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European Union

July 18, 2025

The 'reverse Brussels effect': how criticism of EU regulations has been weaponised against liberal values

Mateusz Łabuz For years, the European Union has played the role of global regulator, setting standards and norms that often apply beyond its borders. Scholars have called this phenomenon the 'Brussels effect'. Today, however, argues Mateusz Łabuz, these norm-setting activities risk demonising the EU, and undermining its values Read more
July 16, 2025

Civil society mobilisation in EU policy debates 

Evelien Willems Does civil society mobilisation reduce socioeconomic bias in EU policy debate? A study by Evelien Willems, Iskander De Bruycker, and Marcel Hanegraaff reveals that active engagement by civil society organisations narrows the representation gap for people of low socioeconomic status. This offers a promising path toward more inclusive EU policy-making  Read more
July 15, 2025

🧭 Enlargement reimagined: the shifting logics behind the EU’s expansion

Marius Ghincea What motivates EU enlargement? Marius Ghincea and Laurențiu Pleșca argue that the Union’s approach has evolved through three overlapping logics — transformation, stabilisation, and demarcation. By unpacking how these priorities have shifted over time, they offer a more nuanced understanding of enlargement in a changing geopolitical context Read more
July 10, 2025

The EU’s quiet shift toward an ‘(un)safe fourth country’ asylum policy

Gaia Romeo The European Commission has proposed letting member states drop the ‘connection requirement’ from the ‘safe third country’ concept in asylum cases. Gaia Romeo and Frowin Rausis argue this seemingly technical tweak marks a major shift — toward an ‘(un)safe fourth country’ approach that some countries have repeatedly tried, and failed Read more
July 9, 2025

The British National (Overseas) visa: a geopolitical tool in UK-China relations 

James F. Downes Political parties frame the UK’s British National (Overseas) visa scheme as historical humanitarian responsibility towards Hong Kong in the context of UK-China relations. But is that really the case? James F. Downes and Kenneth Lai analysed parliamentary speeches from 2019 to 2023. Their findings suggest the UK government uses BNO visas as a geopolitical tool Read more
July 8, 2025

🧭 How staged integration can revitalise EU enlargement

Ivan Nagornyak Staged integration is gaining traction to revitalise EU enlargement without lowering standards. Drawing on Ukraine’s experience, Ivan Nagornyak and Mariia Shalamberidze examine expert models and propose a structured, fair, and security-conscious approach Read more
July 2, 2025

Is Bulgaria really ready for the euro?

Albrecht Rothacher In 2026, Bulgaria will likely join the eurozone. On the surface, the economic indicators look good. But Albrecht Rothacher and Martin Bull argue that this may be another example of the will of Brussels triumphing over hard socioeconomic reality. Bulgarians, they warn, should brace themselves for a fiscal shock Read more
June 23, 2025

🧭 How the European Parliament can shape enlargement 

Lien Jansen Often dismissed as a procedural bystander in EU enlargement, the European Parliament holds underused tools to shape outcomes — from budgetary leverage to informal diplomacy. Lien Jansen argues that the European Parliament can act strategically — if internal cohesion and inter-institutional cooperation align. Its latent power matters more than ever in today’s geopolitical climate Read more

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