European Union

Being located at the intersection of European Studies and Security Studies, my PhD project looks at how counter-terrorism policy, in particular preventive counter-terrorism, has come to be an important area of integration in EU enlargement towards the South East European accession candidate states. I am interested in how preventive counter-terrorism shapes and (re)orders political relations and networks in EU enlargement. My findings demonstrate that although EU enlargement is often depicted as a clear and linear process, it is rather embedded in a complex transnational structure that in turn impacts the content and development of enlargement and its areas of political integration.

A crucial part of a PhD project is not only the empirical research and the writing process but also the dissemination and presentation of its results. Particularly towards the end of a PhD trajectory, it is very important to disseminate and discuss findings and build a network at international conferences. With the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting many opportunities for in-person conferencing and networking, as it was the case for a significant part of my PhD project, such exchanges have become even more relevant now. The UACES Microgrant was a great opportunity and it enabled me to participate in the International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Conference held on 15-18 March 2023 in Montréal. The ISA Annual Conference is one of the largest annual gatherings of scholars working in the field of International Relations in which my research is embedded. After having attended some academic conferences in Europe, for example the UACES Annual Conference, the ISA conference was the first conference for me taking place outside of Europe. It was therefore an important occasion for me to present my research in a novel setting and to engage with a wider academic community than I had done before.

With the support of the UACES Microgrant, I was able to fund my attendance at the ISA conference and present my research on the underlying assumptions behind the EU’s approach to preventive counter-terrorism in EU enlargement. At the conference, I received valuable feedback and ideas regarding my research. Attendance at the ISA conference contributed to broadening my perspective on my research findings and to seeing potential ways of improving my argument. The comments and questions that I received as well as the inspiration that I got from attending other panels and discussions including the networking events will feed back into my writing process and will certainly improve my dissertation. I am therefore very grateful to UACES for funding my attendance at the ISA Annual Conference and for giving me the opportunity to connect with the International Relations community at a conference located outside of Europe.

 

 

About the UACES Microgrants scheme:

The UACES Microgrant scheme is aimed at supporting research for our Early-Career and Individual Members.

The microgrants scheme will provide grants of between £100 and £500 to UACES members to assist them to cover the costs of undertaking their research.

The post Engaging with the International Relations Academic Community Beyond Europe – Presenting Research Findings at the ISA Annual Conference in Montréal appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Commune d'Ans

According to Advocate General Collins, a public body may, under certain conditions, prohibit its employees from wearing any visible sign of political, religious or philosophical belief in their workplace

Acts of sabotage on wind farms or the underwater electricity grid are likely to be carried out as 'grey zone tactics', state-sponsored sabotage may be disguised as a civilian accident, or carried out from a leisure yacht or fishing boat.

Luxembourg v Commission
State aid
Tax rulings: Advocate General Kokott considers that the Commission erred in finding that Luxembourg had granted unlawful State aid to the Engie group in the form of tax advantages

Europe Day is celebrated every year on 9 May, commemorating when the Schuman Declaration that paved the way for the European Union was signed in 1950.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The Parliament will celebrate Europe Day by welcoming citizens to its Brussels premises for visits, debates with MEPs, interactive presentations and live performances.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

New analysis by Greenpeace has ranked the affordability of public transport in 30 European countries — concluding that in most places prices are too high.

The EU Comission plans to extend the sanctions regime that it uses to punish third countries for human-rights abuses — to include corruption.

Illegal pushbacks of migrants and asylum seekers has fully resumed following Croatia's entry into the border-free Schengen area, according to Human Rights Watch in a new 94-page report.

On 15 May, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will elect its next leader. Just like five years ago, the contest is not without controversy, with member states divided over prospective candidates.

REPORT on the 2022 Commission Report on Kosovo
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Viola von Cramon-Taubadel

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

On 3 May, the World Press Freedom Day, the European Parliament officially launched the call for submissions for entries to the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

REPORT on the 2022 Commission Report on Serbia
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Vladimír Bilčík

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

'Sheltered workshops' for the disabled apply lower salaries, show lower career development and promotion opportunities and lack of job stability, and the latest EU strategy does not identify best and worst practices.

The European Central Bank has raised rates repeatedly since July last year to rein in inflation, and analysts expect the bank to raise it once again — although experts are divided on how big the rise should be.

REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the European defence industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Michael Gahler

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Lithuania border guards must be properly trained, the European Commission has said — after Lithuania amended its state border law to allow volunteers to patrol alongside its national guards.

