European Policy Centre

🎯 While the EU Commissioner for Defence and Security is yet to be approved, ongoing threats against Europe remain high. A stronger EU role and commitment to NATO is a urgent need. Maria Martisiute’s commentary delves into the current stakes for such a role in an age of war. She argues that "the proposed Commissioner for Defence and Security should make it a top priority to do everything that is needed to give Europe and its citizens the tools and skills they need to deal with the threat." Read it here 👇

⏳ SAVE THE DATE | The future of EU democracy in a new institutional cycle Join Andrey Demido, Project Manager at Bertelsmann Stiftung, Corina Stratulat, Associate Director & Head of the European Politics and Institutions Programme at the EPC and Oliver Röpke President of European Economic and Social Committee online on September 4th for a discussion on EU democracy in the next institutional cycle. The EU is embarking on a new political and institutional cycle. Reforming EU democracy and enhancing citizen participation will remain a priority on the EU political agenda during this new mandate, as emphasised in the European Council’s Strategic Agenda and the political guidelines of Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen. The European Economic and Social Committee in its current mandate also commits to making "a more resilient, more inclusive, and more democratic EU" its central objective. This is the seventh online event of the EU Democracy Reform Observatory’s “Democracy Reform Conversations”. The EU Democracy Reform Observatory is a joint initiative of Bertelsmann Stiftung, European Policy Centre, King Baudouin Foundation, and Stiftung Mercator, aiming to foster debate on modernising European democracy. Register here 👇

📰 What are the implications of the New Pact for future EU cooperation with third countries? Eleonora Milazzo and Andreina De Leo delves into the adoption of the New Pact reforms, more particularly the external dimension of the EU's migration policy. Read it here 👇

Last week, our CEO Fabian Zuleeg took part in a crucial panel discussion 'Will geopolitics kill the energy transition ' hosted by Statkraft at Arendalsuka. Fabian joined Statkraft's CEO Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal, Sigrun Aasland from the Ministry of Climate and Environment, and Ulf Sverdrup from the BI Norwegian Business School to discuss how the last few years have been shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical unrest, energy market turmoil and military conflicts. Europe as a whole has had to deal with the war in Ukraine, an unstable energy market and subsequently rising inflation. These factors have led our CEO Fabian Zuleeg to define the time we live in as "The Age of Permacrisis", which is known as a prolonged period characterised by uncertainty and instability stemming from a series of catastrophic events. We extend our gratitude and thanks to Statkraft, Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal and this incredible panel for this opportunity. We commit to continuously raising awareness on such matters at the EPC and beyond.

⏳ SAVE THE DATE | Greening the EU’s agri-food agenda: What is the role for digitalisation? Join Dr Joelle Herforth-Rahme, senior scientist at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Olivier de Matos, director general at CropLife and Sébastien Pérel, policy advisor, for the European Council of Young Farmers in this policy dialogue moderated by EPC's Head of Sustainable Prosperity for Europe Programme, Stefan Sipka. The current climate change and ecological crises highlight the need to make our food systems more sustainable and resilient and reduce their impact on land and resources. Data and digital solutions have great potential to green the entire agri-food supply chain. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), drones, robots, sensors, blockchain, apps, and online platforms could revolutionise the agri-food sector. They could help reduce its environmental footprint, optimise operations, boost food productivity, promote sustainable diets, reduce food waste, and enhance the EU’s food security. While digital solutions are already in use to some extent, utilising their full capacity to align EU’s green and agri-food agendas is still work in progress. Register today in the link below 👇

💥LAST CHANCE TO APPLY | Events and Communications Assistant The EPC is looking for someone who will support the Events Executive in ensuring the smooth running of the EPC’s intensive programme of events, with tasks ranging from managing visitors to catering to hybrid technologies. The assistant will also lend a hand to publicising events and occasionally creating and copyediting EPC publications. For this position, you will need the following; 🎯 Excellent organisational skills and an eye for detail 🎯Ability to work to deadlines under pressure and multi-task 🎯Competent use of MSOffice suite, some experience of working with databases would be a plus 🎯Confident with creating Social Media posts: X and LinkedIn 🎯Good drafting and editing skills 🎯Fluency in English and competent in French (other languages are a plus) 🎯A commitment to the EPC’s values and mission Does this sound like you? Then apply below👇 https://buff.ly/3WQQT8F

🌟 LAST CHANCE TO APPLY | Office Assistant The European Policy Centre is looking for a dedicated person to help us strengthen our operations team. The role will support the EPC team with reception services, general management of the EPC offices, and support to operational processes. For this position, we are looking for the following; ⚡ Organised, and punctual individual with good time management and communication skills ⚡ A problem solver with a proactive attitude who is not afraid to ask for help or suggest changes ⚡ Competent English speaker, good French or Dutch an asset ⚡ A good team player who can fit into a multinational team ⚡ Have a higher education diploma (technical/administrative subjects) ⚡ Enjoys managing spaces and developing project management skills Apply here 👇 https://buff.ly/3yrHsmx

💥 There's never been a more important time to address the need to upskill the healthcare workforce and the digital literacy of the population in Europe. As Danielle Brady and Giulia Torchio dives into smart worlds for health and emerging technologies in their latest #EPCDiscussionPaper, they lay out a number of recommendations to overcome its challenges: 🔸 Prioritise the implementation of European Health Data Space. 🔸 Invest in digital literacy. 🔸 Invest in smart health education for healthcare professionals. 🔸 Invest in digital and health infrastructure at member state level. 🔸 Ensure diverse high-quality data. 🔸 Prioritise data protection and cyber-security measures. Read it here 👇

🎯 Vacancy Alert | Events and Communications Assistant The EPC, a leading think tank on EU affairs, seeks a Communications and Events Assistant to work in our busy and committed communications and events team. The candidate will support the Events Executive in ensuring the smooth running of the EPC’s intensive programme of events, with tasks ranging from managing visitors to catering to hybrid technologies. The assistant will also lend a hand to publicising events and occasionally creating and copyediting EPC publications. If you are; 👉 An organised, punctual with good time management and communication skills 👉 A problem solver with proactive attitude who is not afraid to ask for help or suggest changes 👉 A competent English speaker, good French or Dutch an asset 👉 Good team player who can fit into a multinational team 👉 Have a higher education diploma (technical/administrative subjects) 👉 Is eager to learn about event management and develop communication skills Look no further, this is the position for you! Apply here https://buff.ly/3WQQT8F

💥 “First and foremost, we will demonstrate our unity. NATO was created to deter an aggressive Russia. Russia is aggressive once again. NATO won the first time, and it will win again,” stated Polish President Radoslaw Sikorski at the NATO Summit in July 2024. With that being said, Andrew Duff reiterates the importance of such an alliance. Duff examines how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exposed structural flaws in how the West organises its European defence and how the European Union and NATO have struggled to coordinate, risking duplication and competition. Read it here 👇