Publications Archive

Europe's population is ageing dramatically. Care systems are facing ever greater social and financial challenges with massive staff shortages. The Commission therefore announced a new care strategy on 7 September. The Centrum für Europäische Politik (cep) believes that a reform is urgently needed. The think tank insists on more help for friends and relatives who act as carers.

The Secretary General of the Italian Federation of Banks, Insurance and Financial Markets and Professor of Political Economy, Paolo Garonna, explains in the new cep Network format, GuestAdhoc, his position on EU-Africa relations disrupted by the war in Ukraine. According to him, the war in Ukraine has led to a major crisis in EU-Africa relations, despite the fact that the European Union-African Union summit held on 17 and 18 February was perceived as a success by observers.

As a consequence of the Corona pandemic, the European Union wants to strengthen its preparedness and crisis response. An important building block is the new health authority HERA. The Centres for European Policy Network (cep) considers the institution to be useful, but urges the participation of the EU Parliament and the Member States in view of the distribution of competencies in the health sector.

The expansion of future technologies creates an enormous demand for indispensable raw materials. The European Union faces the challenge of securing the supply of these critical materials. In a cepInput, the Centrum für Europäische Politik (cep) gives recommendations for an EU raw materials strategy.

Central banks around the world are increasingly focusing on the introduction of digital currencies, so-called Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC), as innovative means of payment. These are intended to serve both retail payments and trade between financial market players. The Centre de Politique Européenne | Paris (cep) has investigated this development. According to the study, Europe is not ready yet for the digital euro.

The European Union wants to massively expand the production of cutting-edge computer chips. The aim is to reduce dependence on countries such as the United States, Taiwan and South Korea through European research and production. The Centrum für Europäische Politik (cep), has doubts that the law will have this effect and fears a subsidy race worth billions. The cep had already warned against an industrial policy aberration last March.

The European Union is lurching from one crisis to the next. Economic prosperity and democratic consensus are at risk as it never happened before. Because of this, the Centres for European Policy Network (cep) calls for rapid reforms and, more than ever, for a multi-speed Europe. Otherwise, irreversible political, economic and technological regression looms.

The EU Commission wants to strengthen the internal market for investment funds with a package of measures. To this end, it plans to introduce regulations for loan-originating funds and to provide fund managers with uniform instruments for liquidity management. The Center for European Policy (cep) particularly welcomes the uniform requirements for loan-originating funds. However, it sees also enough room for improvement.

Surging energy prices as a result of the Ukraine war are vehemently urging the European Union to turn away from fossil fuels. Brussels therefore sees potential in green hydrogen. The Center for European Policy (cep) considers this energy carrier to be an important, albeit limited, element on the path towards a decarbonized European economy.

The EU wants to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 and by 55 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990. To this end, the European Commission has proposed an extensive set of measures ("Fit for 55"). The Centrum für Europäische Politik (cep) welcomes the highly controversial Emissions Trading System for Road Traffic and Buildings (EU EHS II) but calls for social cushioning of exploding energy prices.