European Union

Publications Media/Opinion pieces

Technology and democracy: A new challenge for European security?

Technology permeates every aspect of our daily lives. However, its increased presence has posed a significant challenge to our liberties. Western democracies need to re-adapt in order to concretely regulate tech and prevent potential new forms of interferences for its institutions. Especially in Europe have democratic states felt the need to develop new normative approaches and regulations to provide a framework regulating Big Tech companies and preventing them from abusing their power.

Publications Media/Opinion pieces

Grand-Père, c’est quoi l’Europe ?

Au-delà de l’interrogation de ses petits-enfants Jacques Favin Lévêque répond aux jeunes et aux moins jeunes. Il évoque les multiples défis du 21ème siècle et leur délivre un message de confiance et d’espoir pour parachever la construction européenne. Du même auteur : « Construire l’avenir avec sagesse » édité par la Société des écrivains.

Publications Media/Opinion pieces

Une Ostpolitik renouvelée? Visions depuis l’Allemagne et la France

Faut-il à nouveau une Ostpolitik (une politique orientale) ? En Allemagne, certains plaident en ce sens, ainsi un ancien dirigeant politique issu de la SPD, Matthias Platzeck, dans un livre paru en 2020. Nombreux sont cependant ceux critiquant l’appel du Président français à un dialogue stratégique avec la Russie. Le débat est ouvert. L’université de Bonn et l’Institut français ont organisé en novembre 2020 une table ronde sur ce sujet : « Avons-nous besoin d’une Ostpolitik 2.0 ? Visions depuis l’Allemagne et la France ». Il est intéressant d’envisager ces deux visions.

Publications National publications

Défense de l’Union Européenne: Enfin une réalité?

Depuis 2014 et l’annexion de l’Ukraine par la Russie, les initiatives en faveur de la défense de l’Union européenne se sont multipliées, au point que selon certains observateurs cette défense aurait fait plus de progrès en six ans qu’en cinquante. Cela reste à voir. Pour l’instant ces initiatives semblent manquer de cohérence et si les acronymes se sont multipliés, les capacités sont restées inchangées. C’est pourquoi un premier bilan s’impose afin d’identifier les obstacles qui se dressent sur la route d’ une “Union européenne de défense” et d’envisager comment les contourner.

Publications Reports of the Observatories

Turkey and the EU: A difficult but critical relationship

On April 7, 2021, the European Union and Turkey held a meeting in Ankara at the highest level. The Turkish side was headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the EU by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and the President of the Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen. At the end of the meeting at the Presidential Palace, the leaders moved to a living room where Erdoğan and Michel sat in two chairs flanked by the Turkish and EU flags, while Von der Leyen was left standing. After some hesitation, she sat on a side sofa, just like the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavusoglu, who took seat on a sofa on the opposite side. According to the chief of Protocol of Mr. Michel, Dominique Marro, it was thanks to Michel’s intervention that Von der Leyen was not seated on a side chair during the luncheon and was not excluded from the official photo of the meeting.

Publications Reports of the Observatories

Mediterranean Observatory – An overview of the present situation in the Mediterranean region

The Euromediterranean Conference held in Barcelona on 27/28 November 1995 adopted the so-called “Barcelona Declaration”. It was approved by the then 17 EU Member States (MS) and its 10 Mediterranean partners, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The Declaration was a landmark in the EU’s policy vis-á.-vis its Southern neighbors, encompassing wide economic, cultural, political and human cooperation.

Publications Media/Opinion pieces

Challenges in the Sahel: Opportunities for Europe

The Sahel (in Arabic literally means “shore, coast”) the semi-arid African region that encompasses the southern transitional strip – between the Sahara and the arable areas – runs from the western coasts in Mauritania to the coasts of the Red Sea in Sudan. It is dotted with many threats and risks, not only to the people living in these vast lands, but also to the neighbouring countries, the stability in the Mediterranean and ultimately to Europe.

Past activities Activities

Webinar on the EU’s new pact on migration and asylum

The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) organized on February 5, 2021, a webinar under the title “A way forward on migration under the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union?” The MPI is an independent think-tank dealing with migration issues, based in Washington DC (USA). The webinar was presented by Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Distinguished Transatlantic Fellow and President Emeritus, MPI.