European Union (EU)

Much has been achieved at international level in the critical field of women, peace and security in recent years. Yet women are still woefully underrepresented in the Afghan peace process. The basic rights for which they fought so hard are at stake in the country’s internal negotiations with the Taliban.

The EU and the US have to navigate bilateral differences and work with like-minded countries to formulate a response to China’s techno-authoritarianism. This effort should go beyond industrial policy towards shaping a positive and inclusive digital agenda.

The concept of ‘digital sovereignty’ has become more prevalent over the last few years, although its meaning remains diffuse. Between Chinese techno-authoritarianism and the U.S. model of surveillance capitalism, Europe is heading towards a third way.

The EU has traditionally been timid about its use of sanctions in foreign policy. Will this change with the current EU leadership’s plans to speak “the language of power”?

The EU’s southern flank has been under immense security pressure by external actors recently. These security challenges require the EU to adopt a holistic approach and address a range of complex regional issues, making use of a wide range of tools.

The vision of a strategically autonomous Europe is not met with great enthusiasm in Poland and the Baltic states. On the contrary, the preferences between Warsaw, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn point to a renewal of the transatlantic bond and a stronger NATO in order to contain the challenges represented by Russia and China.

President Macron has been promoting the concept of European sovereignty and strategic autonomy for quite some time. His vision of a strategically autonomous Europe is based on the premise of profound geopolitical shifts and a new reality of big power rivalries. Still, Paris will have to convince skeptical EU Member States about the soundness of this concept.

Considering the current politico-economic situation in the EU, Hungary does stand a chance of achieving some of its immediate goals. So, the key question is: What does Budapest stand to gain by using its veto?

Interview with Benedek Jávor about the blackmailing attempt of Viktor Orbán and Mateusz Morawiecki, the importance of the rule of law in the EU and the responsibility of the German government.

Albin Kurti was Prime Minister of Kosovo from February to June 2020, when his government was toppled. Viola von Cramon-Taubadel is the European Parliament's rapporteur for Kosovo. Walter Kaufmann spoke to both of them about the domestic political situation in Kosovo, the rule of law and EU integration.

In the early hours of September 9th something rather expected happened. The Moria Refugee Camp on the Greek island of Lesbos was engulfed in flames, just a few hours after the announcement of the detection of 35 cases of coronavirus in the camp. The camp, which for years was a place of degradation of human dignity on the eastern border of the European Union, was almost completely destroyed. The EU Member states can no longer be inactive - they all share the responsibility for this disaster.

The disputes over the Aegean Sea clearly constitute the “core” of Greek-Turkish relations. Each side claims to be exclusively in the right, and that the other side is always being provocative and in the wrong.

How will EU-China relations look like in the future? Which priorities need to be set? Interview with Reinhard Bütikofer and Janka Oertel.

The way the Covid-19 pandemic has been dealt with has raised many questions for the future of the European project. How have the EU institutions and Member States managed the crisis so far? What challenges will coincide with the German EU Council Presidency in terms of crisis management and the future of the EU?

The German government must fight for a Real Green Deal for Europe that combines economy and ecology and sets the course for a socio-ecological market economy. Dr. Ellen Ueberschär describes what that could look like.

Europe could still emerge from the pandemic crisis sustainably positioned and strengthened, but only if the Franco-German tandem works. The plans for a reconstruction fund of 500 billion euros mark a turnaround in the right direction.

At the beginning of 2020 it looked as if the Greek economy would recover with above average growth from 10 years of financial crisis.The corona pandemic has shattered these prospects. Greek society is now hoping for support from the German Council Presidency.

Britain is in the midst of finalising the Brexit transition process while also being hit especially hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. The German Council Presidency has to protect public health all over Europe while also preventing another financial crisis from happening. But this might also give new momentum to systemic change towards a more sustainable economy.

Sweden has recently become known as one of the members of the Frugal Four group in the negotiations concerning the new European long-term budget. These member states are skeptical towards the idea of corona bonds, and, as net contributors to the EU budget, they are open to paying more to the EU but “there are limits”.

On July 1st, Germany will take over the EU Council Presidency in midst the Corona pandemic. This presents opportunities for Germany to redefine its European policy. How does Germany perceive its role in the European Union and what are the expectations of other member states for the German Council Presidency?