229 research outputs found
Preventing collapse in Ukraine: The EU should finance the grass roots directly. CEPS Commentary, 10 December 2014
With the aim of averting the total collapse of the Ukrainian economy, Daniel Gros and Steven Blockmans urge the EU to âoffer a minimum of macro-financial assistance to improve governance, fight corruption and harmonise laws with the EU acquis, while beefing up financing channelled directly to the grass roots
The Geostrategic Implications of TTIP. CEPS Special Report No. 105/April 2015
This paper analyses the strategic considerations that define the perceived need for
transatlantic renewal, and examines the geo-economic impact of the Transatlantic
Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on both emerging powers and poorer
countries. It argues that TTIP has the potential to be a catalyst for trade liberalisation
at the global level, as long as the US and the EU are proactive about making the
âopen architectureâ of TTIP a reality
From a political to a politicised Commission? CEPS Policy Insights No 2019-12/ September 2019
The Commission proposed by President-elect Ursula von der Leyen has been carefully
calibrated to woo major parties in the European Parliament, member state governments
and citizens alike. Announcing a âgeopolitical Commissionâ, von der Leyen expects her
restructured institution to be better equipped to tackle the global forces unleashed by a
protectionist âAmerica Firstâ policy and an increasingly assertive China. It remains to be seen,
however, whether some of von der Leyenâs more controversial choices will balance themselves
out in the first 100 days after the new Commission takes office on November 1st, or backfire
further down the line. The latter, in particular, concerns the role of the Commission as an
impartial guardian of the treaties
The Case for EU Police Mission Ukraine. CEPS Commentary, 14 May 2014
The EU appears to be out of its depth as a geopolitical actor trying to deal with the crisis in Ukraine. In this new CEPS Commentary, Steven Blockmans and Daniel Gros argue that the EU should concentrate on what really matters now: namely, preventing any further escalation of the conflict by sending a substantial stabilisation force to the areas that have so far remained relatively calm
Trumpâs election foreshadows further divisions in Europe. CEPS Commentary, 9 November 2016
The victory of Donald Trump has sent shockwaves throughout Europe. Under President
Trump, US domestic and foreign policies can be expected to become more volatile and
less predictable. For years, Trump has fairly consistently espoused the view that the US
has been taken advantage of by the free-riding of its so-called âstrategicâ partners. With Trump,
a US retreat from the world can be expected. Guarantees that have underpinned more than 70
years of post-war global order are melting into air. This will affect Europe, in particular in the
fields of trade and security and call into question previously shared values
A Commission of concrete steps rather than grand strategy. Policy Priorities for 2019-2024, 19 September 2019
The von der Leyen Commission inherits a Union that has largely overcome its âpolycrisesâ.
The economy has stabilised and employment continues to grow, despite the slowdown
in the global economy. Apart from some fluctuations in the risk premium on Italian
government bonds, the financial markets are largely without tension. The flow of refugees has
fallen to a fraction of the peak registered three and four years ago.
At the same time, trust in the EU and its institutions has increased steadily across most member
states, reaching near-record values, and participation rates in the recent elections for the
European Parliament also increased considerably. Against this background, it is not surprising
that the various Eurosceptic parties did not do as well as expected in these elections.
In the absence of unforeseen major shocks, the EU institutions
should now be less engaged in crisis management and more able to
pursue a long-term strategic agenda. The President-elect of the
European Commission has also set out her overall programme,
which is highly ambitious in many respects, hits all the right notes in
terms of policy prioritisation but, significantly, does not recognise
any trade-offs between different goals.
Recognising trade-offs is essential for policymaking. For example,
protecting citizens from terrorist threats might necessitate limitations to their freedoms.
