NEWS

Despite the activities of the EU and national institutions, as well as intermediary institutions and actors, studies and surveys note a growing gap between the so-called "EU elites" and EU citizens. The EU has a legitimacy problem, support rates dropped during the height of the financial crisis and, despite the improving economic situation, votes for populist, extremist, anti-EU and anti-democratic parties and movements are rising across the EU. At the same time, the Europeanisation of politics and decision-making continues to affect and change the national democratic systems of member states.

What explains the distance between EU institutions and EU citizens? The event will present the first results of the Jean Monnet research projects "Debating Europe" and the Jean Monnet Chair "BridgE" on this question. In the projects, a total of 18 international focus groups were and are being conducted in Bulgaria, Finland, France, Croatia, Slovenia and Germany. 12 of these have now taken place and the results are available. The interim results will be presented on 11 September at 18.00h by Claudia Wiesner (Fulda University of Applied Sciences), Cecile Robert (Sciences Po Lyon) Willy Beauvallet (Université de Lyon II), Ana Matan; (University of Zagreb), Meta Novak (University of Ljubljana), Niilo Kauppi and Kim Zilliacus (University of Helsinki) and Ruzha Smilova (Centre for Liberal Strategies).
On 12 September at 9.30 am, social scientists Virginie van Ingledom (Leuven), Celine Belot (Grenoble) and Claudia Wiesner (Fulda) will discuss the relationship between citizens and the EU.

On 12 September at 17.00, the Jean Monnet Chair "Bridging the Gap between the EU and is Citizens" will conclude with a discussion on the consequences and possibilities for the EU to become closer to its citizens.  Representatives from political practice, Thomas Berger for Europe Direct, Peter Schaub for Europa-Union and Marianne Müller for Pulse of Europe, as well as Muriel Pluschke (University of Applied Sciences Fulda) will discuss.

Wednesday, March 29

13.00-17.00 CET Claudia Wiesner, Fulda UAS; Damian Lajh, Meta Novak, University of Slovenia; Niilo Kauppi, Kim Ziliacus, University of Helsinki, Ruzha Smilova, Center for Liberal Strategies (Sofia); Igor Vidacak, University of Helsinki; Willy Beauvallet, University of Lyon

Thursday March 30

Online Course On EU Studies

8.00-9.00 CET Marcus Fessler, Inter.research Institute /Fulda UAS

Analysis of Focusgroups

9.00-11.00 CET Claudia Wiesner, Fulda UAS; Damian Lajh, Meta Novak, University of Slovenia; Niilo Kauppi, Kim Ziliacus, University of Helsinki, Ruzha Smilova, Center for Liberal Strategies (Sofia); Igor Vidacak, University of Helsinki; Willy Beauvallet, University of Lyon

Scientific Board Meeting

13.00-14.30 CET Celine Belot, Sciences-Po Grenoble; Jonathan White, London School of Economics; Andrew Favell, University of Leeds; Luis Bouza, Autonomous University of Madrid

Analysis of Focusgroups

15.00-17.30 CET Claudia Wiesner, Fulda UAS; Damian Lajh, Meta Novak, University of Slovenia; Niilo Kauppi, Kim Ziliacus, University of Helsinki, Ruzha Smilova, Center for Liberal Strategies (Sofia); Igor Vidacak, University of Helsinki; Willy Beauvallet, University of Lyon

Friday, March 31, 2023,

Citizens, Democracy and the European Union

08.00-10.00 CET Thinkcorner, University of Helsinki Ana Björk, Demos, Heidi Hautala, MEP and vice-president of the EP, Johanna Kantola, University of Helsinki; Niko Pyrhönen, University of Helsinki; Claudia Wiesner, Fulda UAS; Chair: Niilo Kauppi, University of Helsinki

This international workshop assembles doctoral candidates researching on Europe and the EU from six different EU countries and seven different European Universities. The doctoral students are invited to present their research projects and discuss methods, theory and topics among peers and teachers in an open and cooperative debate. Besides the workshop offers to discuss the scientific, operational and practical framework of writing a doctorate in an experimental manner among the peers and teachers.

Organisation:

• Jean Monnet Network „Debating Europe“ and  Jean-Monnet-Chair „Bridging the Gap“ (Fulda University of Applied Sciences)
• Fulda Centre for Transnational Governance

Direction:
Prof. Dr. Claudia Wiesner (Fulda University of Applied Sciences)

EU-Policies from Macro to micro

9.00h-11.00h // Chair: Meta Novak, University of Ljubljana, Ana Matan, University of Zagreb

• Keller, Maria, Fulda University of Applied Sciences , Beyond the glass ceiling. Female Leadership in the institutions of the European Union
• Diedrich, Nicola, Fulda University of Applied Sciences , Micropolitics in the EU Institutional System. Opportunities, Deadlocks and Dynamics in EU anti- discrimination policy
• Cavic, Vesna, University of Zagreb, The impact of europeanization on changes in higher education policies in Croatia
• Pluschke, Muriel, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Top-down and bottom-up dynamics of the European public in the local

 EU-Policies from Macro to micro

11.15h-13.15h // Chair: Cécile Robert, Sciences Po Lyon , Niilo Kauppi, University of Helsinki

• Coronel Crespo, Daniel, Sciences Po LyonThe financialization of the ecological transition policies of the European Union: the emergence of a framework for sustainable finance as an instrument of European public action.
• Baumann, Sara, University of Ljubljana, The impact of focusing events on public policies through the example of man-made disasters
• Bežovan, Mijo, University of Zagreb, Influence of business consultants on the absorption capacity of local self-government units in the use of ESI funds
• Konrad Valentina, University of Ljubljana, The Role of Social Movements in EU Climate Policymaking