ZEI Future of Europe Observer

In 2019, the EU Commission announced the European Green Deal, the most ambitious and comprehensive project in global environmental policy. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer looks at implementation, how environmental policy is being integrated into all EU policies and whether economic growth and sustainability are fundamentally compatible. It also looks at the factors that determine the success of the Green Deal and how the EU is positioning itself internationally with its environmental policy.

"An economy that works for people" is what the European Commission called its third priority in its work programme. With this area, it is pursuing the goal of further developing the social market economy of the EU and promoting the growth of the national economies of the Member States. At the same time, the EU is also trying to reduce poverty and inequality. Furthermore, major projects such as the Capital Markets Union must be completed and the Economic and Monetary Union must be deepened. These are many challenges that the EU must meet in a shifting global order. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer therefore takes a closer look at the EU's economic policy against the background of the current crises.

This issue of the ZEI Future of Europe Observer takes stock of the implementation of the annual work programs of the Von der Leyen Commission. It includes analyses on the progress being made within the Commission’s six policy priorities, visualized by the ZEI Monitor traffic, and provides an outlook for the coming year.

The digital transformation is one of the most important developments of the recent past. In order to keep pace with this and to actively shape and steer it, the EU has made digital legislation one of the most important issues. This issue takes a closer look at the legislation in the area of digitalisation and deals with the major projects and recent developments. In particular, the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Service Act are the European Union’s flagship legislation packages, which is why they are examined in detail. It also looks at developments in digital infrastructure, digital healthcare and the space programme.

This issue of the Future of Europe Observer focuses on the Conference on the Future of Europe. A year ago, at the beginning of the conference, ZEI presented 25 ideas, which are now supplemented by 15 more at the end of the conference. In addition, an overview of the Conference and its results is provided, as well as a text dealing with the political theory of deliberation as the basis of the citizen participation process and a contribution on a possible follow-up.

This issue of the ZEI Future of Europe Observer takes stock of the implementation of the annual work programs of the Von der Leyen Commission. It includes analyses on the progress being made within the Commission’s six policy priorities, visualized by the ZEI Monitor traffic, and provides an outlook for the coming year.

New transatlantic initiatives are desperately needed after the precipitous withdrawal of the West from Afghanistan which has been a severe blow to the credibility of the European Union and the United States. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer illuminates some lesser known fields of cooperation in which joint efforts by Brussels and Washington can make a positive difference.

In this issue of the Future of Europe Observer, the Center for European Integration Studies (ZEI) presents 25 ideas for the Conference on the Future of Europe, to which ZEI keeps providing input by contributing its own proposals for debate on the official online platform. The co-authors of this issue include scholars from the ZEI network and alumni of the ZEI Master of European Studies as well as students of Political Science at the University of Bonn. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of them.

This issue of the ZEI Future of Europe Observer takes stock of the implementation of the von der Leyen-Commission‘s 2020 work program as part of ZEI‘s reframed research project on “Governance and Regulation in the European Union”. Visualized by the ZEI Monitor traffic lights, this magazine includes analyses on the progress being made in the Commission‘s six policy priorities.

What are the political implications of the Covid 19 pandemic in the Euro-Mediterranean region? Master Fellows "Class of 2020" and scholars from the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC) in Malta and the Center for European Integration Studies (ZEI) examine this question in the latest joint issue of the ZEI-MEDAC Future of Europe Observer. The current magazine sheds light on both economic and security policy challenges in the region and analyzes various facets of the rule of law problem on the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean by means of case studies. The publication is the latest result of the long-standing cooperation between the two research institutions.

In the European Parliament's nomination hearing, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, postulated that the EU needs to learn the language of power in order to be competitive at the global level. In this issue of the ZEI Future of Europe Observer, our ZEI Master of European Studies-Fellows “Class of 2020” comprised of students from 13 countries, analyze how the EU can live up to this ambition. The articles were written prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe.

This issue of the ZEI Future of Europe Observer marks the start of ZEI's newly oriented research project on the annual work programs of the European Commission. The project builds on our previous work on the Juncker Commission. As before, the ZEI Monitor traffic lights will illustrate the status of individual EU legislative measures. In this issue our Research Fellows analyze the six political priorities of the von der Leyen Commission and take a look at the tasks ahead.

This joint issue of the Future of Europe Observer encompasses analyses of the various manifestations of soft power-related policies in the Euro-Mediterranean region, written by Master Fellows of the Center for European Integration Studies (ZEI) and the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC) from Malta.

This issue of the Future of Europe Observer examines in what way the EU‘s Global Strategy overlaps with the UN Agenda with special attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It comprises of analyses by ZEI Master of European Studies Fellows “Class of 2019”.

In this „Future of Europe Observer“, ZEI Fellows and Alumni provide our annual assessment on the work progress of the Juncker Commission in 2018 and evaluate the challenges for the final year of the Juncker presidency. This analysis is based on the ZEI Monitor, which tracks the work progress of the EU institutions.

ZEI and MEDAC Fellows analyse EU migration policies: This joint special issue of the Future of Europe Observer is part of the longstanding cooperation between ZEI and the Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies on Malta.

This issue of the “Future of Europe Observer“ takes stock of the EU’s Global Strategy and comprises of analyses by ZEI Master of European Studies Fellows “Class of 2018”.

