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271. Storage and Networks: the Achilles’ heel of Renewable Energy Sources expansion

Author:
Michalis Mathioulakis
Publication Date:
04-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
This paper analyses the elements that compose two of the structural vulnerabilities of the European energy system and undermine the efforts in Greece and the rest of the European Union to further increase the penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) successfully in their energy mix and accelerate the energy transition. The production of electricity from Renewable Energy Sources in Greece in 2023 as a share of total electricity production was among the highest in Europe, while also throughout the EU the shares of RES increased. However, as RES shares increase, their stochasticity in electricity production can create problems for the stability of the electricity grid since, on a global level, there is a deficit of mature storage technologies and a lack in adequate volume of electricity distribution and transmission network infrastructure. The costs required to cover these deficits are currently passed on to the European consumers in the form of regulated, non-competitive charges, for which consumers cannot freely choose their provider. This issue constitutes a regression from the European structure of a free and competitive common European market, a relapse that increases together with the growing shares of regulated costs in the energy bills of European citizens. However, without sufficient new investments in networks and electricity storage, the EU faces the risk of system instability. In addition, administrative restrictions in production for grid-ready RES systems, deem new investments in RES economically non-viable and carry the additional risk of disinvestment from new RES projects. In this complex environment of interconnected issues and modular problems, it is now crucial to approach the decarbonisation effort through the realization that painful compromises need to be made at an energy policy level, since the future of tackling climate change needs to be hybrid and, unfortunately, not completely green if we want it to be resilient and sustainable in the long term.
Topic:
Climate Change, European Union, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, and Energy Security
Political Geography:
Europe

272. Leveraging EU industrial policy to reshape Greece’s productive model

Author:
Aggelos Tsakanikas and Petros Dimas
Publication Date:
04-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
This policy brief explores the evolution and goals of industrial policy in the EU, aiming to identify the ways in which these recent developments can provide significant opportunities for Greece. In this context, we outline some of the key features of the fragmented landscape of Greek industrial strategies and suggest future directions through which the country can leverage the current momentum of industrial policy in the EU to pursue the restructuring of its productive base along the lines of sustainability, the twin (green and digital) transition, and European strategic autonomy. Since the Great Recession of 2008, the EU has openly supported coordinated and complementary policies in an effort to tackle structural deficiencies that render its productive systems vulnerable. The pandemic crisis, the Ukrainian war, and the general call for action against climate change have highlighted the need for the further reconfiguration of industrial development across the world along the lines of inclusion, sustainability, and resilience. The EU New Industrial Strategy and its update in the aftermath of the pandemic provide blends of horizontal and vertical actions that target resilience in the Single Market, EU strategic autonomy, and the acceleration of the green and digital (twin) transitions. In response to the energy crisis, the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age has been promoted to ensure that sustainable competitiveness goals are on track with the recent geopolitical developments. Greece has already aligned its strategic planning to the EU’s industrial policy objectives through a dedicated National Industrial Strategy and other strategic documents that target innovation, the green transition and sustainable development, and digitalization across key industrial ecosystems and value chains. Key initiatives, such as industrial alliances and Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs), major reforms through dedicated Acts, and an unprecedented wealth of financing and regulatory instruments outline significant opportunities of transformative potential Greece’s productive model. The country must meet the challenges of implementing its ambitious action plans, while simultaneously monitoring, evaluating, and updating its strategic orientation against the backdrop of a volatile global market environment. Different strategies should be integrated into a unified system of policies that creates a clear connection between, and path dependence for, different objectives, diverse market reforms and policy interventions.
Topic:
Industrial Policy, European Union, Sustainability, Strategic Autonomy, Green Transition, and Digital Transition
Political Geography:
Europe and Greece

273. European Migration Policy: Recent Developments and the Way Forward

Author:
Evgenia Vella
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
In light of the challenges posed by demographic shifts, skill shortages and rapid technological advances, European policymakers should prioritize targeted immigration policies. High-skilled immigrants contribute directly to innovation and economic growth, while low-skilled immigrants play essential roles in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and services. Striking the right balance is essential for sustainable development. The EU’s recent policy changes, as outlined in the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, signal a shift toward a more comprehensive and coordinated approach. However, implementation challenges remain. Greece can draw lessons from the experiences of other EU member states. Tailoring policies to address regional disparities, fostering integration, and leveraging immigrant skills are critical steps for Greece’s migration strategy.
Topic:
Demographics, Development, Migration, Labor Issues, and European Union
Political Geography:
Europe

