Hey Europe! Can We Talk? MeetEU is your place to meet Europeans from all of the Continent and discuss the Future of Europe
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As part of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the transnational Project MeetEU.eu organized a citizen-mayors online event about the implementation of the European Green in the cities of Europe. As speakers, we welcomed Jeanne Barseghian, Mayor of Strasbourg, and Katrin Habenschaden, second Mayor of Munich.
I.
Electric vehicles (EV) as a buffer storage for the city; parked EVs could become the battery storage of the whole city, stabilizing power grids powered by wind and solar energy.
II.
Turning the roofs of shopping centers (and the like) into green zones (with meadows, trees etc.) where residents can spend their spare time and exercise.
III.
Reuse of buildings first: Before new construction projects are started, ensure that there are no abandoned offices, shopping centers, factories, schools, etc. that could be refurbished.
The EU wants to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050. Cities are key players in this transition. They consume the most energy and emit the most greenhouse gases.
So how is the Green Deal being implemented on a local level? What are mayors doing to enhance quality of life in their cities – what measures are they taking to make cities greener to protect their residents from heat stress and extreme weather events? What are they doing to decarbonize buildings and transport? And is there a best practice exchange between EU cities?
We’d like to discuss these questions with two majors of two important European cities: Jeanne Barseghian (Mayor of Strasbourg) and Katrin Habenschaden (2nd Mayor, City of Munich).
Some comments from the participants:
(A person from Estonia)
I admire Merkel for her ability to compromise. But the next German chancellor should take a harder line on Russia. Estonia, for example, has reduced its independence from Russian gas as much as it could.
In addition, the new Chancellor should reconsider the cooperation with China and the far-right movements in Europe.
(A person from Sweden)
Although the Hong Kong government cracked down on the Hong Kong democracy movement, Germany maintained business as usual with Hong Kong and China. The next German Chancellor should be more aware of the Far-Right and nationalistic shift in many countries. We had this at the beginning of the 20th century. Europe and the world are moving in dangerous dimensions. This is an issue the new German Chancellor should address.
(A person from Poland)
The Western world values profits over people. On international stage, we are dealing with men like Putin and Xi Jinping who want to control people. But we as Europeans must think first and foremost of lives and human rights, not profit.
(A person from Germany)
I’m a high school student. I’d like the next German Chancellor to save the Earth for my generation.
(A person from Belgium)
Europe and Germany should use energy or trade dependencies for gradual change. Corporations should have something to lose if they do business with us. Take Huawei. The EU or Germany should say, we give you a 5G contract with certain limitations, relating to an improvement of the human rights situation. If these requirements are met, we can talk about expanding the contract.
(A person from Poland)
I disagree. No arrangements will change autocracies. These countries are no democracies. They don’t care about human rights or civil rights. They just take our money and continue to oppress people and making minorities subjects to forced labor. The next German Chancellor should take a more active role in addressing this issue.
(Another person from Germany)
We shouldn’t look only at the candidates who run for German Chancellor, but also at the people they sit at the table with, for instance the coal or automotive industry.
(A person from Germany)
My hope is that we won’t destroy Earth in the long run. That is why the new German Chancellor should pursue ambitious climate goals.
Poland’s freedom icon Lech Walesa believes powerhouse Germany should lead either a deeply reformed, or an entirely rebuilt European Union, in the wake of a possible Brexit. (Euractive 2016)
or
Germany with its tightfisted approach on Eurobonds, common debt and spending should get out of the way and leave the European leadership to more progressive countries like France and Italy.
It is between these two positions that the expectations of European citizens vary.
Please be prepared to discuss the expectation of your fellow countrymen and -women! After a short introduction, you will have the opportunity to express your opinion.
