Particularly in the waste / recycling sector, it pays to read official, government-published statistics with a degree of scepticism. 👇
Data quality around packaging recycling makes it very hard to assess how CEE member states are performing. 👇 #waste #packaging #recycling #data #dataquality #cee https://lnkd.in/echGYasb
The European Parliament has concluded that low turnout at next month’s European elections will benefit anti-European populists, so efforts need to be made to encourage people to get out and vote – particularly younger voters, who, it is thought, are much more likely to vote for pro-European, non-populist parties. We explore below whether those conclusions are correct in CEE, and whether there is any evidence that the campaign is working. 👇
The European Parliament is running a powerful communications campaign ahead of next month’s elections to encourage people to vote. The objective is very clear – to limit the shift that so many people are predicting towards right-wing, populist parties – and it might just work in the largest Central & Eastern European countries. 👇 https://lnkd.in/deeiRaMb
A few thoughts from us below on the Catch-22 the EU faces when it comes to addressing the appeal of Eurosceptic populist parties: how do you address issues of concern to their voters, such as migration, without an expanded role for the EU, which they oppose? 👇
Last week, member states approved a provisional deal on a major reform of the EU’s asylum and migration system. This was timely given that we are four months out from European elections, with populist parties looking to gain ground across Europe. The question is, will proactive measures like the overhaul of the migration system do anything to weaken the populist cause? The article below considers some of the evidence 👇 https://lnkd.in/ghUeYtvB
A few thoughts from us to end the year on what impact the economic growth that is forecast across CEE might have politically. 👇 Happy Christmas everyone!
The top-line macroeconomic indicators look encouraging for Central & Eastern Europe but, with a big year coming up politically, will incumbent governments across the region benefit from that? 👇 https://lnkd.in/enhqm3Sx
There isn’t much enthusiasm right now to look back at the COVID years, but it’s vital that we do because there are still so many lessons to learn. One important area is why some countries suffered more than others, even within Europe. Regional data has now been published which, while not providing clear answers, does shine a bit more light on this question. 👇
Earlier this year, we wrote a piece about the impact that COVID had had on life expectancy across Europe. It suggested that, perhaps, wealthier nations were simply better able to cope with the impact of the pandemic than poorer countries. Regional data has now been published and it’s an opportunity to evaluate that idea in more detail. 👇 https://lnkd.in/esHZ9GHS
While it’s good news that Central & Eastern European member states are better represented within the European Commission than they were even a few years ago, there are two prominent outliers - Poland and the Czech Republic - which remain under-represented at both senior and junior levels. The piece below gives some thoughts on why that might be. 👇 Let us know if you have your own theories. And give us a follow if these are the kinds of articles that spark your interest.
Member states are always keen to have as many of their own people as possible in the most influential roles in Brussels, and the representation of Central & Eastern European member states at senior levels within the European Commission has progressed very significantly over the last six years 👇 https://lnkd.in/e5cw9_GF
The latest R&D data reveals several interconnected problems which combine to have serious implications for Central & Eastern Europe's economic growth potential. 👇
Increasing R&D capacity remains a stubborn challenge in Central & Eastern Europe, but if governments across this region are to meet their objective of transitioning to more innovation-based economies, it is one that they will need to address head-on. 👇 https://lnkd.in/eB8Fzc2v
According to the most recent Eurobarometer survey, the member states where the EU is viewed most favourably compared with the national parliament are mostly in CEE – but levels of trust in the EU have been declining and it could have an impact on turnout at the European Parliament elections in a year’s time. 👇
Based on the Spring 2023 Eurobarometer survey, people in CEE are typically much more trusting of the EU than they are of their own national parliaments – but trust levels have declined in most places since the start of the war in Ukraine. What might this mean for the European Parliament election next year? 👇 https://lnkd.in/eF_UAzdn
Under-investment in education is a long-term, region-wide problem across CEE. Unless it's addressed, it’s hard to see how many of the issues in schools and universities will be fixed – and how countries in the region will be able to transition into more innovative, knowledge-based economies. 👇
The teachers strikes / protests in Hungary and Romania are illustrative of broader, more systemic issues in education systems across CEE 👇 #education #cee #teacherspay #investmentineducation https://lnkd.in/e_ZdqKsN
There are five ‘clusters’ within the EU where the air quality is rated “poor” or “very poor” in multiple cities in the same region – and they’re not all in Eastern Europe 👇
Which are the worst parts of the EU when it comes to air pollution? And what are the main causes? 👇 https://lnkd.in/ezj-B3fU