For our weekly ‘Ideas on Europe’ editorial by UACES, the University Association for European Studies, we have the pleasure to welcome Prof Başak Alpan, from the Middle East Technical University, in Ankara.

 

Listen to the podcast on eu!radio.

 

 

Only two weeks left before the election. What is the mood in the country like?

The mood is perhaps best captured in the recent advertisement by Yeni Rakı (one of the biggest Rakı brands in Turkey). The clip seemingly asks people how they will celebrate the centennial of the Turkish Republic (which is six months away), but is actually implicitly depicting the sheer joy people would feel if the opposition wins in the 14 May elections.

The advert illustrates well how emotionally laden and tense this election campaign is. For the first time in two decades, the incumbent party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) that has been in power since 2002, and its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are facing the risk of losing the presidential elections. Most of the pre-election polls predict that the opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will win the majority of votes in the first round, with Erdoğan coming in second.

 

How has AKP managed to remain so long in power?

AKP came to power in 2002 with the claim that they were not political Islamists but “conservative democrats” who would be the voice of those who had hitherto been oppressed and under-represented by the staunchly secular, Western-minded, and elitist Republic. But AKP radicalised and adopted an authoritarian and religious-oriented positioning, especially after 2010.

The Gezi protests of 2013 and the coup attempt of 15 July 2016 all contributed to the narrative of “fear” cultivated by Erdoğan, which seemed to have attracted voters in all previous elections. This time around, AKP runs under the slogan “once again”.

 

And what opposition is AKP facing?

The main opposition bloc, known as the Nation Alliance, is led by the Republican People’s Party (CHP). It includes five other parties, which explains its popular name “the Table of Six”.

It is campaigning for strengthening the parliamentary system, reversing the democratic backsliding of the country, easing the extremely high inflation, and accomplishing a reset of Turkey’s foreign policy. And of course, it is heavily criticising the government’s response to the devastating earthquake of February. Candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is also supported by the leftist Labour and Freedom Alliance, which is only running for the parliamentary elections (with the highest number of women candidates, by the way).

 

These elections look definitely different…

It is an election of many firsts.

For the first time, the opposition is competing with both Ankara and Istanbul already governed by CHP-aligned mayors. While this might sound irrelevant to a Western European ear, you should bear in mind how politicised Turkish local elections are. The popular Istanbul and Ankara mayors could help the opposition garner the support of especially young voters, who are still undecided.

Also for the first time, strategic voting will be a tool in the parliamentary elections: it’s about ensuring as many opposition MPs winning seats in the Parliament as possible.

Last but not least, democratic consolidation is an important agenda item with very concrete promises like upholding the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgments and releasing prominent Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas and Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala from prison.

 

And how are you personally experiencing the election?

These elections are crucial for the educated, secular, urban, middle-class voters like myself, who spent the best part of their younger years under the AKP rule.

The erosion of our democracy, the decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, the charges put against the Academics for Peace movement in the past years, and the hyper-inflation that very severely hit the lifestyle of the middle class, are pressing concerns that need to be addressed not only by the new president, but also by a hopefully diverse parliament giving voice to groups like women, Kurds, Alevis, LGBTQs, etc.

I would love to take politics solely as an academic job for some time, rather than the existential struggle directly determining the flow of my life that it has been for the past years.

Perhaps this day will come, just like spring comes. And when that day comes, we will, with Kılıçdaroğlu’s words, perhaps live in “a Turkey that does not hurt each other, that loves and respects those who are different as they are. A Turkey that embraces, not distances. A Turkey with a full stomach and an abundant heart; a Turkey that loves to live.”

 

Thank you very much, for sharing your personal views on the forthcoming election in Turkey. I recall that you are associate professor at the Middle East Technical University. Interview by Sophie Girstmair

 

 

The post “When that Day Comes” appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Members of the AFET Committee will meet on Wednesday 24 May 2003 - 9.00-12.30 and 14.00-18.00 and Thursday 25 May 2003 - 9.00-12.30 (ANTALL 4Q2)

Debates:

Votes:

The meeting will be webstreamed.

AFET-SEDE-DROI meetings 2023
Meeting documents
Webstreaming
Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

The EU Commission has outsourced its merger policy to a consultancy which counts Google as its best friend. And it's not the first time the Commission has hired consultants with a vested interest for policy advice.