In this „Future of Europe Observer“, ZEI Fellows and Alumni provide our annual assessment on the work progress of the Juncker Commission in 2017 and evaluate the challenges for 2018. This analysis is based on the ZEI Monitor, which tracks the work progress of the EU institutions.

This issue of the Future of Testing the feasibility of Macron and Juncker’s EU visions Europe Observer analyses the most prominent visions for reform in the EU in the years to come. A common thread is the importance given to the social policies in order to resolve the democratic deficit within the EU and beyond.

In this Future of Europe Observer-Edition, ZEI Master Fellows “Class of 2017” from all continents share their perceptions of the EU Global Strategy and analyze the multidimensional role of the EU’s external action.

2016 ended for the European Union after a year of permanent damage control. Despite being confronted with mounting challenges, the European Commission continued the implementation of its ten policy priorities. This edition of the Future of Europe Observer reviews the work of Juncker Commission in its second year. Our authors include the following ZEI Scholars and ZEI Master of European Studies Alumni: Prof. Dr. Ludger Kühnhardt, Tobias Buchmann, Yasen Gyurov, Anna Pokorna, Jan-David Blaese, Sujata Wirsching, Katharina Kant, Grigoriani Bougatsa, Liska Wittenberg, Matthias Vogl, Sally Brammer.

In June of this year a new and unprecedented challenge was laid at the feet of the European Union. For the first time in European integration a majority in a member state voted to leave. The BREXIT vote, which stunned many in the rest of Europe, has left uncertainty and doubt. This edition of the Future of Europe Observer, produced after the 100 day milestone has passed and following the significant decision of the High Court, looks at where we are and what is to come. After the initial shock has worn off, what can now be said about this historic vote? Our authors include the following ZEI Scholars and ZEI Master of European Studies Alumni: Prof. Dr. Ludger Kühnhardt, Carola Gegenbauer, Hanna Sanders and Matteo Scotto.

Low growth, high unemployment in Southern European member states, TTIP negotiations and EU economic integration stalling, this is how headlines about the EU economy often look like these days. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer analyses the implementation of current EU measures put in place to counter economic stagnation, shedding light on planned policies the EU has announced in this field. Our authors include the following ZEI Fellows (MES Class of 2016 ): Malin Berg von Linde, Ksenija Nikolic and Jiayin Liu.

Migration has climbed to the top of the European political agenda, both at the EU level and in the member states. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer sheds light on the different aspects of the migratory crisis and its consequences for the EU. Our authors include ZEI Senior Fellow, Prof. Dr. Daniel Tarschys, and the following ZEI Fellows (MES Class of 2016): Kim Förster, Lindsey Brown, Sanni Kunnas, Liska Wittenberg and Ignatius Oli.

This issue of the FEO monitors and assesses the on-going work of the European Commission and traces the implementation of its annual work programme on the basis of the ten priorities outlined by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for 2015. Furthermore, it gives an outlook on the challenges ahead for the European Commission and the other institutions in 2016. Our authors include the following ZEI Scholars, Fellows and ZEI Master of European Studies Alumni: Prof. Dr. Ludger Kühnhardt, Dr Tobias Buchmann, Deepak Raj Pandaya, Anna Pokorna, Balázs Kubinszky, Dennis Flück, Tristan Suffys, Nikola Veselinovic, Maria Kapiniaris, Maria Staszkiewicz, Malte Tim Zabel, Thomas Panayotopoulos and Robert Stüwe.

This issue of the Future of Europe Observer explores some of the complex questions surrounding regulation within the EU internal market. The regulation of network industries, including the need to balance legal issues concerning the improvement of competition and the protection of the rights of individuals are examined. ZEI Master of European Studies Alumni Carlos Iniesta Corbacho, Pagona Tsormpatzoudi and Senior Fellow Nils Lemberg survey European regulation in the fields of mobile roaming, postal services and in regard to the draft Data Protection Regulation.

During his first three months as Commission President, Jean Claude Juncker has implemented considerable changes to the organisation of the European Commission and committed himself and his team to achieving the priorities and objectives laid out in his Political Guidelines. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer offers an insight into President Juncker, the new seven Vice Presidents and their portfolios. Fellows from the ZEI “Class of 2015” give an overview of the objectives and priorities of each Vice President, along with potential conflicts and governance challenges which they will face over the course of the political cycle 2014-2019.

Following recent events in Ukraine and with winter fast approaching, energy policy and energy security of the European Union is an issue of great concern for individual citizens and governments alike. As EU member states seek to protect themselves from potential energy supply disruptions, new Commission President Juncker has called for a European Energy Union. This issue of the Future of Europe Observer examines the current and future challenges and issues for European policy makers. Alumni from the ZEI Master of European Studies program examine the call for energy solidarity, the energy network which stretches across Eurasia, and the implications of energy dependency in the EU.

Europe has voted. Between May 22nd -25th 400 million people in 28 member states have been called to vote the 751 MEPs of the 8th European Parliament. This election is important as it is the first since the Treaty of Lisbon, the Parliament now has a number of important new powers. The new political majority will shape European legislation over the next five years and the Parliament - the only directly elected EU institution - is now a linchpin of the European decision-making system. The new FEO follows up on the results of the elections and their various effects on politics in Europe and the wider world".

In light of the forthcoming elections of the European Parliament and the ensuing debate within Europe of key policy issues, the ZEI Master of European Studies “Class of 2014“ gives an overview of the current constitution of the EU under the question "What next for the EU?".