EU

We would like to invite you to the next in a series of debates that provide an up-to-date perspective on key topics discussed in the plenary sessions of the European Parliament. The aim of the debates is to offer a clear overview of the decisions taken and their wider impact on the European Union and the Czech Republic. Each debate will provide a space for reflection on major legislative and political steps taken by the European Parliament, direct discussion with MEPs and experts, and an open dialogue with the professional and general public.

The White House has imposed tariffs on its trading partners in an effort to restore US sovereignty. Filip Krenek, analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, comments for the program Střepiny.

Donald Trump's move has angered rivals and long-time allies alike. The new tariffs will take effect on 5 April. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ta3.

Donald Trump has essentially declared a trade war on the entire world, including his closest allies to date. He has long referred to Europe as a competitor, but now he treats us as an enemy. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ta3.

Two years old and never used yet. The so-called instrument on protection against economic pressure is one of the options that the European Union can resort to in response to the tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump. An extreme option would be to partially cut off US banks from European public procurement. These are projects worth up to two trillion euros a year (about 50 trillion crowns). Filip Křenek, an analyst at the EUROPEUM Institute, comments for iROZHLAS.

Donald Trump has imposed different tariffs on each country, completely dismantling the existing rules of the game, which will now be put back together again. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, comments for ČRo Dvojka.

The European Union is facing a dual challenge. The European Parliament is discussing continued military aid to Ukraine, while also having to respond to potential trade restrictions from the United States. Both issues raise the question of Europe’s self-sufficiency and its ability to defend its own interests. Deputy Director of the EUROPEUM Institute, Viktor Daněk, commented on the situation for CNN Prima News.

Emission allowances for transport and housing are due to come into force in 2027. Prime Minister Petr Fiala wants to postpone the directive by at least one year. The ANO movement, on the other hand, intends to abolish it altogether if it comes to power. However, if the Czech Republic does not adopt the EU directive, it faces financial penalties. Filip Křenek, an analyst at the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the situation for CNN Prima News.

The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is the EU's key instrument for determining the expenditure and revenue components of the common European budget. The negotiations on the long-term budget are among the most important and lengthy at European level. It decides on overall spending in traditional areas such as agriculture and cohesion, but also on new priorities such as defence and competitiveness. The European Commission is expected to present its proposal for the 2028-2034 financial framework by mid-2025, but informal discussions on the shape of the proposal are already taking place at both working and political level - the new European Commissioner for Budgets is now touring Member States and the Commission has launched a public consultation on the subject. The Commission has already presented the broad outlines of the next MFF, including a greater focus on efficiency, added value and simplification. It has also stressed the need for more flexibility to make the budget more responsive to crises. The number of (old) new priorities, including defence, climate and competitiveness, also raises the question of the size of the next European budget and new own resources. The current debate on the Czech priorities for the next MFF is therefore more than appropriate and the Czech Republic should actively enter into negotiations at the European level. The background paper for the round table of the National Convention on the EU was prepared by Josef Bič (FSV VŠE) and Filip Křenek (EUROPEUM).

The European Union refuses to make energy cheaper by abolishing emission allowances, even though Czech economists and businessmen believe this would bring the greatest relief. Instead, it is coming up with its own plan to lower electricity and gas prices. Filip Křenek, an analyst at the Europeum Institute, commented on the situation for iDnes.

In 2019, the green agenda became the flagship of the European Commission’s politics in the face of the European Green Deal. Five years later, the re-elected Ursula von der Leyen would like to keep this agenda as the number one priority for the next political cycle, expressing this goal also in her political guidelines. Meanwhile, major geopolitical events during the last couple of years have led to an unprecedented interest in the security of energy and raw material supplies. These topics started to gain significant attention during the Covid-19 pandemic, then surged further in the following energy crises, and finally peaked after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. Even though the question of energy and supply security has global implications and is being discussed globally, Europe was particularly affected by these aforementioned events, writes Gábor Papp, a Research Fellow at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, in his policy brief.

At a time of a deteriorating security situation, voices calling for a reassessment of budgetary priorities are increasingly being heard. Should we invest more in defence instead of decarbonisation? Is it even possible to fund the Green Deal while maintaining effective defence capabilities? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Czech Radio Plus.