European Commission

As the dust settles after a hectic period of post-election negotiations, Von der Leyen’s second Commission is faced with serious economic challenges. Recent reports of Draghi and Letta have clearly indicated that the EU is lagging behind other global powers in the areas of growth and competitiveness and this is reflected in the composition of the College as well as within strategic priorities for the next political cycle. Come listen and debate about challenges EU is facing!

The story of the assignment of the international partnership agenda to Czech EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela, which ended in disappointment for many, teaches one lesson that will be hard to digest in government circles: the Czech Republic still does not know how to play high Brussels politics and it will not get better. Deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute Viktor Daněk commented for deník Právo.

The European Commission opens a debate on aviation support in the coming years. The new rules should start to apply after 2027. In particular, the guidelines are intended to minimize negative effects on competition and aim to preserve connectivity. Project coordinator and analyst at EUROPEUM Institute Filip Křenek commented for Ekonomický deník.

How strong a portfolio has Jozef Síkela acquired as Commissioner for International Partnerships? What exactly does he expect and what will be part of his portfolio? Project Coordinator and Analyst at EUROPEUM Institute Filip Křenek commented for TV Noe.

Europe has a problem compared to other large economies in the world. It is lagging behind. What to do about it? The new European Commission has changed priorities compared to the previous one - more on the economy, less on the climate. How does this suit the Czech Republic and how should it approach it? Deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute Viktor Daněk commented for podcast Ranní brífink of Hospodářské noviny.

According to the European Commission, the Czech Republic is not complying with EU legislation on combating racial and ethnic discrimination. Brussels has therefore initiated infringement proceedings. It claims that the Czech Republic is not effectively addressing the problem of segregation of Roma children in schools. Deputy director at EUROPEUM Institute Viktor Daněk commented for Český rozhlas.

The European Commission sues Hungary over a law protecting national sovereignty. According to Brussels, it violates, among other things, several fundamental freedoms of the internal market or EU data protection laws. Budapest defends the law on the grounds that it is necessary to protect it from foreign political interference. For example, it prohibits political parties standing for election from being financed by anyone from abroad. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for main evening broadcast on TV Nova.

Despite the fact that women make up half of the population, they are still not equally represented in the key institutions of the European Union, even in leadership positions. The European Parliament and the European Commission are taking a number of steps to improve gender equality, both internally and towards the public. Adéla Gajdošíková writes in her blog what the current representation in these institutions looks like and what concrete measures they are taking.

The draft composition of the new European Commission is already known, the names of the Commissioners were announced by President Ursula von der Leyen a week ago. The candidate for the sustainable transport and tourism portfolio is Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who has served as governor of the Greek region of Central Macedonia since 2013. Following the announcement on LinkendIn, Tzitzikostas himself considers it a great honour and responsibility for him to be entrusted. Deputy Director Viktor Daněk commented for Ekonomický deník.

Thanks to his existing reputation in the European Commission, Jozef Síkela has a certain advantage over other upcoming Commissioners. Though it remains to be determined whether he will be able to use this advantage well. Filip Křenek, project coordinator and analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, told Prostor radio what impact the International Partnership portfolio can have on the Czech Republic and what competencies it actually contains.

Disappointment with the negotiations and the weak position of the Czech Republic was voiced when the new composition of the European Commission was announced. The presentation of the post to the Czech nominee Jozef Síkela is accompanied by a debate on how influential the position of Commissioner for International Partnerships is. Experts say that although the government had bigger expectations, much can be achieved even with the portfolio at hand. The current Trade and Industry Minister could help the EU to be a counterweight to Russian and Chinese influence in emerging economies, and could also push for greater raw material security. For daily Česká justice commented Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute.

Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela has been appointed Commissioner for International Partnerships at the European Commission. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on TN Live whether this is a win or a loss.