary's presidency be revoked? Does EU foreign policy even need to be unified? The situation is commented on by Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.
Show moreHow could the strengthening of the far right in the European Parliament manifest in practice? How strong and influential could the political group Patriots of Europe become? Could it affect decision-making at the level of the European Council? What developments can we expect in the European Commission under von der Leyen's leadership? Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM Institute, answered in an interview for FORUM24.
Show moreThe European agency Frontex has released data on the number of migrants arriving in the European Union. This year, it recorded a third less migrants who have entered the Union illegally compared to last year. What are the reasons behind the decrease in migrant numbers? Did the failed agreement between the United Kingdom and Rwanda have an impact? Will the recently approved migration pact, which will come into effect in two years, also help? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on this for Novinky.cz.
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