Fostering a climate-neutral Europe has costs that might weigh on growth and be difficult to
distribute fairly. Any concrete political strategy will need to address these trade-offs â which
political leaders typically fail to do
The EUâs Response to the Refugee Crisis: Taking Stock and Setting Policy Priorities. CEPS Essay No. 20, 16 December 2015
What have been the most important EU policy and legal responses to the 2015 refugee crisis? Is Europe taking effectively responsibility in compliance with its founding principles? This Essay takes stock of the main results and policy outputs from the EUâs interventions in the refugee crisis. It critically highlights the outstanding policy dilemmas confronting the adopted instruments and puts forwards a set of policy priorities to guide the next phases of the European Agenda on Migration
The European Border and Coast Guard Addressing migration and asylum challenges in the Mediterranean? CEPS Task Force Report, 1 February 2017
The humanitarian refugee crisis in Europe of 2015-2016 has revealed several unfinished elements and shortcomings in current EU policies and approaches to migration, asylum and borders, particularly those applying in southern EU maritime borders and frontier states in the Mediterranean. This book provides a critical examination of the main issues and lessons learned from this crisis and gives an up-to-date assessment of the main policy, legal and institutional responses that have been put in place at the EU level. It further examines the extent to which these responses can be expected to work under the current system of sharing responsibilities among EU member states in assessing asylum applications and ensuring a consistent implementation of EU legal standards that comply with the rule of law and fundamental rights.
This report is based on original research and draws upon the existing literature, along with the discussions of a CEPS Task Force that met over six months, under the chairmanship of Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute, Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po and former Prime Minister of Italy. The rapporteurs offer specific recommendations and possible scenarios for policy optimisation and assess the extent to which the establishment of a European Border and Asylum Service (EBAS) could address the current gaps and challenges in EU and member statesâ migration policies
Association between vascular FDG uptake during follow-up and the development of thoracic aortic aneurysms in giant cell arteritis
BackgroundA positive PET scan at diagnosis was associated with a greater yearly increase in ascending and descending aortic diameter and thoracic aortic volume in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). Radiologic and histopathologic vascular abnormalities persist in a subset of treated patients despite clinical remission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between vascular FDG uptake during follow-up and the development of thoracic aortic aneurysms.MethodsWe recently performed a prospective cohort study of 106 GCA patients, who underwent FDG PET and CT imaging at diagnosis and CT imaging yearly for a maximum of 10 years. In this post hoc analysis, GCA patients who also have had FDG PET imaging during follow-up were included. PET scans were visually scored (0â3) at 7 vascular areas. PET scans were considered positive in case of FDG uptake â„grade 2 in any large vessel.ResultsEighty-eight repeat PET scans were performed in 52 out of 106 GCA patients, who were included in the original prospective cohort. Fifty-five (63%) PET scans were done at the time of a relapse and 33 (38%) were done while in remission. Nine out of ten patients with an incident thoracic aortic aneurysm had both a positive PET scan at diagnosis and during follow-up.ConclusionIn addition to the intensity and extent of the initial vascular inflammation, ongoing aortic inflammation may contribute to the development of thoracic aortic aneurysms in GCA. However, this hypothesis should be confirmed in a large prospective trial with repeat PET scans at predefined time points during follow-up
Britainâs Future in Europe: The known Plan A to remain or the unknown Plan B to leave. CEPS Paperback 2nd Ed., March 2016
Following the agreement made by Prime Minister David Cameron with the EU on 18-19 February 2016, the day for the referendum for the UK to remain in or leave the EU is set for 23 June 2016. This will be the most important decision taken by the British people in half a century, and whose consequences will live on for another half century.
The first edition of this book, published in March 2015, laid the foundations for any objective assessment of the workings of the EU and the UKâs place in it. It was widely acclaimed and rated as âa myth-breaking exercise of the best kindâ.
This second edition adds a substantial new chapter following Cameronâs agreement with the EU and announcement of the referendum. It reviews both the âPlan Aâ, namely the status quo for the UK in the EU as amended by the new agreement, and three variants of a âPlan Bâ for secession. The key point is that the âleaveâ camp have not done their homework or âdue diligenceâ to specify the post-secession scenario, or how the British government would face up to the challenges that this would bring. The authors therefore do the âleaveâ campâs homework for them, setting out three Plan Bs more concretely and in more depth than the âleaveâ camp have been able or wanted to do, or any other source has done.
The book is therefore unique and essential reading for anyone concerned with the fateful choice that lies soon ahead
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