274. The Italy-Albania Agreement on Migration: From the Fiction of Non-Entry to Functional Entry

Author:
Carlotta Giordani
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
The Italy-Albania protocol on migration should be seen as a policy that seeks to fill the gaps between the current EU migration management efforts and existing solidarity mechanisms. The policy brief examines the protocol between Italy and Albania. It briefly touches on the enlargement process and the relationship between Italy and Albania as the foundation for the development of the agreement between the two countries. It then moves on to discuss the content of the protocol, and offers a critical examination of its significance, namely the rescaling of sovereignty through ‘functional territoriality’ to overcome structural gaps in existing mechanisms. The Italy-Albania Protocol ratified by Law No. 14/24 allows Italy to examine applications for international protection on Albanian territory, but under Italian jurisdiction The agreement applies only to migrants intercepted by Italian vessels in the Mediterranean, not those who arrived on Italian soil first The Protocol can be considered an entry point to new approaches to territoriality. It will contribute to consolidate the legal fiction of non-entry and will contribute to the introduction of new mechanisms based on a functional extraterritoriality. The Protocol establishes a “functional territoriality”, since Italian law is being applied in an extraterritorial space It legally requalifies the notion of territory based on a fictio iuris aimed at equating areas belonging to the Albanian state to Italian border areas. The Protocol configures Albania as a mere supporting State, functional in the sense that it provides the space in which asylum seekers’ applications will be examined by the Italian authorities.
Topic:
Migration, Treaties and Agreements, European Union, and Regional Integration
Political Geography:
Europe, Albania, and Italy

275. The CAP between a rock and a hard place: its new challenges and uncertain prospects

Author:
Tassos Haniotis
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is currently at a crossroads of a changing world environment which impacts demand (food inflation), supply (energy and input costs) and agri-food trade (geostrategic tensions). EU policies have to address the conundrum of having to simultaneously contribute to mitigating climate change and contributing to food security by accepting that both are global problems and require global solutions. CAP ongoing policy orientation aims at increasing its environmental performance while retaining its economic and social achievements, but excessive targets set by the Farm to Fork Strategy and the impact of changing market conditions brought tensions in the debate between on food security and climate action with respect to priorities on primary agriculture. Higher food costs increasing income inequalities put households in the developed world at a risk of changes in consumer behaviour that are driven by forces exogenous to their tastes and preferences. Addressing misperceptions about the role of productivity, science and trade will impact on how the EU assesses, in a more balanced way and addresses its strengths and weaknesses in the field of agriculture. Despite clear progress of Greek agriculture in recent years three persistent weaknesses of Greek agriculture relate to an uneven and untargeted distribution of direct payments the underestimation of the role of extensive livestock or the absence of a functioning Farm Advisory System.
Topic:
Agriculture, European Union, Food Security, Economy, and Trade
Political Geography:
Europe and Greece

276. The Letta and Draghi Reports: The Only Way to Go, Despite the Hurdles

Author:
Alekos Kritikos
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Abstract:
The Letta and Draghi reports begin with the same realisation, though they formulate it differently: that the international geopolitical environment has changed dramatically and that the EU must take immediate action as a result. The Letta report’s take-home message is that the Single Market must be transformed into something “much more than just a market”. Thus, research, innovation and education need to be integrated into its core, as a “fifth freedom”, and the Single Market extended to include the telecommunications, energy, financial services and defence sectors. There is fear at the heart of the Draghi report, fear of the “existential challenge” confronting the EU, which will require an extra €800 billion a year in investment. The report’s proposals are articulated around five major horizontal policies: closing the innovation gap, decarbonising the economy and making it more competitive, strengthening security and the defence sector and reducing dependencies in this area, financing investment, and strengthening EU governance. The Letta and Draghi reports agree on both the fields where intervention is required and the form such intervention should take. And while they differ in terms of the competition—and, still more, cohesion—policy they prescribe, they do so constructively while their proposals complement one another. In relation to Greece, the proposals made in both reports with respect to the defence industry, to reducing energy costs, and to the provision of generous funding for additional investment through —inter alia—joint borrowing, are of the utmost importance. No serious disagreement has been voiced with respect to the proposals made in the Letta and Draghi reports, apart from the predictable German reaction to additional funding and new joint borrowing, coupled with unfounded criticism of the proposals as ‘unfeasible’. The “New European Agreement on Competitiveness” adopted in Budapest on 8 November is a critical development, given that it adopts the bulk of the key approaches contained in the Letta and Draghi reports, and sets specific milestones for some, as well. The two reports stress that, even if certain recent developments around the world cannot be considered favourable for the EU (political crisis in Germany, economic problems in France, Trump’s election in the US), Europe still has the “weapons” it needs to reverse the situation. And while the Budapest summit decision may not have gone as far as the situation demands, it still adopted the bulk of the proposals made in the two reports, making it crystal clear that the European Union has taken the need to regain the initiative fully on board.
Topic:
Markets, European Union, Economy, Regional Integration, and Regional Economy
Political Geography:
Europe and Greece

