The German Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2020:

On July 1st, 2020, Germany will assume the chair of the Presidency of the Council of the EU. In light of the current circumstances, the German government will have to deal primarily with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and its consequences for the over 500 million citizens of the EU. Apart from this, numerous pressing topics and unresolved questions that were urgent on the pre-pandemic agenda still call for immediate attention, such as in refugee policy, climate policy, the incomplete finance union, as well as the sustainment of the rule of law.

Precisely in light of the nation-state reflex that characterised many states’ responses at the onset of the CO- VID19 crisis is European solidarity again in tremendously high demand. No member state of the EU – Germany included – can face the enormous challenges and the barely containable economic crisis alone. As the economically largest and strongest country, Germany must further offer an active and solidary contribution in order to ensure that the EU can rise to meet the challenges of the pandemic. The EU’s capacity to act also depends crucially upon the German government’s will to act. Partner states in the EU expect an active and cooperative European policy from Germany, both now and particularly in the German presidency. We therefore ask:

• What expectations do the European neighbors have of Germany and of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU in the times of the coronavirus pandemic? What responsibility does Germany have in the current critical situation?
• How can the economic investments necessary for overcoming the current crisis remain consistent with the demands of the European Green Deal and a sustainable means of doing politics?
• What priorities should the German government set, in light of the additional new duties and perhaps also prolonged restrictions?
• In these unusual circumstances, how can Germany contribute to new vigour in European cooperation during its Council presidency?

At our Annual Conference on European Politics, which takes place this year in digital format, we speak with representatives from political office, academia, policy advising, and civil society from all over Europe in order to analyse the current crisis, as well as to discuss the future of the EU both controversially and constructively.

• Dr. Franziska Brantner, German MP, Alliance 90/The Greens, Berlin
• Leonore Gewessler, Minister for Climate, Environmental Protection, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria, Vienna
• Sven Giegold, MEP, Leader of the German delegation EFA/Greens, Brussels
• Johannes Hillje, Political Scientist and Policy Advisor, Berlin
• Dr. Péter Krekó, Director, Political Capital, Budapest
• Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers, Professor of Public Law and Philosophy of Law, Humboldt University, Berlin
• Lefteris Papagiannakis, Head of Advocacy, Policy and Research, Solidarity Now, Athens 
• Dr. Christine Pütz, Senior Programme Officer, European Union, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin
• Terry Reintke, MEP, The Greens/EFA, Brussels
• Susanne Rieger, Board, Green European Foundation and Noz Horizonte, Barcelona
• Dr. Ellen Ueberschär, Board, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin
• Dr. Arturo Varvelli, Director, European Council on Foreign Relations, Rome
• Urszula Zielińska, Member of the Polish Parliament, Warsaw

In cooperation with Green European Foundation. 

Information Time:

Thursday, May 28th, 2020, 13:30 – 18:00 as Online-Seminar

Conference languages:
English/German with simultaneous translation

Project Leadership:

Dr. Christine Pütz, Senior Programme Officer, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin, E-Mail, puetz@boell.de, Telephone +49 (0)30 285 34 -391

Information:

Ulrike Pusch, Independent Project Manager, Berlin,
E-Mail, euquovadis@boell.de
Claudia Rothe, Project Manager, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin, E-Mail, rothe@boell.de, Telephone +49 (0)30 285 34 -385

Additional information:

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