European Commision

What Věra Jourová, the highest-ranking Czech in Europe, learned about the behind-the-scenes world of politics, business and power? Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented to the weekly Respekt magazine.

Shortly after midday, the European Parliament approves the new European Commission by a majority. The new executive will take office on 1st December. It will also include the Czech Commissioner Jozef Síkela, who will be in charge of the international partnership. President Ursula von der Leyen has identified innovation, decarbonisation and security as her top priorities for the next term. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ČT24.

Who’s who in the new European Commission and what can we expect from it? What will the relationship between the European Union and the United States look like following the inauguration of Donald Trump and his administration? And why has the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on these topics for Czech Radio Dvojka.

Intense behind-the-scenes negotiations are currently underway in Brussels over the allocation of 27 positions in the new European Commission, which will once again be led by Ursula von der Leyen. The German politician faces two major challenges: the limited number of strong economic portfolios, which many member states, including the Czech Republic, are vying for, and the effort to create the first-ever gender-balanced Commission, complicated by the predominance of male candidates. The situation was commented on for e15 by Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.

The current head of the European Commission has announced that she will run for her second mandate. What are her chances of success? What are her key topics? What is she yet to focus on? And who are the other possible candidates? Klára Votavová, a researcher at the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, explains for ČT24.

European Commission report with 10 state's progress assesment on their way to becoming a European Union members is crucial for these countries. Žiga Faktor, director of our Brussels's office, has commented on which countries will most probably be supported by this report in getting a candidate status in an interview with RTVS.

In her five years as European Commissioner, Věra Jourová has learned a lot. Monday's three-hour marathon of MEPs questions, the so-called barbecue, she managed calmly, sometimes she even joked. MEPs rewarded her performance with unanimous approval, Aktualne.cz and HN confirmed a source close to the Commissioner. The hearing is a condition for future Commissioners to be able to actually take over their portfolios from November.

EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy is one of the organizers of this breakfast roundtable which will bring together representatives of businesses, governments and EU institutions, to debate about priorities of the EU Better Regulation Agenda in the year ahead while considering interests of the EU Central and Eastern European Member States.