277. Mind the Gap! Small State Influence within the EU during the Brexit Process: The Case of Slovakia

Author:
Sedanur Yıldız
Publication Date:
07-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
Institution:
Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
Abstract:
The United Kingdom has been seen as a balancing element for small states to prevent big states from gaining hegemony in the EU, especially Franco-German. The decision, which was stated to withdraw the UK from the EU with a referendum in 2016, has reawakened the concern of small states. Inevitably, member states have been affected by the outcome of this decision, even though in a different dimension. The Brexit negotiations preserved the dominance of the EU interests so as not to create a chain effect among the other members based on Article 50, which was applied for the first time. In contrast, the EU’s implementation of immigration policies has mainly led to the strengthening of anti-EU groups in the member states. Since Central and Eastern European countries are the first boundaries of migration waves, anti-immigration movements are felt in those countries’ political and social spheres. Slovakia faced the Brexit decision at the first Council Presidency after becoming a member of the EU. On the other hand, the Presidency’s agenda was not overshadowed by Brexit and focused on the predetermined road map. For this reason, the Council Presidency of Slovakia had not been subject to the shocking effect of any crisis agenda and was relatively moderate. With the immigration policies, which include the general interests of the EU, there was no progress in the asylum and migration title as the point of view of Slovakia is not very compatible. This article deals with the Brexit process and its impact on Slovakia. The main question of the study is how small states fill in the gap that Brexit might cause and whether small states can take the initiative for the future of the EU, which is discussed in the case of Slovakia.
Topic:
European Union, Brexit, and Regional Integration
Political Geography:
United Kingdom, Europe, and Slovakia

278. The EU’s Triple-Nexus Challenge: Climate, Conflict, Democracy

Author:
Richard Youngs, Ricardo Farinha, Jasper Linke, and Jeremy Wetterwald
Publication Date:
11-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Abstract:
The EU’s fragmented approaches to the crises of climate change, conflict, and democracy fall short by not addressing the mutually reinforcing links between them. Brussels needs an integrated strategy to tackle the emerging three-way nexus and mitigate the vulnerabilities it creates.
Topic:
Climate Change, European Union, Democracy, and Conflict
Political Geography:
Europe

279. Manifestations of corruption in local government elections in Albania. Implications for the process of its accession to the European Union

Author:
Renata Podgórzańska
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
One of the key values on which the European Union is based is the rule of law that also includes efficient mechanisms for counteracting and combating corruption. What is more, it is a key condition for countries aspiring to membership in the European Union. An example here comes from Albania’s accession aspirations. Their progress is determined by the dynamic changes in the transformation processes of this country, including progress in counteracting and eliminating corruption in the political and economic space. Explanation of the specific characteristics of Albanian reality and the exegesis of the impact of corruption on the process of the country’s closer EU cooperation are the aims of the research taken up here. Special focus will be given to electoral corruption in local government elections that took place on 14 May 2023. At the same time, these elections are only a background to a broader discussion on the essence of corruption in the Albanian reality as a factor that determines its accession process.
Topic:
Corruption, Elections, European Union, Rule of Law, and Local Government
Political Geography:
Europe and Albania

280. La incidencia de la seguridad marítima en el golfo de Guinea sobre España

Author:
Francisco Delgado Urrutia
Publication Date:
01-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Revista UNISCI/UNISCI Journal
Institution:
Unidad de investigación sobre seguridad y cooperación (UNISCI)
Abstract:
Este artículo trata de demostrar que la situación de inseguridad en el golfo de Guinea constituye un problema de importancia para la seguridad de la Unión Europea, y más concretamente para la seguridad de España. En este sentido, se defiende que la forma en la que la Unión se ha aproximado a este problema de seguridad, no ha sido ni es el adecuado ya que, a pesar de reconocer la situación de inseguridad en esta región, no se han aplicado los mismos parámetros a la hora de evaluar la necesidad de implementar una operación militar en el Cuerno de África y en el golfo de Guinea. El resultado ha sido el mantenimiento de la operación “Atalanta” en una zona sin ataques piratas desde 2019 hasta finales del 2023, y la ausencia de una misión similar en el golfo de Guinea.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Piracy, European Union, Maritime, Cocaine, and Fisheries
Political Geography:
Europe and Spain