UvdL proposed numerous new initiatives. But proposals will not close the #EU's ambition-delivery gap. The real test is whether national governments are ready to match the necessary ambition with the political will, resources and collective action required to make #EUrope fit for the new era. #SOTEU

The “Congress of Europe” proposed by Preisdent von der Leyen shouldn't only seek to "recapture the European imagination". It must address how the EU needs to change to deliver. #SOTEU (1/2)

As indicated in our "A Test of Times" publication ⁦‪@epc_eu‬⁩, a speedy #EU accession of Ukraine (and others) is the right thing do in the geopolitical environment we live in. However, "reverse enlargement": (1/2) www.politico.eu/article/5-st...

5 steps to get Ukraine into the EU in 2027

Plans to bring Kyiv into the tent before it has completed all reforms and to remove Hungary’s veto signal a sense of urgency in Brussels.

politico.eu

"Greenland is part of a broader agenda that seeks to weaken the European Union, further split Europeans and strengthen political forces ideologically aligned with Trumpism inside member states." Read more here by Fabian Zuleeg, @almutm.bsky.social & me @epc-official.bsky.social

European Policy Centre@epc-official.bsky.social · 8mo ago

🚨 Trump’s Venezuela move isn’t an aberration — it signals interventionist isolationism: power without responsibility, rules replaced by leverage. As Fabian Zuleeg, @almutm.bsky.social & @jaemmanouilidis.bsky.social argue, Europe must adapt and defend its values. 🔗 www.epc.eu/publication/...

Good that #EUCO invited Commission to present its "in-depth policy reviews" related to #EU enlargement, which should have already been presented in Spring 2025. However, it's by no means sure that COM will put forward an ambitious set of proposals related to all four pillars. (1/2)

Important to note that #EUCO decided that #EU will use the instrument of "enhanced cooperation" to provide the loan to Ukraine based on #EU borrowing. It's the first time that this instrument enshrined in EU Treaties (Art. 20 TEU & Art. 212 TFEU) is used for such an important #EUCO decision. (1/2)

#EUCO Conclusions repeat mantra that #EU "needs to lay the necessary internal groundwork & reforms". EU leaders again fail to agree on concrete steps aiming to prepare EU for a reform of its operating system. This undermines EU's credibility & shows that #EU27 not able to live up to test of times.

Ronald Reagan on 24 March 1982: "As we commemorate the achievements of men like Jean Monnet, we must follow his example and those of the other giants of that generation…" What a contrast to Trump's new US National Security Strategy. Read more here: www.epc.eu/publication/...

Trump’s new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to Europe

The passages of the just published US National Security Strategy 2025 most relevant to EUrope are unusually explicit about how President Trump and his administration see the continent’s future – and who will lead it.

epc.eu

Trump's new National Security Strategy - an existential threat to EUrope "The EU is directly criticised, with a strong implication that 'regime change' or dismantling of existing structures is the desired path." Read more here @epc-official.bsky.social www.epc.eu/publication/...

Trump’s new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to Europe

The passages of the just published US National Security Strategy 2025 most relevant to EUrope are unusually explicit about how President Trump and his administration see the continent’s future – and who will lead it.

epc.eu

Ronald Reagan on 24 March 1982: "As we commemorate the achievements of men like Jean Monnet, we must follow his example and those of the other giants of that generation…" What a contrast to Trump's new US National Security Strategy. Read more here: www.epc.eu/publication/...

Trump’s new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to Europe

The passages of the just published US National Security Strategy 2025 most relevant to EUrope are unusually explicit about how President Trump and his administration see the continent’s future – and who will lead it.

epc.eu

"Meeting this challenge requires a more ambitious mindset on this side of the Atlantic – the answer is more Europe, not less, to defend integration & liberal democracy against the clearly visible threats." Read more here @epc-official.bsky.social www.epc.eu/publication/...

Trump’s new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to Europe

The passages of the just published US National Security Strategy 2025 most relevant to EUrope are unusually explicit about how President Trump and his administration see the continent’s future – and who will lead it.

epc.eu

Trump's new National Security Strategy - an existential threat to EUrope "The EU is directly criticised, with a strong implication that 'regime change' or dismantling of existing structures is the desired path." Read more here @epc-official.bsky.social www.epc.eu/publication/...

Trump’s new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to Europe

The passages of the just published US National Security Strategy 2025 most relevant to EUrope are unusually explicit about how President Trump and his administration see the continent’s future – and who will lead it.

epc.eu

Trump's new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to EUrope Read more here @epc-official.bsky.social: www.epc.eu/publication/...

Trump’s new National Security Strategy – an existential threat to Europe

The passages of the just published US National Security Strategy 2025 most relevant to EUrope are unusually explicit about how President Trump and his administration see the continent’s future – and who will lead it.

epc.eu

Are the #EU27 really serious about enlargement & internal EU reform? Will they be able to pass this major test of our times? If you're interested in these questions join our online event on 10/11 between 14:00-15:00 Register here: www.epc.eu/events/enlar... Read here: www.epc.eu/publication/...

Enlargement and internal EU reform: Will EUrope finally match vision with action?

In short, will the Enlargement Package and the pre-enlargement policy reviews mark a turning point, or merely another cautious, procedural step? And can they help EUrope pass the “test of times” by aligning enlargement with internal EU reform?

epc.eu

The Commission's 2025 Enlargement Package testifies that a good number of candidates have progressed on their path towards #EU accession. But the Commission has again postponed the presentation of its pre-enlargement policy reviews and reforms. This is a wrong political message.

