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[...] Ukraine has long been more than an EU candidate country. It is already a security, innovation, and resources partner of the European Union. If it joins the EU, it would likely become one of the Union’s five most populous Member States. For this and other reasons, the rule of law, internal market readiness, and the EU’s capacity to act are central prerequisites for viable accession. This is the tension at the[...]

[...] Europe in 2035: Four Scenarios and the Choices that Matter This policy brief presents four plausible trajectories for the European order up to 2035. Rather than predicting the future, the scenarios are intended to clarify how political, economic, security, and geopolitical dynamics could interact over the coming decade, and where strategic choices made in the late 2020s may prove decisive. Europe faces a convergence[...]

[...] New position paper: Strengthening citizen participation in Europe through civic tech in the age of AI How can citizen participation succeed in Europe amid rising polarization, declining trust, and AI-driven communication? A new position paper by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra explores the role of civic technology – and outlines the political and structural conditions needed to[...]

[...] A new framework for EU external action funding A new framework for EU external action funding In July 2025, the European Commission kicked off the fight over the EU’s next long-term budget — and proposed an overhaul of EU external action funding through the Global Europe Instrument (GEI). At its core, the GEI is an attempt to refit EU external spending to a markedly tougher international environment. In the[...]

[...] Bertelsmann Stiftung has submitted feedback to the European Union on the further development of the European Child Guarantee. We call for the European Child Guarantee to be strengthened so that it can make an effective contribution to preventing child poverty in Europe. For many years, Bertelsmann Stiftung has been working on various policy areas related to the European Child Guarantee and has also been supporting[...]

[...] This policy brief highlights the extent to which the EU has developed strategic objectives in its southern neighbourhood, including through the New Agenda for the Mediterranean, the EU-Gulf Strategy (2022), the recently adopted Pact for the Mediterranean, and the renewed vision for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). At the same time, these ambitions face a challenging environment marked by persistent conflicts,[...]

[...] The EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)is negotiated under intense pressure: rising investment needs in security, competitiveness and the dual transition collide with tight fiscal constraints and growing disagreement over the Union’s priorities. Negotiations will reveal whether the EU can agree on a budget that aligns with its ambitions for a free, secure and competitive Europe. They are a big[...]

[...] Through its work, the Bertelsmann Stiftung aims to make democracy crisis-proof and sustainable. Here is an overview of our activities and priorities in this area: Maia Sandu and Michael Otto to receive the 2025 Reinhard Mohn Prize The Bertelsmann Stiftung has awarded the2025 Reinhard Mohn Prizeto the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and to entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Otto.In keeping with[...]

[...] Few recent EU initiatives have attracted as much enthusiasm from founders and political leaders as the ‘28th regime’ – a single, opt-in European rulebook intended to simplify cross-border entrepreneurship. Its ambition is straightforward: to narrow Europe’s persistent innovation gap by reducing the legal fragmentation that hinders firms seeking to scale across member states. That fragmentation carries[...]

[...] Paris: Network for Participation & Deliberation in Europe strengthens citizen participation – High-level event sends political signal Democratic systems across Europe are under pressure. In this context, the Network for Participation & Deliberation in Europe convened its sixth network meeting in Paris. Over three days, leading experts in participation worked intensively on advancing strategic approaches[...]