duminică, 13 octombrie 2019

Political events to follow in 2020



We are only a few weeks away from the famous 2020. I say this because many European political projects have benchmarks at this time, such as the illustrious "Europe 2020" launched by the President of the European Commission in 2010. Even at the level of European student movements I was launching at the end of the 1990s two initiatives with a horizon of 2020: Education for 2020 and Romanian-Hungarian Relations in 2020.

2020 seems to be a more predictable year, in which after the madness of 2019 we can see the direction of action for the next 10 years. But a possible economic downturn may throw the EU into a new crisis, and let's hope we are better prepared institutionally than in 2008.

Ø  In March 2019, the French President proposed that a Conference for Europe should be organized in 2020, with the aim of reinventing the European political project. This initiative can be found in the government's program proposed by President Ursula von der Leyen, and Commissioner Dubravka Suica is already given the responsibility to develop the subject.
Ø  The European political parties have arrived to the moment of analysis, and the end-of-year congresses will give a first indication of the "positioning of doctrines" in the European primary elections, spitzenkandidat, but also on the transnational lists for 2024. Political foundations organize interesting debates and I am glad to be present this week as a panelist at FEPS Academy.
Ø  European-British relations are to be followed in 2020 with or without a Brexit agreement.
Ø  The European Union is taking concrete steps towards a bold environmental policy, but it is still to be discussed who pays the energy transition bills. The battle for the European budget 2021–2027 reaches its peak.
Ø  Interesting to know is that we will have COP26 in December 2020 in the UK.
Ø  To be honest I do not know what the new rotating European Presidency of Germany, scheduled for the second semester of next year, will bring. With a German President at the Commission, with super-influential German MEPs, with a German business sector deeply involved in European issues…
Ø  Something to look forward next year is also the EU's relationship with Africa, the United States - especially since there will be Presidential elections in the fall of 2020, Russia, and Asia.

Dan LUCA / Brussels


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