Especially in times of a global recession, the EU should prioritize spending where it provides the most benefit to citizens and Member States in the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. In their paper, Michael Thöne and Helena Kreuter show how the concept of European public goods allows such a prioritization of EU politics and provides a compelling narrative for a reorganization of EU politics towards more sovereign decision-making – but only where it is truly needed.

"Digital sovereignty" is a declared goal of the German EU Council Presidency. However, for a term that is so central to the current political debate, it is very vague. What exactly can digital sovereignty mean? What are the necessary framework conditions to enable the EU to assert its values and legal concepts in the digital space?

In an online editorial, Christian Kastrop, director of the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Europe's Future program, and Thomas Wieser, long-time chairman of the preparatory committee of the European Council of Economic and Finance Ministers and the Eurogroup, argue that the Corona crisis provides an example of how the European Union must change to survive in the 21st century.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung and seven of Europe’s leading think tanks and foundations have initiated Vision Europe to enhance their cooperation. Vision Europe aims at fostering European integration and at promoting innovative solutions to Europe’s most pressing public policy challenges. Through research, publications and an annual summit, Vision Europe is a forum for debates and new ideas at both national and EU levels.

Our short film "Zurück Zu Europa" and our interactive online game on Europe, the "Unionslabor" address the younger generation to help them better understand Europe.

A high-level Reflection Group brings together a group of politicians, representatives of key European institutions and independent experts several times a year to discuss and develop proposals for "new" European policy from the perspective of European public goods.

The Vision Europe Dialogue 2019 took place in Helsinki, Finland on 1 and 2 April 2019 to discuss the theme “Making Europe a pioneer of the fair data economy”.

Globalization brought growth and prosperity to many countries, but not all citizens benefited from it. This conference declaration contains policy recommendations expressed by leaders of eight European Think Tanks and foundations in order to turn more people into winners of globalization.

The participants of the third Vision Europe Summit discussed policies which can contribute to a better distribution of the benefits of globalization. The debates highlighted a fair trade policy and instruments of social and labour market policy which enable citizens to cope with change.

Globalization is supposed to bring progress, but some people are being left behind. How can the gains resulting from the globe's growing interdependencies be distributed without certain social groups or regions losing out? That is the topic that participants will discuss on November 14 and 15 at the Vision Europe Summit in Turin – with a Nobel Prize laureate, among others. Be part of the gathering as it's streamed live!

Despite the range of differences among European states, how might we design and promote an effective and viable asylum policy? In the face of policies driven primarily by individual interests, is the EU the only means of forging a collective response to challenges? Indeed, doesn't the EU offer an advantage over nation-states acting alone? Though the answer to these questions remains difficult, experts and policymakers broadly agree on what needs to be done, as seen at an expert roundtable hosted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in Berlin.

At the occasion of the second Vision Europe Summit in November 2016 leaders from the eight convening think tanks and foundations signed the conference declaration "Building common ground: Towards strategic migration and refugee policies in Europe".

The objective of this year's Vision Europe Summit in Lisbon was to find better answers to the refugee crisis for Europe as a whole. The event's keynote speaker, UN Secretary-General-designate António Guterres, called on countries to do their part – and announced his own political initiatives.

Stakeholders discussed how the EU can help steer its member states toward the goal of achieving a social triple-A rating at the “Revitalising welfare states – what role for the EU?” dinner conference held in Brussels.

European leaders need to implement common European solutions to the refugee crisis. Only joint solutions can credibly and effectively reduce the growing human suffering and social and political turmoil. Leaders of seven European think tanks and foundations have signed an open letter to European politicians spotlighting five urgent measures for addressing the crisis.

At the occasion of the summit, leaders from the seven convening think tanks and foundations and from one associated think tank signed the conference declaration “Redesigning European welfare states: A time for action".

Together with partners and high-level experts from all over Europe, we make and promote innovative proposals to rethink the European Union. At the same time, we develop new tools to help better communicate Europe.

Islamist terror, the Euro crisis and the migrant question pose a variety of challenges to Europe. Ensuring peace and stability within Europe will depend on how well social and welfare systems in Europe are maintained and fostered. How to go about this was the topic of the first Vision Europe Summit held in Berlin in November 2015.

From Lisbon to Helsinki, people are both hopeful and fearful when it comes to the future of the welfare state. Above all, they are worried about pensions and elder care. A majority is counting on the EU to preserve social welfare standards and would even like Brussels to take a more active role.

Despite opposition by entrenched interests, welfare states in Europe need to be reformed if they shall be able to fulfill what they have been designed for namely social progress and security.