FEPS Newsletter 1 Sept 2023 – We are back!

📅 FEPS Newsletter: we are back! Share Tweet Share Share Western Balkans, gender, Sahel, employment, […]

01/09/2023
📅 FEPS Newsletter: we are back!
Western Balkans, gender, Sahel, employment, care and much more
 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Upcoming Events
Returning to work after the summer holidays is more appealing with the exciting rentrée agenda the FEPS team has prepared for you!

This summer, we travelled, in-person and with our minds. We went to the Western Balkans and got back with a fresh ‘Balkan Focus’ series: a dive into the current political developments of this region. As much as we like to look at their present and future, these countries have a past to learn from.

In the following days, among other activities, we’ll host public events on Sahel, care economy and AI in the workplace. Join us and stay tuned, many more will be announced soon!
The new Balkan Focus series provides background analyses on current political developments in the Western Balkan countries and the debate and process of European enlargement.

The policy briefs are published in cooperation with Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale (CeSPI) and Karl Renner Institut, in synergy with the Friends of the Western Balkan (FoWB) project.

The EU needs to reassess its regional engagement and provide a credible enlargement path for the Western Balkans.

What are the challenges and geopolitical shifts impacting the EU enlargement process for the Western Balkan (WB6) region? This policy brief also underlines the importance of including the WB6 in the EU for European security and stability at large. Read more.
POLICY BRIEF
Perspective on staged accession
By Sabrina De Silva

Find here a timely analysis of the most relevant proposals – developed both within the European institutions and by independent research centres – on the staged accession methodology for the EU Enlargement process toward the Western Balkans.

This policy brief also includes a summary of the discussion held at the network meeting of Friends of the Western Balkans in June 2023. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal developed during the discussion. Read more.
Dive down into Montenegro’s recent political history. From the loss of Milo Djukanović, leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists, in favour of Jakov Milatović, leader of the ‘Europe Now!’ Movement, to the consequences of this loss for the country’s commitment to EU values and its application for the European Union membership. Read more.

Stay tuned! Three more policy briefs of the ‘Balkans Focus’ will be published soon.
PAST EVENT
25-26 August – Korčula, Croatia
What lessons can we learn from the Balkan conflicts of the ’90s? Through a gender lens, we looked at this region hoping to find guidance for resolving the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Initiated in 2012, the Korčula School brings together women and men political leaders from centre-left and social-democratic parties, experts, political activists and feminists, especially from South Eastern Europe, to discuss gender equality issues.

Among the speakers that took part in the debate were Ann Linde, former Minister for Foreign Affairs for Sweden; Zita Gurmai, PES Women President; Maria João Rodrigues, FEPS President; László Andor, FEPS Secretary General; Knut Fleckenstein, FEPS Special Advisor on Western Balkans; and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Senior Policy Analyst on Gender Equality.

📕Women in the Western Balkans were also the focus of our policy studies on the implementation of gender mainstreaming and women’s political participation.

Are activation policies aimed at removing barriers to employment and strengthening the connection between social protection and work life? Their purpose, and effectiveness have been subject to an ongoing debate. Critics argue that it can serve as a disguise for deregulation policies.

This study reviews the nature of activation reforms in National Recovery and Resilience Plans and observes that the Recovery and Resilience Facility helped trigger, or even amplified, essential welfare recalibrations. Read more.

In 2023, the Sahel crisis entered its twelfth year and took on a worrying new dimension and the new dynamics in place seem to have challenged Europe’s ability to act.
On this occasion, together with Fondation Jean-Jaurès and Istituto Affari Internazionali, we will analyse the implementation by the EU of its Integrated Strategy 2021 for the Sahel. With an approach based on true partnership and equality, we will examine the challenges and opportunities of the new regional context.
6 September – Online

Do you know how much the need for care is projected to grow with the EU’s population ageing?
According to projections, the total age-dependency ratio could accelerate acutely and is expected to reach 76.1% by 2050.

Our next
policy lunch of the Care4Care series, organised with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the European Public Service Union, will discuss the importance of recognising care as a priority for EU sustainable investments.

If well managed, the care economy can generate positive economic impacts and become a major vector for sustainable growth
.

