Today at 12:30 p.m., Bernd Lange (SPD) will all likely be elected by the other chairmen of the committees in the European Parliament as their chairman. Lange has already held the post since 2022. The head of the CCC has an important job: He settles conflicts when committees tussle over responsibilities for dossiers. Does the report go to the Environment Committee or the Industry Committee? The Chair takes part in the Conference of Presidents (COP) and is involved in the agenda of the European Parliament.
He has an exchange with the Commission on its work program and therefore also follows when the Commission presents its proposals. It represents Parliament’s interests vis-à-vis the Commission. In the last parliamentary term alone, MEPs called onthe Commission to draw up a proposal19 times by an absolute majority. The CCC Chair ensures that the Commission keeps its word.
The CCC President is also the point of contact for the Council. He has regular exchanges with the President of the Council. He is also called upon when the rules of procedure in the European Parliament are to be changed. For example, he will be involved in negotiationswhen the regulations for trilogues or business trips are amended soon. Like all posts in the EP, he is appointed for two and a half years. If, halfway through the parliamentary term, the Socialists once again become the President of the Parliament, an EPP committee chairman will almost certainly become the next CCC chief.
The committee chairs were already elected on Tuesday. Read our News to find out why Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermannwas able to assert herself despite huge criticism from the CDU/CSU and who will chair the other committees in the future.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK) is considering separate targets for renewable energy in the industry, transport, and buildings sectors. “The question for the energy policy framework after 2030 is therefore to what extent these sector targets should be continued in principle after 2030 or to what extent alternative metrics, for example the degree of electrification in the sectors, the use of hydrogen, should be considered instead or in addition”, it says in a 29-page invitation to tender for external consulting issued by the BMWK at the end of June.
The document provides an in-depth insight into which parts of the “Target architecture for renewable energies by 2040” the ministry considers to be in need of reform. The BMWK had recently published a similar call for proposals for a reform of the European electricity market.
Commission presents draft legislation for 2026
The new document not only deals with topics such as expansion targets and remuneration from the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), but also with issues of financing, subsidies, planning acceleration, governance, and cross-border cooperation.
The reason for the study is the work on the 2040 climate target. The Commission’s formal legislative proposal is expected at the beginning of next year. The draft of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will follow in the summer and the Commission intends to present legislative proposals for the individual areas of law affected by the new climate target in 2026.
‘Framework for RE expansion also indispensable after 2030’
In principle, the BMWK writes: “To be able to achieve the huge expansion of renewable energies by 2040, a European legislative framework for the expansion of renewable energies after 2030 is therefore indispensable.” However, a few days after the tender was published, the coalition agreed in the budget negotiations to completely changethe funding for renewable energies in Germany. Instead of securing electricity tariffs for 20 years, there will only be investment subsidies and, with the “end of the market-driven coal phase-out“, there will no longer be any EEG funding at all.
Even the document published shortly beforehand does not indicate that the BMWK is determined to defend funding in its current form. In the chapter on the remuneration framework, Robert Habeck’s office writes that existing instruments should be examined to determine “to what extent they are still necessary for the effective and efficient achievement of objectives or need to be adapted”.
Cooperation becomes more important with higher shares of green electricity
The Ministry of Economic Affairs sees a need for regulation in the future, particularly for cross-border projects and a centralized expansion of renewables controlled by the Commission. The need for cooperation will increase significantly with the level of ambition, writes the BMWK. However, if wind farms are connected to several member states, project developers will still have to contend with revenue risks. According to the BMWK, these risks could be covered by EU funds.
EU funding pools such as the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism (RENEWFM) would need sufficient funding with the next MFF. Individual member states should also be given incentives to expand renewables more than their national contributions to the EU targets under the Governance Regulation actually provides for.
Cohesion funds only for participation in the Green Deal
The BMWK also supports the Commission’s efforts to link “concepts for the conditioning of structural funds to national contributions to the Green Deal“. In other words, the cohesion billions, which make up a large part of the EU budget, should only flow inthe future if the member states comply with climate targets. However, the BMWK does not mention the classic structural funds in the document, but only the innovation and modernization funds, which are fed from the ETS and are only used to promote climate protection measures anyway.
According to the BMWK, a centrally controlled expansion of renewables can be triggered by various mechanisms:
According to the Governance Regulation, a “gap filler” is to step in if the EU target is foreseeably not achieved.
The RED3 provides for optional EU tenders to increase the renewable energy target for 2030 from 42.5 to 45 percent.
“Possible transfer of competencies from national to EU level” in the new legislature.
According to the BMWK, the effects of such new EU instruments on the availability of land and biomass and the expansion of the electricity grids in the member states should be considered.
Frustration over governance regulation and NECPs
Concerning a central law, however, the BMWK shows clear frustration. The “question arises as to whether the EU governance framework is sufficiently equipped to ensure the achievement of objectives”. The Commission intends to present an amendment to the governance regulation at the beginning of 2025, which is sorely needed if the BMWK is to be believed.
