By: Dorothea Herzele, Susanne Wixforth
The current Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy have been extended by the European Commission to the end of 2021. That means reform is imminent. The authors of this Policy Brief take a look at what the cornerstones of that reform should be and formulate policy recommendations.

A renewed EU enlargement policy, with genuine commitment to the European future of the region, should be built on the mobilisation and trust of its people. This is what the Western Balkans and the European continent as a whole during the pandemic need.

By: Johanna Edthofer, Paul Schmidt
Diverging views between EU institutions and EU member states regarding the relation between the European elections and the constitution of the new European Commission led to renewed questions about democracy, legitimation and efficiency of the European decision-making processes. The Conference on the Future of Europe is another chance to find answers to these questions and to improve the functioning of the EU. Against this background, the authors of this Policy Brief analyse the EU`s electoral law and the Spitzenkandidaten procedure that reached its preliminary limits after the European elections 2019 and argue why it should not be abandoned.

In societies devastated by the pandemic, the EU needs to leave its conventional tool-box behind and urgently speed up the Europeanisation of its neighbours in Southeast Europe.

What challenges lie ahead for the EU and its closest neighbours on the Western Balkans? Why is it so complicated to strengthen the rule of law in these countries? How to encourage the European perspective?

Approval for EU membership has been declining since the beginning of the Corona crisis. Critical view on the role of the EU in procuring vaccines and cushioning the economic consequences of the pandemic. Support for joint EU vaccination certificate.