Back from holidays and lost in translation? Here's a quick overview of what happened in EU politics when you all where enjoying rosé on the Côte d'Azur, Italian pasta or simply walks in the countryside.
COVID-19 is still going strong - local outbreaks & rising infection rates are worrisome. But incomprehensible and ever-changing rules for quarantine and testing are not helping either (#colourcodes). EU countries can do better than this.
This summer, Brussels discovered a neighbouring country called Belarus and the fact that Lukashenka is a dictator since 1994 (better late than never?) The all-female opposition & protesters show incredible courage. Let's hope EU leaders will not play-act their support.
For the first time in history, a Commissioner resigned (#Santer = whole Commission). @PhilHoganEU did not respect COVID-19 rules & Dublin didn't support him. Even if this is the right step, the Commission loses an heavyweight in trade policy. The reshuffle will be interesting.
France has a new government w/ @JeanCASTEX as PM & also a new State Secretary for Europe, @CBeaune, who was the Europe advisor of Macron beforehand. He's not only very competent, but also understands the importance of the 🇫🇷🇩🇪 engine. Looking forward to following his work!
Let's not forget the German Council Presidency! Quite a bit of work ahead. Next to the recovery plan & MFF that need to be passed through the EP, the next big deadline that looms is #Brexit. The negotiations are sobering, to say the least. We'll follow this w/ #ProjectPresidency.
That was it! Don't hesitate to add anything that I forgot to mention here. Have a great "rentrée" and don't forget your masks when you step outside! 😷😍
Correction: It's not the first time a Commissioner resigned - John Dalli resigned in the Barroso Commission.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Yesterday in true Franco-German fashion, the two countries celebrated 60 years of Elysée Treaty. If I haven't posted anything about it, it's because as a Franco-German myself, I'm truly disappointed with how the relation is going - for years now. Let me tell you why. /1
I've had enough of "dialogue formats" and "cultural encounters". The reality is: The political relationship is strained at best; citizens couldn't care less about their neighbours; there is little funding available for cooperation; less and less people learn the language. /2
The civil society sector is heavily status-quo oriented, & anyone who wants to improve things in the slightest is sidelined. There are signs of hope though, with some 'younger' people doing great work - but it remains rather limited./3
After today's meeting marathon, interviews on the Scholz speech & email galore, I guess it's back to business in Brussels!
This GIF shows how it feels to work on EU politics at the moment, but I'm looking forward to working on a bunch of great projects in the coming months. 👇/1
Very much looking forward to welcoming @ThinkTank_Lab in Brussels next week - besides giving a short input on "how to EU policy analysis", my colleague @FilipeALampe is organising an event on #diversity in EU policymaking with @CnctingEurope that I think is hugely important. /2
The @epc_eu also partnered up for the 'European Think Tank Conference' in October in Berlin to promote the exchange between European think tankers and discuss sector-specific issues. Stay tuned for a great programme! @dgapevdgap.org/en/events/save… /3
As a think tanker, there is a fine balance between speaking truth to power (and, for instance, criticising the lack of ambition in view of the challenges we face) and understanding the position of decision-makers, including the need for compromises & other limiting factors. /1
Today was a good example: I was happy to read #Scholz's EU speech & finally have an outline of Germany's EU policy. I get that it could be much worse - the German government fully understands the need for a strong EU and that's a very good premise. /2
I'm also happy to have further details on certain policy fields and to understand where the focus of this government lies. It's also useful to see that certain fields - e.g. industrial policy - have been left out, which also helps define where it could get more difficult. /3
📖 New publication 📖
It's been almost 100 days since Russia invaded 🇺🇦. In this new paper, @IlkeToygur & I look back at the EU's "modus operandi". We advocate for a more ambitious EU, rather than one that will put unity above everything else./1 epc.eu/en/Publication…
The last #EUCO summit was a wonderful example of how in the EU unity prevails over ambition. After weeks of blockage, we finally have an oil embargo, but only for 75% of Russian oil, and with a temporary exemption for pipeline oil./2
We start on a positive note: Both the COVID-19 pandemic & the Russian invasion revealed that the EU institutions & leaders are capable of managing crises swiftly and decisively. The EU could use this moment of change to increase its ambition & move European integration forward./3
After yesterday’s 1st round in the 🇫🇷 election, some takeaways on the campaign, results & what to expect next. A relatively long 🧵, as there is a lot to unpack. /1
First, on the results: 1st round shows Macron as frontrunner. But do not interpret this as a safe win for him in the 2nd round. 33% voted for far-right candidates, 26% for far-left, which brings “extreme” vote in France to over 50% in total. This is worrying. (@lemondefr) /2
2nd round will take place on 24.04. Polls vary between 45:55 & 49:51 for Macron, but it very much depends on Mélenchon voters (22% in 1st round). Several candidates (Pécresse, Hidalgo, Jadot) called for a Macron vote - except Eric Zemmour, who endorsed Le Pen. (@franceinfo) /3
Amid all the hustle and bustle, it's hard to keep track of what actually happened yesterday in Brussels. Here are some takeaways from the diplomatic showdown (NATO, G7, EUCO) including @POTUS attendance & @ZelenskyyUa speeches. A 🧵 /1
Second, NATO news: NATO agreed on 4 new battlegroups on its "Eastern flank". In total, 40,000 soldiers stationed next to the border. More resources will be spent to prevent cyberattacks & to prepare for potential biological & chemical attacks./3 nato.int/cps/en/natohq/…