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371. Fear and lying in the EU: Fighting disinformation on migration with alternative narratives

Author:
Alberto-Horst Neidhardt and Paul Butcher
Publication Date:
11-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
Rather than trying to counter disinformation stories about migrants directly, communication professionals and policymakers must instead promote alternative narratives that undermine the appeal of messages that incite fear and rage, and reframe the debate on migration entirely. This is the conclusion of a collaborative research project between the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, the European Policy Centre, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the Fundación Pablo Iglesias. Its aim was to identify and analyse misleading and hostile narratives on migration in Europe and formulate concrete recommendations on how to tackle them. The authors examined nearly 1,500 news articles from four EU member states (Germany, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic), published between May 2019 and July 2020. Based on their research, the authors argue that disinformation narratives about migration seek to exploit readers’ fears to polarise public opinion, manufacture discontent, sow divisions and set the political agenda. They tend to adapt and change alongside the public’s main concerns. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, has led to a growing stream of articles linking migrants to infection risks and accusing them of receiving preferential treatment.
Topic:
Migration, European Union, Refugees, COVID-19, and Disinformation
Political Geography:
Europe

372. The implications of a no-deal Brexit for the EU

Author:
Jannike Wachowiak
Publication Date:
10-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
As the end of the transition period nears, the EU must prepare for a fundamentally different and more conflictual relationship with the UK. Whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, there will be profound economic, political and geopolitical implications for the EU. While the EU as a whole might be better placed than the UK to absorb the economic shock of a no-deal, the fallout within the EU will be uneven, resulting in winners and losers. The asymmetrical impact and differential capacity and willingness of national governments to mitigate the shock could exacerbate regional disparities and unbalance the EU’s internal level playing field. As such, it might become more difficult to maintain the same level of EU unity post-no-deal.
Topic:
Diplomacy, Treaties and Agreements, European Union, and Brexit
Political Geography:
Britain and Europe

373. EU law in the time of COVID-19

Author:
David Edward, Robert Lane, and Leandro Macano
Publication Date:
09-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
The COVID-19 emergency has caused unprecedented legal challenges to the EU institutions and the member states across a wide spectrum of areas. The measures put in place to coordinate the immediate cross-border response to the outbreak are unlikely to lead to contentious legal problems. However, the Council, and especially the Commission, being also able to react to measures taken by member states, companies or firms, could prove to be potentially more intrusive. This paper deals with the powers governing the EU’s public health response to the COVID-19 outbreak and analyses the legal implications of actions taken by member states, companies and firms to mitigate the economic fallout of the lockdown and restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the virus.
Topic:
Law, European Union, Crisis Management, Institutions, Public Health, and COVID-19
Political Geography:
Europe

374. An ethical framework for think tanks: Easier drafted than done?

Author:
Fabian Zuleeg
Publication Date:
09-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
Developing and implementing an ethical framework for think tanks is crucial to make the sector more accountable, transparent and (financially) sustainable. This framework must start from the recognition that independence lies at the heart of think tank credibility. Think tanks must have access to different funding sources, create adequate governance structures and be open and honest about their operations; they need to adopt a multi-stakeholder approach, acting as a bridge between a wide range of actors in the policy process. At the same time, think tanks should be mindful of equality and diversity concerns, ensuring that their operations are not biased towards, or by the lack of participation of, specific groups.
Topic:
European Union, Ethics, Think Tanks, and Transparency
Political Geography:
Europe

375. The divided continent: Understanding Europe’s social landscape in 2020 and beyond

Author:
Sophia Gaston
Publication Date:
02-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
The political upheaval and dysfunction of recent years have focused political minds on better understanding the volatility underpinning European electorates. Interest in public opinion research has soared, yet it can be difficult to draw the findings of such surveys and focus groups into something meaningful and cohesive, from which genuine insights can be drawn. It is pertinent that policymakers at both the national and EU institutional levels grasp a clear and incisive idea of what is taking place culturally, socially and politically in EU member states, and that these tea leaves can be interpreted and harnessed to produce responsive, targeted policies. This research analysis report sets out the findings of a major survey conducted across 13 EU member states (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands), which were selected to provide a representative snapshot of the bloc as a whole. This survey was expansive in its scope and unique in its focus on social and cultural issues, as well as politics, leadership and economic security. The data is interpreted through three distinct themes, each of which is likely to play a critical role in Europe’s ‘mood music’ over its coming parliamentary term: nostalgia, intergenerational conflict and democratic legitimacy. These themes have become the subject of much amateur punditry, although institutional understanding of their complex nature is often shallow. Therefore, this paper seeks to shine a more evidenced-based contextual light around their formation and nuances of application.
Topic:
Politics, European Union, Leadership, and Economic Security
Political Geography:
Europe

