Thread by @tepsaeu

📺We're publishing a #EuropeChats recap for 2⃣0⃣2⃣1⃣ TODAY‼️

Be sure to watch our LIVE @YouTube Premiere as we consider Europe 2021-2022: "Looking Back and Thinking Ahead"

@CloosJim

We're LIVE!🔴 This will be the last #EuropeChats episode of 2021 but be sure to stay tuned for new episode coming next year too!

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This episode is an end of year recap of challenges faced by 🇪🇺 as well as its main achievements - but we'll also be taking a look forward to 2022

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"It is easier to talk about this than to do them. I still remember what it is like for practitioners in the Institutions - I understand that not everything can go right all of the time"

- @CloosJim reflects on working in the EU Institutions

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"The withdrawal from #Afghanistan as well as a rising China question Western policy and our relationship with the United States"

- @CloosJim on the difficult global situation for Europe, and on why the EU should develop #StrategicAutonomy

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"The EU contributed to a relatively successful outcome of #COP26. Internally the @EU_Commission has put forth a very good proposal: #fitfor55 which we are in the process of negotiating"

- @CloosJim on #ClimateAction

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"On balance, even if there have been mistakes made in the handling of the #COVIDcrisis, I think the response has been positive"

- @CloosJim emphasises that not every decision is totally good or totally bad

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What are the EU's main challenges in 2022?

"They are the same: unfortunately we have to keep managing the #COVID19 crisis and taking #CLimateAction. But we should also look to increase our #StrategicAutonomy"

- @CloosJim thinks ahead to 2022

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"We have had a special regime since #COVID19 - the normal fiscal rules have not applied in the crisis and we need to debate how to come back"

- @CloosJim reflects on how the unique COVID response will affect the European discussion in coming years

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"We all have a lot of our plates, and I wish us all a steady hand and a lot of dynamism"

- @CloosJim on the exciting times ahead for the EU

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That wraps up #EuropeChats episode 9⃣ and our recap of 2021: we're looking forward to coming back to the discussion with more EuropeChats in 2022 so stay tuned! And while you wait, why not revisit this year's great episodes 👉

/ENDS