USA

The trade and economic security portfolio is one of the most influential in the European Commission - and it is this portfolio that Slovak Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič will be in charge of. In an interview with TASR, Filip Křenek, an analyst at EUROPEUM Institute, explained how he can influence the economic direction of the EU.

In mid-November, a two-day Transatlantic Policy Forum conference was held in Prague, organized by the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy with the support of the US Embassy in Prague. Experts at the conference discussed key topics such as the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the impact of the outcome of the US presidential election on relations with the EU. Ian Brzezinski, an American expert on international relations and military affairs, and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO in the George W. Bush administration, accepted the invitation to attend the conference and commented for Seznam Zprávy.

This event will delve into the "super year" of elections occurring in key regions such as Taiwan, the EU´s European Parliamentary elections, the United Kingdom, the United States, Indonesia, and India. Since the critical 2016 US presidential election, the focus on election integrity has evolved from foreign interference and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to threats posed by AI models and deepfake videos. Those who meddle in elections aim to weaken democratic foundations and erode trust in government institutions and factual information.

Although Europe's attention in recent years has been completely absorbed by Russia's aggression in Ukraine, many countries, including the Czech Republic, are increasingly interested in diversifying their business opportunities beyond the transatlantic space. We therefore asked experts from the fields of diplomacy, research and business about the potential pitfalls of EU-ASEAN cooperation, security challenges and the success of Czech diplomacy in the Far East. Zuzana Krulichová, researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, answered for the Institute of International Relations.

Organisers of this year's climate change conference, which starts today in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the acronym COP 29, have not shown much optimism. The stance of the world's second-largest polluter, the United States, on climate protection is uncertain after last week's presidential election. The Americans withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement during Donald Trump's first presidency and it is expected that they could withdraw from it again during his second presidency. In addition, world leaders still can't agree on financing a green transition in developing countries, which is expected to be a major focus of this year's climate change conference. Rebeka Hengalová, researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ČRo Plus.

The new European Commission is getting clearer. Most of the candidates for European Commissioners have had their hearings in the European Parliament and almost all of them passed without any major hesitation, according to unofficial information. It is said that Donald Trump's victory in the US elections will speed up the creation process of the new Commission. Martin Vokálek, executive director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for TN Nova.

The election of the new US president will also have an impact on events in the world, especially in the European Union. What is the message for the European Union from Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election? Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, commented for ČT24.

Does the United States need the European Union as much as the European Union needs the United States? And what are the differences in relations during the Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations? Danielle Piatkiewicz, research fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Slovakian STVR.

In the European Union, the outcome of the US presidential election is eagerly awaited. Transatlantic relations are crucial for the European continent. At the moment, they are extremely good; whether they will continue to be so after the elections is questionable. A change in the White House may affect more than one sphere in the European Union. From trade to industry to security. Danielle Piatkiewicz, researcher for EUROPEUM Institute, commented for STVR.

What will Europe look like after the US presidential election? Whichever candidate wins, it is very likely that Europe will not be the focus of American attention. The United States and its foreign policy has long been going through a shift where it is withdrawing from the international scene. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Horizont ČT24.

Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will, if they win, call on the EU to play a greater role in shaping international policies. Danielle Piatkiewicz, research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Teraz.sk.

The European Union economically lags behind the United States of America and China. The recent meeting in Brussels reflected concerns about a slowdown in the EU economy, which entered 2024 with lower-than-expected growth. EUROPEUM Institute analyst Vít Havelka commented on this situation for ČRo Plus.