376. Adapting to change: Time for climate resilience and a new adaptation strategy

Author:
Marco Giuli, Annika Hedberg, and Sofia López Piqueres
Publication Date:
03-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
Even if we were to radically change our behaviours and economic policies now, it wouldn’t be enough to stop all of the economic, societal and environmental impacts of climate change. The EU and its member states need to start thinking seriously about how our societies will adapt to this new reality. Climate mitigation alone will not be enough to stop the dramatic effects of climate change and will have to go hand in hand with adaptation efforts. That is the sobering reality European decision- and policymakers need to keep in mind when developing climate action measures. Given the close interconnections between ecosystems, people and economies in a globalised world, there are strong reasons for EU member states to join forces, pool risks and cooperate across borders. This paper, therefore, calls on the EU to mainstream adaptation and shift its focus from reacting to disasters to a more proactive approach that prioritises prevention, risk reduction and resilience building. During the presentation of the new EU climate law yesterday, European Commission President von der Leyen hinted that member states would be required to develop and implement strategies that do just that.
Topic:
Climate Change, European Union, Economic Policy, and Resilience
Political Geography:
Europe

377. Setting the bounds of the European Union

Author:
Andrew Duff
Publication Date:
03-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
The EU’s enlargement policy is in contention. President Macron links further progress towards the accession of the Western Balkans to the Union’s own need for internal deepening. Brexit sharpens the debate about the size of the Union and may offer new opportunities, short of membership, for the EU’s wider neighbourhood. The Commission’s proposals to reform the accession process are well meaning but inadequate. The European Council needs to adopt a strategic approach, including spelling out its real intentions with respect to the Balkans. A dynamic association agreement may be a better alternative to full membership for the Western Balkans and Turkey.
Topic:
International Relations, Regional Cooperation, and European Union
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, and Balkans

378. COVID-19: Lessons from the ‘euro crisis’

Author:
Fabian Zuleeg and Janis Emmanouilidis
Publication Date:
04-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
As the EU – and the world beyond – continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Janis A. Emmanouilidis and Fabian Zuleeg look back at a previous time of intense pressure and discord in the Union, the euro crisis, to glean valuable lessons and traps to avoid. They argue that the EU cannot afford to stall the process of unconditional solidarity any further. The legitimacy of the Union is at stake. The 2010-2015 euro crisis already highlighted the implications of a highly interdependent Union; the importance of acting quickly, forcefully and boldly; and the need to roll out decisive joint action and an effective European strategy. Emmanouilidis and Zuleeg apply these lessons to today’s health crisis to remind European, national and regional leaders that we stand together, and fall together. Unconditional solidarity guided by the principle of enlightened self-interest will be the Union’s answer to the crisis. Secondly, the EU should act early and forcefully if they are to get ahead of the curve. The Union should thus jointly set up and finance a common COVID-19 recovery and growth fund, and then implement a coordinated European ‘exit management strategy’. Rather than concentrating on one particular instrument, the EU institutions should assemble a convincing package deal that is explicitly supported by member states. Finally, all EU leaders must recognise that absolutist positions will undermine the search for an effective European strategy to manage and eventually overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Disunity, fragmentation and distrust will result in failure – not only for the crisis but also for the foundation of the Union itself.
Topic:
European Union, COVID-19, and Health Crisis
Political Geography:
Europe

379. COVID-19: A turning point for the EU?

Author:
Herman Van Rompuy
Publication Date:
04-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
President Emeritus of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy weighs up the long-term lessons we should take away from the ongoing corona crisis. He looks at the impact of COVID-19, and the quarantine measures many governments have subsequently taken to stop its spread, on our economy and societies, on the fate of multilateralism, and the fight against inequality and global warming. Honestly assessing the response of the European Union, EPC President Van Rompuy finds a hopeful development in the compromise the Eurogroup was able to find on 9 April but argues that it is just a first step. He also warns of the ghosts of crises past. Old rivalries and national prejudices are rearing their heads again, and not only will it prevent the EU member states from finding a way out of the crisis but it could also be detrimental for the Union in the long run.
Topic:
European Union, Economy, Crisis Management, and COVID-19
Political Geography:
Europe

380. Europe’s path to strategic recovery: Brace, empower and engage

Author:
Giovanni Grevi
Publication Date:
04-2020
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Policy Centre
Abstract:
EU leaders should rise to the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and set the Union on the course of not only economic, but fully-fledged strategic recovery. This means strengthening Europe’s cohesion and resilience; leveraging Europe’s untapped potential to carry its full weight on the global stage; and engaging in upholding rules-based cooperation. If Europe fails to measure up to the task, the EU will drift towards more political fragmentation and strategic dependence. The health crisis has not only heightened but also highlighted Europe’s vulnerability to global challenges and disorder. The pandemic risks amplifying geopolitical competition, which is undermining multilateral cooperation at a time when sound management of our interdependence is crucial. Under such conditions, the dysfunction of the global order may lead to irretrievable system failure, with dire consequences for all. Europeans should not only craft a decisive response to the pandemic but also use it as a springboard to reinforce the EU and its domestic power base on the global stage. The EU and its member states must prepare to cope with power politics without endorsing its logic. They should become more strategic and, where need be, more autonomous. Discussion on a recovery fund should not be limited to the financial dimension, but instead thought of in terms of ‘grand strategy’. Socioeconomic recovery is the fuel of political cohesion, which in turn is the engine of a stronger Europe in the world. A more powerful Europe is the only vehicle geared to protect EU citizens from the many external challenges and project Europe’s interests on the global stage.
Topic:
European Union, Economy, Recovery, Pandemic, COVID-19, and Health Crisis
Political Geography:
Europe