Research Area

On 12 November 2019, Vocal Europe in cooperation with Portugal’s Permanent Representation to the EU organised the panel discussion “Taking Stock on Kosovo’s Rule of Law: Good Governance in a New-born ... Be More Curious...

COMMENTARY | Can the EU become a Global Norm Setter in Ethical AI?

Matthias Peschke

25/11/2019

There is a growing debate about whether AI should be regulated on the basis of ethical principles. The EU with its ethical guidelines has taken up a progressive step in this respect and received mixed rev... Be More Curious...

POLICY PAPER | Europe’s defence: between EI2 and PESCO

Dimitra Koutouzi

27/10/2019

The European Union has been trying for many years to establish a single Defence Union. The first attempt of a closer defence cooperation between the member states was in 1998 with the Saint-Malo Joint Dec... Be More Curious...

COMMENTARY | The ‘European way of life’: stuck between values and reality?

Jill van Coppenolle

24/10/2019

On 10 September 2019, President-elect Ursula von der Leyen, presented the names and portfolios of her new Commission, which includes several “slightly original and bizarre” job titles such as “An Economy ... Be More Curious...

POLICY PAPER | EU Accession Talks for Albania and North Macedonia: Mirage or Reality?

Sasa Kulenovic

14/10/2019

Albania and North Macedonia’s bid to join the European Union has gathered momentum in recent years as the two countries made progress on their quest to open accession negotiations. While the European Comm... Be More Curious...

POLICY BRIEF | Turkey’s incursion into northeast Syria: Why does it matter to the EU?

Ebubekir ISIK

14/10/2019

The European Union (EU) and its member states have expressed their concerns over Turkey’s ongoing incursion into northeast Syria. With the military operation named Peace Spring, Turkey declared that it ai... Be More Curious...

Monday Talk with Dr. Heather Grabbe, Director of Open Society European Policy Institute

Sasa Kulenovic

14/10/2019

As part of our Monday Talks series supported by Science 14, we talked with Dr. Heather Grabbe, Director of the Open Society European Policy Institute, about many pressing issues that the EU is confronted ... Be More Curious...

Western Balkans and the Return to Arms: Can the EU stabilize the region?

Sasa Kulenovic

03/10/2019

The political climate in the Western Balkans has become more volatile in recent years, characterized by an increase in bilateral tensions and a sharpening nationalist and at times warmongering rhetoric. A... Be More Curious...

COMMENTARY | Serbia: towards the EU or searching for another direction?

Dimitra Koutouzi

29/09/2019

Serbia and Russia have been allies for many years and Russia is constantly concerned about the relations between Serbia and the European Union (EU). Russia’s interest has always been to keep the Western B... Be More Curious...

Monday Talk with Manon Aubry on the Current Challenges Europe Is Facing

Matthias Peschke

16/09/2019

As part of our Monday Talks series, which is supported by Science 14, we are talking to MEP Manon Aubry who is the co-chair for the European United Left and Nordic Green Left. Besides her vision for Europ... Be More Curious...

Reflection on the potential emergence of a new party in Turkey and what it means to the EU

Ebubekir ISIK

10/09/2019

With the potential emergence of a new political party in Turkey resulting from the fragmentation of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the current political set-up in Turkey might turn in... Be More Curious...

Monday Talk with Giulio Terzi, Italy’s Former Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ebubekir ISIK

09/09/2019

Beyond Europe

As part of our Monday Talks series, we talked with Giulio Terzi, Former Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, about many pressing issues that the EU Foreign Policy is confronted with. Among many issues, we... Be More Curious...

COMMENTARY | New Game-Rules for Nord Stream II

Ana-Maria Caminski

06/08/2019

Business, Publications, Russia

The idea of a European Union united under common energy policies and energy security strategies, seems to be even more far-fetched, after the amendment of the old Gas Directive (Directive 2009/73/EC),... Be More Curious...

The EU Hybrid Diplomacy Between Deep Concern for Ukraine and no ‘Red-Line’ for Russia

Vocal Europe

29/07/2019

Publications, Russia

She is graduated with a degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of Trieste, Italy. Currently, she is running her master’s degree at the University of Konstanz with a specialisation in ... Be More Curious...

POLICY BRIEF | The Jerusalem security summit: what are the implications for the European Union?

Mariaeugenia Benato

23/07/2019

Israel, Publications

The European Union has often played a primary role in founding the modern Middle East and, over time, it has emphasized the growing importance of this region in tackling international issues such as secur... Be More Curious...

POLICY PAPER | A look inside the Russian Information War against the West

Marta Barandiy

17/07/2019

Publications, Russia

In the post-truth world of Putin and Trump the international law is being spurned by some states; a development led by the two most powerful permanent members of the United Nation’s Security Council. In t... Be More Curious...

