The Roundtables
EUROPEAN MARKET PROSPERITY​
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The European market has stagnated over the past two decades, with a growing productivity gap against the US, especially in high-tech. Meanwhile, China's economic boom has added pressure, exposing Europe's stalled growth and struggling exports. Post-2008 austerity measures left some Member States (MS) with underdeveloped infrastructure, while growth, heavily reliant on consumption, has been undermined by inflation and rising living costs. Moreover, foreign policy threats have added economic strain and uncertainty. The EU common market urgently needs fresh stimuli and institutional reform to foster cohesion and restore competitiveness.
Given its institutional complexity, the EU faces major obstacles in fostering competitive champions, achieving strategic autonomy, and unifying the internal market.. Innovation and competitiveness are constrained by fragmented capital markets and unequal regulations among MS. External dependencies leave Europe vulnerable to global risks, while slow decision-making and structural inefficiencies hinder collective action. Addressing these challenges requires rethinking the EU's institutional framework to strengthen economic stability and future leadership.
This roundtable will explore strategies to boost European market prosperity by advancing strategic autonomy, reducing external dependencies, fostering market integration through banking and investment regulations, and enhancing competitiveness. It will also assess instruments like eurobonds, considering their benefits and potential risks. In addition, we will cover positive and negative past policy attempts, to anticipate what obstacles our proposals could face.
EUROPEAN EXPANSION​
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The expansion of the European Union represents a pivotal goal in the contemporary geopolitics of the EU, and it requires renewed attention, process reforms and innovative strategies. Revitalising the EU's neighbourhood policy emerges as a fundamental priority, as the EU aims to create a pathway toward a more integrated Europe.
Candidate states are grappling with a myriad of challenges, including political instability, corruption, and economic disparities. To effectively align the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia with EU standards, there arises a need for the implementation of targeted accession strategies that reflect the unique circumstances of each region. Also, the new potential policy needs to establish a more clear goal regarding Turkey’s accession to the EU.
Join us in the European Expansion Roundtable, where together we’ll explore groundbreaking ideas to reform the EU’s expansion policy. Your voice matters, and this is your chance to directly influence the policy-making process on a critical issue for the European Union.
The debate will focus on the three dynamic regions poised for potential expansion: the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. Don’t miss out on this chance to shape the future of Europe and make your mark on a vital conversation. Get involved and be a catalyst for change!
EUROPEAN CLIMATE RESILIENCE​
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From the extreme floods of Valencia to the droughts in Sicily, climate change is here and now we have to adapt. These events have highlighted the importance of Climate Resilience and brought the topic to the European arena. Since extreme climate phenomena are only going to surge and no Member State can face them alone, collaboration in tackling the issue becomes ever more crucial.
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To manage the crisis the European Union has implemented different kinds of regulations and plans throughout the years, the most relevant being the European Climate Law and EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change, which aim to make Europe climate-resilient by 2050. Furthermore, issue-specific legislation has been produced focusing on the most pressing challenges: droughts, floodings, wildfires, storms and heatwaves. However this is still not enough.
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As these events impact the lives of millions of European citizens, it’s pivotal to maintain a comprehensive approach in dealing with their consequences. Prospective policymakers, in developing a holistic strategy, need to take into consideration both legislation and technological innovation. Additionally, to have a long-term positive impact on the livelihood of affected populations, legislators should remember to focus on prevention as well as damage control.
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At the Roundtable on Climate Resilience, we will try to tackle these issues and come up with effective regulations to safeguard the security and the wellbeing of Europeans around the continent. So, if you are a young creative mind with an interest in environmental policy, come and join the discussion at the 2025 EYD!
EUROPEAN HEALTHCARE​
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The European Union’s healthcare landscape is as diverse as its Member States, with the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbating the persistent gaps in the provision of public health across the continent. Disparities in access, costs and quality leave many EU citizens to uphold the right to healthcare.
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The lack of strong regulatory and policy structures is clearly a problem to be addressed through a harmonisation of healthcare solutions within the EU. Member States continue to contend with healthcare professionals moving overseas, as well as privatisation of healthcare systems and expensive medical devices amongst others, which requires national and EU-level coordination.
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Such coordination between Member States has recently taken big steps forward, thanks to the implementation of the EU Pillar of Social Rights in policy design and initiatives like EU4Health, aiming at filling in these gaps, while EU Pharmaceutical Strategy addresses availability of medicine at low cost. However, changes in the healthcare system lead to the awareness that the governance also needs to evolve with a further revolution in funding and technology.
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The EU Healthcare Roundtable has a role of serving as an overall framework for designing innovative policy proposals, delving into crucial areas such as resource allocation, access to patents or licences and the regulation of the pharmaceutical market to improve its competitiveness. This discussion will especially cover three main areas to assess the development of healthcare policies in Europe: access to healthcare, market regulation and resource allocation, public health as global health.
