This article is based on research presented at the UACES Graduate Forum Research Conference 2025 (29-30 May, Panteion University, Athens, Greece).  By dr. Maaike Geuens (Assistant Professor Public Management Open Universiteit) and ms. Duygu Sahin (Tilburg University). Constitutional identity is an increasingly contested notion within the European Union’s legal and political landscape. Codified in Article 4(2) of […]

The political attachment many Europeans feel towards the EU has become increasingly fragile. In the 2024 European elections, just half of eligible voters cast their ballots, and the rise of Eurosceptic parties signals a growing erosion of trust. At the same time EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen sees in contrast to Putin and […]

Passengers boarding planes in Europe today enjoy the benefits of deregulated and integrated air transport network – thanks to the creation of the EU single market in air services in the 1990s. But the EU aviation policy did not stop at regional borders. Having been repeatedly dismissed in the past, the European Commission now conducts […]

The recent plan by President Ursula von der Leyen of a €150 billion European joint debt to fund the purchase of arms under the name ReArm Europe has sent shockwaves across the continent and beyond. The press announcement, made on March 4th, followed the infamous Oval Office meeting between US President Trump and Ukrainian President […]

Abstract  This article revisits the productivity paradox in the context of the European Union’s (EU) digital transformation, exploring the intersection of responsible innovation (RI) and productivity growth. The analysis is guided by two pivotal questions: how regulatory frameworks promoting RI influence productivity in the digital economy, and whether traditional productivity metrics effectively capture RI’s broader […]

As both a researcher and a policymaker, I am often confronted with the challenge of bridging the gap between these two worlds. While academia and policy serve different purposes, they are intricately connected and have much to offer one another. The UACES (University Association for Contemporary European Studies) Doctoral Training Academy (DTA) in Prague gave […]

It’s time to say goodbye to the UACES family, where I’ve had the honor of serving as Communications Manager and Interim Chair over the past two years. Like everything in life, this journey came with its ups and downs, successes and challenges. Yet, I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it. I can genuinely say […]