Monday Talk with Katarina Barley, Vice President of the European Parliament

15/07/2019

As part of our Monday Talks series supported by Science 14, we have talked to Katarina Barley, Vice President of European Parliament. Among many relevant issues, we have talked about the current challenge... Be More Curious...

US-EU-Iran: EU reaches its level of mission in compliance with the EU funding treaties, Next step?

Astrid Viaud

09/07/2019

Iran, Publications

On May 8, 2019, a year to the day after the US unilateral withdrawal from the Agreement, Iran took a new step by suspending two of its major commitments to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). ... Be More Curious...

Interview with Marta Barandiy on EU-Ukraine-Russia Triangle

09/07/2019

Russia

As part of our interview series supported by Science 14, we have talked to Marta Barandiy, founder of Promote Ukraine. Among many relevant issues, we have talked about recent matters related to Ukraine, R... Be More Curious...

POLICY BRIEF | Nord Stream II: What’s all the buzz about it?

27/06/2019

Nord Stream II is a gas pipeline that is planned to start in Russia and end in Germany, passing through the Baltic Sea with an underwater route of approximately 1.200 km, and it will transfer 55 billion c... Be More Curious...

COMMENTARY | Reflection on the Results of the European Elections and a Forecast for Europe’s Future

25/06/2019

The recent European elections have shed an informative light on the state of politics both within individual member states and in the wider European sphere. There has been a rise in voter turnout in most ... Be More Curious...

POLICY BRIEF | The US – Iran Information Warfare: the backstage of the Nuclear Deal and the role of the European Union

Mariaeugenia Benato

25/06/2019

Iran

The concept of Information Warfare (IW) is not recent. It could be define as “a targeted effort to undermine and neutralize hostile command and control systems for the purpose of protecting and coordinati... Be More Curious...

REPORT | A Message for Europe from the President of North Macedonia

24/06/2019

Western Balkans

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE SPEECH President of North Macedonia, Mr Stevo Pendarovski, recently spoke at an event moderated by Shada Islam and hosted by Friends of Europe in Brussels, Belgium. H... Be More Curious...

Interview with Prof. Dirk Rochtus on Politics in Belgium

19/06/2019

As part of our interview series supported by Science 14, we have talked to Dirk Rochtus, a Professor of Political Science at Catholic Leuven University, and member of Vocal Europe's Advisory Board. Among ... Be More Curious...

OPINION | 2019 European Elections enlarged the gap between globalists and nationalists

Ana-Maria Caminski

05/06/2019

Out of its global view, Europe and not only is facing with new tendencies in the effort to conserve his heritage. A nationalistic view situated in opposition with the predominant vision of globalists have... Be More Curious...

British Politicking Puts Us All At Risk

Julien Hoez

05/06/2019

Rather than these EU elections being used to promote genuine, positive participation on a European level as they are across the continent, within the U.K. these elections are instead being misrepresented ... Be More Curious...

OPINION | Why Would Turkey Torture its Diplomats?

Leighann Spencer

31/05/2019

Turkey

Reports of torture are nothing new in Turkey, particularly since the 2016 coup attempt. This set the scene for an unprecedented crackdown on anyone considered ‘enemies of the state’. Since then, over 100,... Be More Curious...

The Balkans Ahead of the New European Parliament: A Change of Paradigm?

Zoran Cicak

24/05/2019

However, there remains a paradox which is indeed endemic in Western Balkans. It is more or less overt support extended by the European Union to policies and leaders which are both inherently anti-European... Be More Curious...

POLICY BRIEF | Which Direction Will Volodymyr Zelenskiy Go?

21/05/2019

The 2019 Ukrainian presidential elections were concluded on 21st of April. In the second round of the elections two candidates claimed people’s vote, the actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the former President... Be More Curious...

A new cooperation for energy security: the U.S. strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean

Mariaeugenia Benato

19/05/2019

Business, Publications, Research Area

In April 2019, the U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio, Senior United States Senator, announced the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Secu... Be More Curious...

COMMENTARY | How North Macedonia’s rebranded name affects its international position?

Aleksandra Toska

16/05/2019

The collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991 led to the birth of several nation states, with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (henceforth FYROM) being one of the initial offspring. Compared to the rest o... Be More Curious...

Will the New Israeli Government Break the Diplomatic Disharmony Between Tel Aviv and Brussels?

07/05/2019

Israel, Publications

Amid a neck in neck Israeli election, the incumbent Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, will likely garner enough support “to extend his decade-long stretch in power to become the country’s longest-se... Be More Curious...

Should we expect a Russian disinformation campaign during the 2019 European elections?

