European Union

Strengthening the rule of law as part of the EU accession process is the topic of this year’s TRAIN Programme (Think Tanks Providing Research and Advice through Interaction and Networking). At the opening seminar, think-tank representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia discussed their research plans in the area and explored ways actively to feed their ideas into the policy making process.

For several years Europe has been muddling through the crisis. There are many "headaches" for the EU and the number is growing. The outlook for the European elections forecasts the rise of far-right parties. The possible British vote to leave the EU raises new questions: what if the EU shrinks for the first time in its history? At the joint event hostedby the DGAP and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the heads of European think tanks discussed consensus and dissent regarding the EU.

The top candidates in this May's European elections should be doing more than just running on behalf of their own parties, said Foreign Minister Zaorálek during his talk at the DGAP. They must initiate a far-reaching discussion about the future of the European Union. Zaorálek, who took up his post this January, stressed that the Czech administration is in favor of encouraging mutual trust among all European actors. Speech (in English) available in the link below.

Wenige Monate vor der Europawahl im Mai gewinnt das Thema Demokratie und Bürgerbeteiligung an Aufmerksamkeit. Wie die EU auch ohne eine Reform der Verträge demokratischer und transparenter werden kann, darüber diskutierten Angelica Schwall-Düren, Franziska Brantner, Axel Schäfer, Arndt Freiherr Freytag von Loringhoven und Josef Janning bei einer Veranstaltung der DGAP und der Vertretung des Landes NRW beim Bund.