Liberal Europe Blog

The proposed reform of the Common Agricultural Policy marks a major shift, giving national governments more control while cutting red tape and merging funding streams. While it includes welcome steps like a “starter pack” for young farmers, the removal of climate ringfencing and continued reliance on outdated land-based subsidies risk undermining sustainability and innovation.

While acknowledging crucial strategic areas, the current MFF proposal remains rather conservative and might be cut back further. The proposal is still far off from future-proofing the European budget. Institutionalising proposals such as a Future Share concept to safeguard future-oriented investments would ensure Europe’s strategic autonomy, global competitiveness, and long-term resilience. Otherwise, even ambitious visions might become lost in translation.

The 21st century will be the century of space. This grand claim, recently echoed by Commissioner Kubilius in remarks on the European Space Act (ESA) and the EU’s new Vision for the Space Economy, is not mere rhetoric. The global space sector is projected to grow exponentially, with the Draghi report suggesting it could surpass €1.5 trillion by 2035 (from €500 billion in 2023), reshaping not just defence and telecommunications, but climate monitoring, precision agriculture, finance, and mobility. Accordingly, space is no longer just a frontier of exploration, but an economic engine and critical infrastructure layer central to modern civilisation. 

When EU officials travel to countries with politically sensitive contexts such as Serbia and Georgia, these are not mere ceremonial gestures. Rather, these official visits are essential for grasping the realities on the ground.

As the EU grapples with new enlargement rounds, including Ukraine and the Western Balkans, the experience of Bulgaria and Romania offers valuable lessons. It proves that with the right support and determination, integration can work—not just for Western Europe, but for the entire continent.

Reclaiming liberalism means rethinking how we engage with voters, redefining liberty, and using modern tools like social media to reach people where they are. It’s not only about doing the exact opposite of what the populist movement is doing but taking a lesson from their playbook and applying it to ours.

Political campaigns have moved from the streets and squares to social media in just a few decades. It would not be illogical if political campaigns’ next move were into the metaverse.

The M100 Sanssouci Colloquium, Strategic Working Group I addressed how the EU can develop a long-term Digital Strategic Autonomy strategy to strengthen its position in the international digital domain of tomorrow, complement the security aspect of and redefine its relations with allies and rivals.

Innovation in almost any sector is advancing at a pace that we have not seen before. “Science, Not Fiction” blogpost series explores these innovative sectors in pursuit of creating a liberal environment, to push the boundaries of science even further.