07/05/2019

Publications, Russia

Disinformation is understood as a verifiably false or misleading information that is created, presented and disseminated for economic gain or to intentionally deceive the public, and maybe cause public ... Be More Curious...

North Macedonia’s Unusual Waltz with Turkey – Will it frustrate the EU and NATO?

30/04/2019

The saga, surrounding the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), finally came to an end this February (2019) with a brand new North Macedonia label stamped over the old contested FYROM... Be More Curious...

A Possible Empowerment of the EU from the US in its Sanctions Policy?

Astrid Viaud

20/04/2019

A French version of this article will be available in the Revue Défense Nationale (May 2019). The United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on May 8, 2018, and the reinsertio... Be More Curious...

The Looming Spectre of the 2.0 Nuclearization and the European Union

13/04/2019

The row between the US and Russia over the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty began in July 2014, when the US State Department published a Compliance Report, alleging “that the Russian Federati... Be More Curious...

Supporting the rule of law and the dismissed civil society in Turkey through reoriented IPA funds

Cengiz Aktar

11/04/2019

As a negotiating candidate country to the European Union, at least officially, Turkey continues to benefit from pre-accession assistance (IPA). Turkey’s negotiating process, in fact, has been ailing for a... Be More Curious...

OPINION | Lessons to learn after the first round of the Ukrainian presidential election

Robert Petraru

10/04/2019

Beyond Europe

On the evening of 31st March 2019, Volodymir Zelenskiy, former comedian, emerged as victorious in the first round of the Ukrainian presidential election with 30% of the vote. Petro Poroshenko, the incumbe... Be More Curious...

Why you should be prepared for a No-Deal Brexit

Bob Groome

04/04/2019

Chaos. Simply googling the word will quickly land you on a Brexit news article — the majority of which are now detailing several reasons as to why you should be prepared for a No-Deal Brexit. Reasons rang... Be More Curious...

Facing war and economic hardship, which candidate can address Ukraine’s biggest challenges?

Robert Petraru

28/03/2019

The 2019 Ukrainian presidential elections find the Eastern European country still engaged in conflict with Russia and struggling with implementing reforms in various sectors while its citizens have one ... Be More Curious...

Migration crisis: the worst might still come?

Jose Diogo Alves

28/03/2019

The European migrant crisis, which had its start in 2013 with the arrival of an exceptionally large number of migrants and refugees in Europe, was characterized by the greatest mass displacement of indivi... Be More Curious...

Turkish Local Elections in the Shade of Endangered Media Trust and Economic Credibility

Mehmet Onur Cevik

27/03/2019

Turkey is in a continuous election race as the local elections to be held on 31 March will be the 6th elections in the last five years. Besides the ongoing electoral tension, the country has also been in ... Be More Curious...

State of war in the upcoming Ukrainian elections

Ana-Maria Caminski

23/03/2019

Beyond Europe

*Edited by Carey Bennington For as long as they have existed, armed conflicts have simply served as pretexts to mask the hidden interests of an adversary camp or with the intention of escalation that c... Be More Curious...

The 2019 European elections: will populist anti-migration alliances prove to be real alliances?

Stephanie Leysen

15/03/2019

On 26 May 2019 citizens all over Europe will head to the ballot box to cast their vote for the European Parliament (EP) elections. The European Parliament is the only transnational parliament in the wor... Be More Curious...

The Warsaw Summit on Iran – A Breaking Point for the “United Europe”

Soudabeh Nour

15/03/2019

Iran, Publications

After the US unilateral withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal in May 2018, Europe's positions have always been in support of it. In the margins of the 2019 Munich Security Conference, EU High Represe... Be More Curious...

Turkey and the European Union: Towards the post-candidacy era

Cengiz Aktar

14/03/2019

Turkey

It is safe to say that in the history of European Union’s enlargement, opening in 1973 with the accession of Britain, Denmark and Ireland, the first spectacular failure is the candidacy of the Republic of... Be More Curious...

Interview with Cengiz Aktar on Turkish Civil Society and Opposition

Stephanie Leysen

13/03/2019

Turkey

As part of our "Beyond Europe" research program, we have interviewed Cengiz Aktar who is a professor of political science at the University of Athens and a columnist for Ahval. Among many other issues, we... Be More Curious...

PANEL — Can the European Union Remain Connected to Turkey?

12/03/2019

Events, Turkey

On the 6th March 2019, Vocal Europe organised an expert panel discussion on the future of EU-Turkey relations under the question “Can the European Union remain connected to Turkey?”. The central pa... Be More Curious...

Kosovo and the EU: The Need for Visa Liberalisation is Growing

Alejandra Finotto

09/03/2019