Good migration policy starts with a healthy debate. At @maastrichtunibxl.bsky.social, we brought together researchers from @maastrichtu.bsky.social with policy actors from the EU institutions and member states to discuss. Alberto Horst from @epc-official.bsky.social elaborates

Europa belooft economische groei door onze ligging in het hart van Noordwest-Europa. Maar plukt Maastricht daar echt de vruchten van, of vooral de grote bedrijven? Tweede debat van Studio Europa x Sphinx, 30 september, Centre Céramique. Meld je aan: www.aanmelder.nl/177861/regi...

Upcoming: Europe Speech with Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen. A speech on the future of Europe, followed by Q&A. What are you going to ask the Minister? Register here: www.aanmelder.nl/europespeec...

Migratie bepaalt het debat over Europa, maar het gesprek blijft vaak steken bij de headlines. Dit najaar nemen we er de tijd voor: 11 september over asielmigratie, 1 oktober over arbeidsmigratie, in TivoliVredenburg. 🎫 www.tivolivredenburg.nl/open-europa/

Ferenc Laczo (@fasosmaastricht.bsky.social) and Marijn van der Sluis have (@lawinmaastricht.bsky.social) been awarded a €5000 @studioeuropa.bsky.social grant to explore how democracy and the rule of law can be strengthened in a changing world🌍 Congratulations both!👏

Europa wil soeverein zijn, maar leunt voor veiligheid nog altijd op de VS. Wat betekent defensie-autonomie eigenlijk in de praktijk, en wat kost het? Café Europa duikt er live in op 16 september bij de Nieuwspoort in Den Haag. studioeuropamaastricht.nl/nl/event/ca...

Studio Europa Maastricht - Café Europa special: De Staat van Europa in een Gevaarlijke Wereld

Een speciale Café Europa over de State of The UnionEuropa droomt van soevereiniteit. Alleen: tussen droom en daad staan wetten in de weg, en praktische bezwaren. De AI van Trumps tech bro’s domineert onze markt en we blijven leunen op Amerika voor onze veiligheid. Gaat de EU echt werk maken van haar onafhankelijkheid? Het antwoord moet komen uit de State of the European Union van Commissievoorzitter Ursula von der Leyen. Daarin presenteert ze aan het Europees Parlement de plannen voor het komende jaar.

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"I remember being called in by the Commissioner. He was all for the boycott, and announced he was going to take an initiative which terrified all his officials." For 12 years, Tony Venables was the voice of the European consumer. Read his story: oralhistoryeu.nl/interview/v...

Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen @ministerbz.bsky.social is coming to Maastricht on 26 August. A speech on the future of Europe, followed by Q&A with the audience. What are you going to ask the minister? Register here: www.aanmelder.nl/europespeech...

Merz wil het sterkste leger van Europa, terwijl de armoede in Duitsland stijgt. Beatrice de Graaf (University Utrecht) legt uit hoe die twee samenhangen. Yf Reykers (@maastrichtu.bsky.social) schuift ook aan. 🎧 De nieuwe Café Europa podcast staat nu online. open.spotify.com/episode/3s6...

Op 11 september praten we bij @tivolivredenburg.bsky.social over de toekomst van asielmigratie. Met @tinekestrik.bsky.social, Europarlementariër en hoogleraar migratierecht, die eerder Frontex onderzocht op betrokkenheid bij pushbacks. www.tivolivredenburg.nl/open-europa/

±30 mins on the Autobahn while the Bundespolizei checks passports. Under Schengen, that's meant to be the exception. Martin Unfried (ITEM) on why the legal basis is doubtful, and the translation error in the Schengen code the Commission missed. studioeuropamaastricht.nl/2026/07/06/...

Two new funding rounds for Europe-focused research at @maastrichtu.bsky.social! Our research calls are open again. Up to €10,000 for interdisciplinary research, up to €5,000 for academic events and outreach on Europe. Round closes mid-October. Details: studioeuropamaastricht.nl/research/re...

Nadia Moussaid modereert het tweeluik Open Europa? in TivoliVredenburg. 11 september: asielmigratie. 1 oktober: arbeidsmigratie. Twee avonden, één centraal thema. Tickets: www.tivolivredenburg.nl/open-europa/

This Saturday: learn to draw your own political cartoon 🧑‍🎨 A cartoon workshop with Maarten Wolterink takes place this Saturday, 11 July, 14:00 to 15:30, at Centre Céramique. Reserve your spot: www.shop.centreceramique.nl/Exhibitions...

📘 Together with @studioeuropa.bsky.social, we've published the first Policy Brief in our joint collection on EU migration policy. How can soft enforcement help ensure the effective implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum? Read the full Policy Brief here 👇 www.epc.eu/publication/...

