Bertelsmann Stiftung "Europe"

Eyes on the Prize: Shifts in EU interests require a reassessment of relations with the United Kingdom

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The electoral year of 2024 is an opportunity to reset a relationship that will be crucial for Europe's security.

Adaptation or Atrophy? The U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Post-2024

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0200

This policy brief by Erik Brattberg, Associate Partner at the Albright Stonebridge Group, part of DGA Group, in Washington, DC., assesses the achievements and shortcomings of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) to date, charts its possible future evolution, and offers recommendations to enhance transatlantic cooperation on trade and technology issues over the next four years.

Navigating the Future of European Cohesion Policy: Challenges and Trade-Offs

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0200

European Cohesion Policy is at a crossroads, facing unprecedented scrutiny and debate about its relevance and direction in a rapidly changing world. Designed to improve economic, social and territorial conditions across Europe, this policy now confronts new global priorities and fiscal constraints. In our new policy paper Quo vadis, Cohesion Policy? European Regional Development at a Crossroads, we explore the current state and future prospects of Cohesion Policy, highlighting the trade-offs that fuel the ongoing debate.

Germany goes to the polls: How can we combat disinformation?

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0200

In the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s project “Forum against Fakes. Together for a strong democracy”, more than 120 citizens have devised 15 recommendations and 28 measures for dealing with disinformation. Now everyone in Germany is invited to vote on the results.

Towards Transatlantic Coordination on Purchasing and Stockpiling Critical Commodities

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0200

To enhance their economic security, the European Union and the United States should start building strategic reserves of critical commodities in the context of a cooperative framework that commits them to coordinating purchases and providing emergency supplies to one another in case of severe supply disruptions. Such an arrangement would help mitigate critical import vulnerabilities by limiting market instability and deterring covert and overt geo-economic coercive threats. This is the argument put forward by Markus Jaeger, research fellow at DGAP (German Council on Foreign Relations) and an adjunct professor at Columbia University in New York, in this policy brief.

Plenty of positive feedback on the recommendations of the citizens’ assembly “Forum against Fakes”

Tue, 28 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

In its four sessions, the citizens’ assembly compiled five provisional recommendations for better ways to deal with disinformation, and subsequently invited the general public to submit feedback online. The Bertelsmann Stiftung project presents the results of the online participation in a report. The majority of online participants support the recommendations. 9,623 citizens voted 10,381 times on the citizens’ assembly’s five preliminary recommendations and left a comment 1,703 times in all. There is a broad consensus in favour of the recommendations on better ways to deal with disinformation.

Why this year's European elections are so important

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

From June 6 to 9, all eligible voters in the European Union are called upon to elect a new European Parliament. Our Europe expert Malte Zabel explains why this year's European elections are especially crucial for the future of the continent and which challenges EU policy makers will most likely face over the next five years.

Ukraine’s future competitiveness – Directions for structural shifts in investment and trade

Wed, 22 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Amid the full-scale war, Ukrainian and European policymakers face the challenge of supporting the Ukrainian economy to ensure that recovery and EU integration are not jeopardized from the outset. Economic resilience is crucial not only for survival but also as the foundation for the catch-up process that Ukraine must pursue to reduce its disparities vis-à-vis the EU Single Market.

Europe and its neighbours: leveraging the potential of green energy production

Fri, 17 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Economic, social and political relations between Europe and its southern neighbourhood are important - even though the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is torn apart by wars and conflicts. In addition, the entire region around the Mediterranean is severely affected by climate change, with heat waves and water shortages affecting societies. Joint green energy production projects can increase trans-Mediterranean trade potential, as most countries are on a path of economic growth despite the adverse local conditions.

The whole of Germany has a say: Recommendations for dealing with disinformation

Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The Bertelsmann Stiftung project “Forum against Fakes: Together for a stron democracy" has sparked a broad debate about dealing with disinformation. In spring, the project invited citizens to take part in its online participation – and about 200,000 people have already contributed to the debate and submitted 1,611 concrete proposals on how to proceed against fake news. Here are the results of the debate.