UPCOMING EVENT
Led by machines
21 September – Stockholm, Sweden
With the computer revolution, the workplace has seen a rapid introduction of digital technologies for gig work, remote work, surveillance, and algorithmic management of workers.
This public launch of the FEPS-Nordics Digital Programme on Algorithmic Management and Workers’ Rights will bring together researchers, policymakers, trade unionists and other stakeholders from the Nordic countries to discuss the effects of digital tech on the nature of work itself across the labour market.
PROGRESSIVE PAGE
The wheels are coming off
By László Andor
Frans Timmermans has stepped down as executive vice president of the European Commission. Margrethe Vestager is expected to become the president of the European Investment Bank, and Jutta Urpilainen is going to join the competition to become Finland’s new president.
These commissioners used to be political heavyweights in their home countries before moving to Brussels, which was certainly good for Europe. But due to their simultaneous departure more than one year before the end of the mandate of this Commission, added by the constant speculation about Ursula von der Leyen preparing for Jens Stoltenberg’s succession at the helm of NATO, the Commission’s leadership capacity is dramatically dropping. It gives the impression of the wheels coming off, and that the achievements of this cycle on major policy fields could remain incomplete. Read more.
Photo credits: Shutterstock/ Alexandros Michailidis
Twitter
Facebook
Linkedin
Instagram
Youtube
Website
Was this email forwarded to you?


Copyright © 2023 FEPS Europe, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you participated in one of FEPS’ events and/or have registered for FEPS’ newsletter.
If you wish not to receive FEPS’ communications anymore, please click here: unsubscribe now





Email Marketing by ActiveCampaign
Find all related Progressive Post
Progressive Post
11/02/2025

Reclaiming workers’ rights in the age of AI: from data protection to collective justice

As AI and data-driven technologies reshape the workplace, they often undermine workers’ rights, privacy and […]
11/02/2025

Algorithmic management in Europe: from key features to governance and beyond

In today’s increasingly digitalised workplaces, automated systems orchestrate and monitor tasks, measure performance, and even […]
11/02/2025

A worker-centric algorithmic governance for Europe’s competitive edge

Does regulation make Europe uncompetitive? Or is the well-protected European social model a blessing when […]
Find all related Magazine
Magazine
  • cover book

    #Issue 26 Progressive Post

#Issue 26

Brace for impact
  • cover book

    #Issue 25 Progressive Post

#Issue 25

EU 2024: the unpredictable well-known
  • cover book

    Issue #24 Progressive Post

Issue #24

The future is social
Find all related publications
Publications
17/02/2025

Expected labour market effects of the Green Deal Industrial Plan (2)

A regional labour policy approach
13/02/2025

Transforming housing policy in war-affected Ukraine

Progressive Ukraine series
13/02/2025

Impoverished motherhood in Ukraine

Progressive Ukraine series
13/02/2025

In search of the progressive paths to rebuild Ukraine

Progressive Ukraine series
Find all related news
News
10/02/2025

FEPS joins BlueSky – follow our new account! 

When misinformation and disinformation run rampant, we resist attempts to bully users off certain platforms. […]
07/02/2025

FEPS President on the European car industry and the Competitive Compass on Euronews ‘Brussels, my love?’

FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues took part in the Euronews talk show ‘Brussels, my love?‘ […]
29/01/2025

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas awarded FEPS ‘Progressive Person of the Year’

FEPS Progressive Person of the Year 2024-2025
15/01/2025

Launch of the new Open Progressive University’s Ukraine programme!

We have launched the new programme ‘Progressive Ukraine’ in collaboration with S&D Group as part […]
Find all related in the media
In the media

Foundation for European Progressive Studies recommends introduction of minimum tax on capital income in EU

07/02/2025
In its 'Europe Daily Bulletin', the press agency Agence Europe features FEPS’ latest policy study, 'Tackling Tax Avoidance', which underscores the need for a minimum tax on capital income in the EU.

Nedostatak brižnosti

by Vox Feminae 04/02/2025
"Lack of care" The Croatian feminist magazine Vox Feminae highlights the chapter by Annica Kronsell in FEPS book "A new Gender Equality Contract for Europe", which is dedicated to imagining a new gender contract for the climate

Suomi on poikkeuksellisen herkkä menettämään verotuloja muiden maiden verohelpotusten takia

by Helsingin Sanomat 04/02/2025
Discussing the findings from the policy study "Tackling tax avoidance" with Kalevi Sorsa Foundation

Brussels promises to make red tape disappear – Brussels my love

by Euronews 03/02/2025
FEPS President Maria João Rodrigues participated in this episode of Euronews’ show ‘Brussels my love’ on EU car industry, the cost of living, inflation, and public transport.