Publications Archive

Energy transition, security challenges, polycrisis: In turbulent times, traditional economic models reach their limits. The rigid lines between state industrial policy and market-based ordoliberal policy are becoming increasingly blurred. Against this backdrop, the Centre for European Policy (cep) proposes a Europe-wide discussion on a new system of common conceptual thinking.

Climate-friendly hydrogen can make an important contribution to reducing carbon dioxide. At present, however, the new technology is hardly profitable for industry. In order for the market to develop quickly and generate the necessary funding, the EU is planning a European Hydrogen Bank. The Centre for European Policy (cep) sees great opportunities in this instrument, but also risks – above all the danger of over-subsidisation.

Virtual worlds like the metaverse promise growth and jobs. For this reason, the European Commission has drafted a so-called metaverse strategy. The Centre for European Policy (cep) considers the outlined measures questionable. They are misleading, unclearly formulated, and not competitive with US tech giants like Meta.

Berlin/Freiburg. Heavy duty vehicles are responsible for a significant share of CO₂ emissions in the EU. For this reason, the Commission wants to set new CO₂ limits for trucks, vans and buses. In view of other, more efficient instruments, the Centre for European Policy (cep) considers the Commission proposal to be one-sided, anti-technology and superfluous - and therefore rejects it.

X (Twitter), Facebook, Cambridge Analytica: For years, populist disinformation campaigns have abused digital media. Now, they have begun to add artificial intelligence (AI) to their increasingly powerful toolkit. This is the conclusion of a study by the Centres for European Policy Network (cep). The researchers from Germany, France and Italy call for stricter rules in view of the dangers.

Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia: for years, the countries of the Western Balkans (WB6) have been striving to join the European Union. For just as long, the EU has been stalling them, citing rule-of-law and economic deficits. The Centre for European Policy (cep) considers this hesitation dangerous in view of the geopolitically tense situation for Europe and therefore pleads for a quick admission - under changed institutional conditions.

Medicine shortages are increasingly threatening public health. The reasons also lie in disruptions of supply chains and problems with the supply of ingredients. 19 Member States - including Germany, France and Italy - therefore formulated a so-called non-paper in May. The Centre for European Policy (cep) proposes a three-pillar strategy as a solution to the difficulties.

Bank failures, imbalances, financial crises: With improvements to the so-called Deposit Guarantee Directive, the EU Commission wants to better protect savers and strengthen confidence in the financial system. The Centre for European Policy (cep) attests that the planned reform has both good and negative approaches.

Clean air is vital for people and the environment. That is why the EU wants to further reduce air pollution in Europe. While the Parliament wants to adopt the World Health Organisation's (WHO) strict guideline values one-to-one in the new Air Quality Directive, the Centre for European Policy (cep) considers the more moderate Commission proposal to be appropriate and realistic.

In the EU, tens of thousands of people die every year as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Ireland therefore wants to be the first Member State to require a warning label similar to the one on cigarette packets for alcoholic beverages. The Centres for European Policy Network (cep) considers this so-called whiskey label to be sensible but argues for a uniform introduction in the EU.