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.

How does Central and Eastern Europe evaluate the German Council Presidency? The Slovak Think Tank GLOBSEC asked 14 experts from 9 CEE countries to do so.

By: Louis Drounau
While several reforms are needed to strengthen European parties the reform of the EU’s party funding scheme is paramount. Against this background, the author of this Policy Brief analyses possibilities to reform the European parties’ funding system in order to enhance their relevance, increase their visibility, and encourage citizen participation in the EU’s political life.

By: Ioana Lungu
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is an exceptionally ambitious project of Pan-African integration. Currently, the conclusion of negotiations has been hindered by COVID-19, and the start of trade under the AfCFTA trade regime has been delayed. Against this background, the author of this Policy Brief analyses in which way the EU, historically one of the first supporters of the AfCFTA, can help to meet this target.