Europeum

Respekt | Is the veto fulfilling its function in EU or has it become a tool for blackmail?

March 11, 2024

Although Viktor Orbán didn't make good on his threat to veto the EU aid proposal for Ukraine, his actions have opened a debate on the need for a veto in the EU. Does it still make sense or has it become a blackmail tool? Even now, the veto isn't the only way to block a proposal. In addition to it, unanimity may be threatened by the so-called blocking minority, in which a group of at least four states representing at least 35% of the EU population can prevent a proposal from being presented. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the Czech Republic's position in the EU and the possible reform of the approval mechanisms for the weekly Respekt.

Commentary | how to think about unanimity in the EU

October 31, 2023

With the opening of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, the debate in the European Union on the transition from unanimity to qualified majority voting in some areas has been reignited. Although this is not a new debate, it is worth looking at the current situation, describing the problems caused by unanimity and proposing concrete solutions. For more, see Vit Havelka's commentary.

REPORT | What future for QMV in Foreign and Security Policy?

October 11, 2023

The debate focused on the possible move to qualified majority voting in the EU's Foreign and Security Policy. The participants in the debate discussed the possible negative and positive aspects of the decision. The debate covered topics such as the fear of over-voting as a possible aspect of division within the Union or the ineffectiveness of the current consensus approach.

REPORT | Jaká je budoucnost hlasování kvalifikovanou většinou v zahraniční a bezpečnostní politice?

October 11, 2023

Debata se zabývala možným přechodem k hlasování kvalifikovanou většinou v Zahraniční a bezpečnostní politice EU. Učastníci debaty diskutovali o možných negativních a pozitivních aspektech toho rozhodnutí. Debata pokryla témata jako například obava z přehlasování, jako možný aspekt rozdělení uvnitř Unie či neefiktovnost současného konsensuálního přístupu.

Seznam zprávy | Will Ukraine join the EU in 2030? A consolation for Kyiv and a signal for Moscow

October 05, 2023

Talks on Ukraine's integration into the European Union are about to begin, and despite the proclamations, the date of entry cannot be set in advance. Žiga Faktor, head of the Brussels office of the EUROPEUM Institute, emphasized that the latest proclamations on Ukraine's EU membership reflect a shift in the approach of member countries to EU enlargement.

Český rozhlas Radiožurnál: New migration politics of European Union

July 01, 2023

In matters of migration and internal affairs, voting in the EU is made by a qualified majority. However, representatives of Hungary and Poland are in favor of a unanimous decision. For Radiožurnál, our senior researcher Vít Havelka commented on the issues of the new EU migration policy.

POLICY PAPER | QMV in CFSP: Impending necessity or resurfacing utopia?

February 14, 2023

Miroslava Pisklová writes about a discussion on potential broadening of the qualified majority voting (QMV) system to more of the remaining policy areas in the Council of the EU in which it is not yet used, namely the EU´s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) that has recently gained momentum. This publication aims to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of introduction of the QMV in CFSP of the EU with a focus on the potential impact on smaller member states.

Přehled: Instituce Evropské unie – Komise, Parlament a Rady (1. část)

March 01, 2021

Přinášíme vám přehled o institucionální struktuře Evropské unie, o kompetencích a fungování jednotlivých unijních orgánů a o tom, jak mezi sebou jednotlivé instituce spolupracují. V článku se také dočtete, jak se mohou občané EU zapojit do unijního rozhodovacího procesu a jaká v tomto ohledu mají práva.

POLICY PAPER: Identifying the EU’s weaknesses in foreign and defence policy: the struggle to become a more effective global actor

October 19, 2020

Adrian Blazquez's latest policy paper deals with the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). More precisely, he focuses on the aspects of unanimous and qualified majority voting, international security commitments, and common strategic culture of the EU.

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Commentary: Informal meeting of the 27 heads of state or government

February 28, 2018

Vladimír Bartovic, Martin Michelot, Zuzana Stuchlíková and Vít Havelka react to the informal meeting of the 27 heads of state or government held on the 23rd of February 2018.