In their PIVOT-book, Pernille Rieker and Mathilde Tomine Eriksdatter Giske make sense of and evaluate the state of European strategic autonomy using a novel framework of differentiated integration. This framework captures the complexity of European integration both within the EU and beyond, taking into consideration the vertical and horizontal, formal and informal, internal and external dimensions of integration. It opens up for an alternative understanding of EU(ropean) actorness and strategic autonomy. Military helicopter and flags. Photo taken in Kranj during the visit of Ursula von der Le ..read more

Over the last fifteen years, EU leaders have frequently resorted to emergency measures in response to periods of crisis. But while these measures may have helped bring order to unstable situations, have they come at a cost for the EU’s legitimacy? Jonathan White argues that instead of bolstering the EU’s fire-fighting capacity, we would be better served by designing a ‘normal’ regime that is able to handle extreme circumstances. Charles Michel, President of the European Council at the round table of the European Council Summit of 24 June 2021. Source: European Council. In today’s volat ..read more

In her master’s thesis, Silva Malin Hoffmann investigated how the European Union and European Economic Area are portrayed in the Norwegian media. This blogpost draws on her thesis, showing that membership to the EEA is framed as less negative and as entailing more national sovereignty than membership to the EU — which, Hoffmann argues, is an illusion.    News stand in the centre of Oslo. Illustration photo: gabriol The EU is once again becoming an important issue in Norwegian politics. Even more so after the NAV scandal that followed a costly misinterpretation of the EU law in ..read more

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the subsequent war that followed, the idea of Europe is once again in question argued Gerard Delanty in his speech at the 15th Ecumenical Social Week organized in Lviv.   Demonstration against Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in Ljubljana, Slovenia held in February 2022. Credit: European Commission Audiovisual Centre.  Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the subsequent war that followed, the idea of Europe is once again in question. The formation and identity of Europe throughout history has been ..read more

In her EU3D-funded master’s thesis, Marte Christophersen Haugen explored how Brussels offices representing regions work and interact at the European level. The results show that being from a non-member state or a geographical periphery does not hinder regions’ activity in Brussels. What matters, Marte argues, is a proactive presence and active networking as well as continuity, long-term thinking, and specialization in the work. The Arctic regions of Norway are proactive in their work towards the EU, writes Marte Christophersen Haugen. Picture from Tromsø, Norway. Illustration photo: Kirk K ..read more

In the aftermath of the Conference on the Future of Europe, member of the EU3D Advisory Board Andrew Duff argues that only a reformed EU can shoulder its serious responsibilities for the wider Europe. He explains what a reformed EU should look like in this blog post.  Photo by Ola Fras on European Union 2022 – Source : EP  Czechia, which holds the current presidency-in-office of the Council, is obstructing the constitutional development of the European Union. Opinion is divided about whether this is a matter of competence or because of long held euroscepticism. Probably both factors ..read more

As the attention of the European public opinion has turned to Ukraine, it is our duty and responsibility not to leave the accession plans for the Balkans fall into oblivion, writes Marilena Koppa. Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash. Nineteen years after the Thessaloniki Summit that offered an accession perspective to the Western Balkans, the region is stuck and the process frozen. Enlargement has become a bureaucratic process for the relevant Directorate of the Commission where ‘business as usual’ is conducted — although nothing is as it was some years ago. In fact, with the exception of Turk ..read more

In his EU3D-funded master’s thesis, Simon Zemp analyses how Swiss newspapers have referred to Brexit as a benchmark when evaluating the recent attempts of the Swiss government to (re-)negotiate its bilateral relations with the EU. The results show that Brexit references were important in the public debate about the Swiss EU relationship and were often referred to as a ‘role model’. Schwexit. Illustration by: Marcus Gottfried (toonpool.com). Immediately after the British vote to leave the European Union, observers feared that Brexit might boost Euroscepticism in the rest of Europe. Since then ..read more

With the new ‘traffic light’ government in Germany, one could have expected a game changer in Germany’s approach to fiscal integration. Instead, the coalition agreement is a compromise between maintaining the old fiscal regulatory framework and showing some moderate opening towards new European spending powers. The so-called ‘traffic light’ coalition in Germany is made up by the the Social Democrats (SDP), the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP) (Photo: Francisco Welter-Schultes, CC0 1.0) The coalition agreement of the new German government led by Olaf Scholz does not advocate for providing ..read more

The next steps in the EU’s constitutional development must involve greater care for the wider Europe, Andrew Duff argues. He proposes the introduction of a new category of EU affiliate membership, allowing the EU’s western and eastern neighbours alike to become stable and reliable partners. Enlargement must only proceed if it enhances the EU’s own security and that of the applicants. (Illustration: Dati Bendo/European Union) One of the more diverting exercises in literary criticism during 2022 will be the simultaneous publication of NATO’s Strategic Concept and the EU’s Strategic Compass. Wh ..read more