Norway’s centre-left opposition won a majority in parliament after Monday’s general election. The new possible government parties oppose to look for new oil and gas fields, while existing ones shall stay in operation for 5-8 more years. Once those are exhausted, the EU will have to look for new suppliers (if renewables can not replace them by then). Russia will continue to offer itself as an energy supplier in order to try to create dependency. Projects like Nordstream 2 show that some EU members states are willing to accept the Russian offer, underestimating the strategic risks for other EU member states.
To prevent this, the EU should pursue the following:
Norway is today the second-largest exporter of natural gas to the EU, behind only Russia. Although not an EU member, through EEA and EFTA, Norway plays a significant part in EU energy policy supplying oil and between 18%-25% of the EU’s gas demand. For Norway, oil and gas equals about half of the total value of its exports, making them the most important export commodities in the Norwegian economy.
With a fragmented electorate, though, any Norwegian government coalition building looks to be dependent on the smaller parties, and they are calling for an end to oil and gas exploration. In a surprise move after trailing in the polls and with just two weeks before the election, incumbent Prime Minister, Erna Solberg’s government proposed overhauling how it taxes the companies that extract petroleum.
Some say, the changes risk calling into doubt the stability of the petroleum based foundation of the Norwegian fiscal system and risks upending current EU energy policy. What does this hold for a post-oil Europe and how will it impact the politics of Norwegian oil and gas importers (Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Belgium, Denmark and others)?
Applications for traineeships at the European Commission have just opened: this is your chance to get practical experience thanks to a paid experience in EU Directorates, Institutions and agencies. You could be placed in Brussels, in Luxembourg or elsewhere across the European Union, where other EU agencies are located.
If you are a university graduate of any discipline who does not have more than 6 weeks of experience working in an EU institution, body, agency or delegation, grab your opportunity and apply by 31 August 2021, 12:00 midday, Brussels time (traineeship period 1 March 2022 – 31 July 2022).
*The information about the project does not come from MeetEU but from an official EU site. We cannot answer any questions about the project.
Applications have opened for the fall session 2021 for traineeships in the European Parliament, known as Schuman Traineeships.
This time there are around 428 positions available, and you can send your application for up to three positions.
The deadline to do so is on the 30th June, so don’t miss out the opportunity to get an experience in the European Parliament.
*The information about the project does not come from MeetEU but from an official EU site. We cannot answer any questions about the project.
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As a warm-up for the upcoming European Youth Week, taking place from 24 to 30 May, the Commissioner for Youth and Education, Mariya Gabriel, wants to hear your voice.
Your questions, comments and opinions can tackle areas such as:
Anything else that comes to your mind, related to Europe’s youth, your opportunities and participation in democratic life is equally welcomed!
You need to be between 18 and 30 years old living in an Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes countries and acting on your own personal capacity (e.g. any entries submitted by journalists and media representatives will not be considered).
Send your question in a video format of maximum 30 seconds to EAC-SOCIAL-MEDIA@ec.europa.eu or post it on social media (Twitter or Instagram) using the hashtag #EUYouthWeek.
In exceptional cases, entries in the format of a photo with a written question or an audio file are accepted.
You can ask as many questions as you want!
Send them by 30 May 2021 00:00 (Brussels time) and stay tuned for the answers. Read Terms and Conditions
*The information about the project does not come from MeetEU but from an official EU site. We cannot answer any questions about the project.
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European Commission’s initiative to fight discrimination and promote diverse and inclusive workplaces and societies.
During the month of May 2021, we will celebrate the European Diversity Month to raise awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion in our workplaces and in society throughout the whole European Union. It is organised by the European Commission and the EU Platform of Diversity Charters together with its members.
The launch event by Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, will take place on 4th May 2021 at 10 am (CET), and you can follow it live.
It will bring together policy-makers, chief executive officers of diversity charter signatories, other organisations and stakeholders to review and promote the consideration of racial and ethnic origin in diversity strategies.
Read more about the EU Diversity Month here and share your views on social media using #EUDiversityMonth
*The information about the project does not come from MeetEU but from an official EU site. We cannot answer any questions about the project.