It is no surprise that there's so much criticism towards COM's 2028-2034 #MFF proposal. But this time there's also almost no support for it - neither in MS nor EP. Council's Negotiating Box will most likely counter/tear down many of COM's innovations - including on new own resources.

The COM's proposal for the 2028-2034 #MFF point in right direction. Yet, two key questions remain: (1) Will the proposed increase of the budget to €2 trillion suffice for new era? (2) What will remain of COM‘s proposal once an agreement among member states (#EUCO) will (not) be reached in 2027?

6/ @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu hat die EU-Erweiterung & Reform auf Standby gestellt. Die Juni-2025-Schlussfolgerungen liefern keine Roadmap – anders als 2024 angekündigt. Der Realitätstest für EU & Mitgliedstaaten bleibt bestehen. bsky.app/profile/jaem...

Janis A. Emmanouilidis@jaemmanouilidis.bsky.social · last yr.

The June 2025 #EUCO Conclusions do not present a roadmap for the future work on internal reforms, as #EU leaders had promised in June 2024. All this shows that #EU & member states are not adequately responding to the "Test of Times" when it comes to enlargement & reform.

At #EUCO Zelenskyy warned that delays with the accession could “create a global precedent” and erode trust in the EU. Zelenskyy is right, given that there are many indicators that there is an increasing contrast between the #EU27's words & deeds.

How to match Sunday declarations & speeches into Monday's reality? Read more here: epc-web-s3.s3.amazonaws.com/content/Enla...

The draft #EUCO Conlcusions do not include a roadmap for the future work on internal reforms, as #EU leaders had promised in June 2024. All this shows that #EU & member states are not adequately responding to the "Test of Times" when it comes to enlargement & reform.

The Commission did not publish in-depth pre-enlargement reviews, as #EUCO had called for & UvdL had promised. The Council did not present a follow-up report on future of enlargement & internal reform, as #EUCO had indicated in June 2024.

The Commission did not publish in-depth pre-enlargement reviews, as #EUCO had called for & UvdL had promised. The Council did not present a follow-up report on future of enlargement & internal reform, as #EUCO had indicated in June 2024.

Looking forward to hear the speech of Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos & to discuss our report - "A Test of Times" - with my colleagues next Wednesday. Parallel progress on enlargement & internal #EU reform needs to starts now. Register here: www.epc.eu/events/a-tes...

A Test of Times – Permachange through enlargement and EU reform

The European Union has long recognised enlargement as a geostrategic investment and Russia’s act of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 brought back the imperative to widen the Union. However, the EU27 has been brief when detailing how it plans to reconcile a transformative enlargement process with a more effective EU of 30+ members.      Like the two strands of the Union’s DNA, enlargement and internal EU reform are necessary and should be thought together. But where do we stand in the process towards widening and deepening? What are the Union’s potential strategic enlargement and reform options? Which options should the EU27 choose and how can they be implemented in practice?

epc.eu

European Policy Centre@epc-official.bsky.social · last yr.

📢Policy Dialogue | A Test of Times – Permachange through enlargement and #EU reform 🗓️28 May Join the EPC and Commissioner @martakos.ec.europa.eu for an insightful discussion on #Enlargement and presentation of the EPCs most recent paper on this topic. Register👇 epc.eu/events/a-tes...

“These imperatives could be pursued through a bold use of the treaties. But there is little political will to vest such power in the EU. A supra-governmental avantgarde outside the treaties – without sidelining the EU – may thus be the least bad option.” @jaemmanouilidis.bsky.social

For those who missed it: here the link to the video of the newest edition of our #EU Democracy Reform Conversation. youtu.be/phif5TIAcZo?... We presented & discussed our new @epc-official.bsky.social paper linking enlargement & internal EU reform - A TEST OF TIMES

A Test of Times – Permachange through enlargement and EU reform

YouTube video by European Policy Centre

youtu.be

Looking forward to discussing our new publication on enlargement & internal #EU reform at tomorrow's edition of our online EU Democracy Reform Conversation. Register here: epc.eu/en/events/A-... #EUCO

European Policy Centre@epc-official.bsky.social · last yr.

📢 Event | A Test of Times: Permachange through enlargement and EU reform 🗓️ Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | 11:30 – 12:45 📍 Online Can the EU survive the era of permacrisis without expanding? Join us for a discussion on the future of #EUenlargement and #EUreform Register here 👇 epc.eu/en/events/A-...

Many references to geopolitical imperative of enlargement in Sunday speeches & declarations. But which strategic enlargement options are there & how can they be linked to internal #EU reform? Read more here in new @epc-official.bsky.social paper: www.epc.eu/content/Enla... #EUCO

Many references to geopolitical imperative of enlargement in Sunday speeches & declarations. But which strategic enlargement options are there & how can they be linked to internal #EU reform? Read more here in new @epc-official.bsky.social paper: www.epc.eu/content/Enla... #EUCO

📢 Event | A Test of Times: Permachange through enlargement and EU reform 🗓️ Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | 11:30 – 12:45 📍 Online Can the EU survive the era of permacrisis without expanding? Join us for a discussion on the future of #EUenlargement and #EUreform Register here 👇 epc.eu/en/events/A-...