Mutual Recognition of Return Decisions: Quick Fix or Structural Challenge?

On 1 June 2026, the European Parliament and Council reached an agreement on the Regulation establishing a new Common European System for Returns (Legislative Proposal 2025/0059(COD)). The reform is intended to address what is widely perceived as one of the most persistent weaknesses of EU migration policy: the limited effectiveness of return policy. Return procedures remain fragmented, unevenly implemented, and difficult to measure. In the period 2020- 2024, only between 16% and 24% of non-EU nationals issued with an order to leave effectively returned to a third country.

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The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum just entered into force. Is it a fix, or as Prof Lilian Tsourdi ( @lawinmaastricht.bsky.social ) puts it, "a palliative solution"? Read her take on the Pact here: studioeuropamaastricht.nl/2026/07/02/...

Vocational students wrote a manifesto on tolerance in the form of a fairytale. Then they presented it to MEPs @jeroenlenaers.bsky.social, @moritzkoerner.bsky.social, and @danielfreund.bsky.social at the European Parliament. Watch the full recap here 👇 youtu.be/_T-NxD65Ky4

European Voices of Tolerance: Students Present Their Manifesto in Brussels

What happens when high school students sit down with Members of the...

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With @epc-official.bsky.social, we're launching a Policy Brief Collection on EU Migration Policy. The second brief is available now: Mutual Recognition of Return Decisions: Quick Fix or Structural Challenge? Read and download the brief here: umlib.nl/mup.sem.c2-0...

With @epc-official.bsky.social, we're launching a Policy Brief Collection on EU Migration Policy. First: Strengthening the Implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum through Soft Enforcement. Read and download the brief here: umlib.nl/mup.sem.c2-0...

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigns, the day before the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote. Emeritus Professor Michael Shackleton told us closer EU–UK ties depend on political changes inside the UK. That moment may have just arrived. Full interview: studioeuropamaastricht.nl/nl/2026/06/...

Leer cartoon tekenen met politiek cartoonist Maarten Wolterink. Via toegankelijke oefeningen ontdek je hoe je politieke ideeën omzet in beeld. Geen ervaring nodig. Inclusief rondleiding door de tentoonstelling "De 20 beste politieke cartoons van Europa." www.shop.centreceramique.nl/Exhibitions...

💻 Beyond the platform debate As war reshapes Europe’s political and digital landscape, how do digital tools fuel both humanitarian action and political identity under authoritarian pressure? Olga Zvonareva (Maastricht University) shares her insights. 👉 Full interview: lnkd.in/ebzt-uhr

Congratulations to @hdijkstra.bsky.social for his appointment as UM Europe Chair at @studioeuropa.bsky.social, effective 1 September 2026👏 He will lead the university’s Europe-focused research agenda, strengthening the connection between academic #research, #policy and public #debate.

We are excited to share that Hylke Dijkstra will join Studio Europa as UM Europe Chair! He is tasked with strengthening Maastricht University's societal impact by translating research findings into meaningful contributions for policy-makers and the wider public. Read more: bit.ly/4ab6lCT

25 jaar geleden kwamen de eerste euro-biljetten uit een automaat in Maastricht: lees hier het hele interview met Gerrit Zalm. Over de formulering van het Groei en Stabiliteitspact (1996) en de onderhandelingen over het Verdrag van Amsterdam. 👉 oralhistoryeu.nl/interview/za... #WorkingOnEurope

Everyone debates #TikTok & #Instagram. Meanwhile, 11-year-olds live on #Snapchat. In this interview, Katleen Gabriels and @studioeuropa.bsky.social explain Snap Map, streaks & the hidden risks for kids—and why policymakers (and parents) are missing it. Read the full interview 👇 shorturl.at/R1cVf

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗲𝘁? 📩 Read it online here: lnkd.in/eN7TBFJH In this edition you can read an interview about the Iran conflict, find out about our upcoming events, see what we've been up to in recent weeks, and listen to the latest episode of the Café Europa podcast.

𝗔𝘀 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 🇪🇺 Join us at Lumière Maastricht for an evening with film and conversation. Click here to register for this event: lnkd.in/etVqXDzV #WorkingOnEurope

Making research matter 💥 Studio Europa Maastricht helps researchers turn their work into policy impact. Moral philosopher Katleen Gabriels (UM) shows how Snapchat leaves young users vulnerable under the EU Digital Services Act. Read the full interview here: lnkd.in/gqMJhCUp #WorkingOnEurope

Four years ago today, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 🇺🇦 How is the war reshaping EU defence? What were the key signals from Munich? We spoke with it with Dr Petar Petrov (Universiteit Maastricht). More here: studioeuropamaastricht.nl/2026/02/24/f... #WorkingOnEurope