“The Governance Regulation has so far only demonstrated limited effectiveness in terms of achieving European targets”, the ministry complains. About the national energy and climate plans, with which the states have to report on progress every five years, it says: “They are too complex for informing private individuals, and as a basis for investment decisions or cross-border planning, they lack topicality and, in some cases, depth of detail.” However, it is up to the ministry to ensure this level of detail. Germany has been behind schedule with the current revision since the end of June.
Doubts about achieving renewables target
However, the BMWK’s reform proposals concern governance and enforcement in general: “In particular, the question arises as to whether and to what extent all sectoral governance provisions, which are currently divided up in various legal acts, should be integrated into the Governance Regulation as a central governance instrument.”
It is also doubtful whether the member states are keeping pace with the EU’s renewables targets in terms of their ambitions. There is a non-binding formula for national contributions in the Governance Regulation. “The upcoming reform could be used to seamlessly embed these provisions into a more binding and robust mechanism.”
Lighter subsidies and authorizations
Numerous reform proposals also relate to the EU state aid framework:
Flexibilization of the TCTF and permanent anchoring in the KUEBLL
Simplification of the General Block Exemption Regulation
Review and, if necessary, adjustment of the requirements for exemptions from levies (and surcharges) for energy-intensive companies
Easier approval of CfDs
The BMWK also considers the simplified approval procedures that have been in place since 2022, some of which are limited until July 1, 2025, to be insufficient. The BMWK therefore wants to examine adjustments to European and international environmental, nature conservation, species protection and energy law: “This is less about changing the relevant European directives and more about introducing tailor-made exemptions for renewable energies and grid infrastructure, for example as part of energy policy dossiers.”
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann is the new Chair of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament. MEPs elected the FDP politician by acclamation on Tuesday; there were no opposing candidates. She wanted to “continue [her] commitment to a resilient Europe in her new role together with [her] colleagues”, wrote the former Chair of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag on X.
Strack-Zimmermann had drawn displeasure in advance, particularly from the EPP, because the five FDP MEPs had demonstratively voted against the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) as Commission President last week. Daniel Caspary, the chairman of the CDU/CSU MEPs, described the behavior of the German liberals as “just embarrassing”.
Renew with right of proposal
However, the right to nominate the chair of the SEDE Committee lay with the liberal Renew Group, where Strack-Zimmermann’s appointment was not questioned. Green foreign affairs politician Hannah Neumann emphasized that it was good practice in the European Parliament for the political groups themselves to decide who to send to the committees.
“The role of the committee chairwoman will be to represent the majority opinion to the Commission and member states“, she told Table.Briefings. “After the first three hours, I have no reason to doubt that Ms Strack-Zimmermann will do just that.” Frenchman Christophe Gomart (EPP), Romanian S&D MEP Mihai Tudose, Alberico Gambino from the Fratelli D’Italia (ECR), and Estonian Riho Terras (EPP) were elected as vice-chairs of the committee. tho
Election of committee chairs: Dispute over gender parity
All 20 standing committees and the four subcommittees of the European Parliament met for their constituent meetings on Tuesday. The members elected their chairpersons and four deputy chairpersons each.
Their mandate lasts two and a half years. The committees deal with legislative proposals, appoint negotiating teams for talks with EU ministers, adopt reports, organize hearings and monitor other EU bodies and institutions.
Will the cordon sanitaire fail due to parity?
There was trouble in several committees over the equal representation of the five committee chairs and deputies. On Monday evening, a majority of the Conference of Presidents had waved through a motion by EPP leader Manfred Weber to deviate from the rules of procedure in some committees in order to be able to elect more male candidates. The S&D, the Left and the Patriots for Europe had voted against.
In some committees, the maneuver was successful, in others, such as the Agriculture Committee, there was no agreement, leaving several deputy posts unfilled. “Unfortunately, individual political groups did not manage to adhere to the rules on gender parity that Parliament has set itself when filling the top posts in the committees. The EPP’s approach was completely ignorant“, said S&D Group Vice-President Gaby Bischoff.
It cannot be ruled out that the Parliament’s legal service will examine the legality of some elections. There are doubts about the competence of the COP, as the competence for such matters of procedure lies solely with the AFCO. In the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Patriots had also put forward a female candidate who was defeated by a male candidate. It would be extremely embarrassing if some political groups had created an opportunity for the Patriots to legally challenge the cordon sanitaire based on the gender equality issue of all things.
The elected chairpersons and their deputies
Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET): Chairman: David McAllister (EPP, DE). Deputies (first to fourth): Hana Jalloul (S&D, ES), Urmas Paet (Renew, ET), Alberico Gambino (ECR, IT), Ioan-Rareș Bogdan (EPP, RO).
Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI): Chairman: Mounir Satouri (Greens/EFA, FR). Substitutes: Marta Temido (S&D, PT), Łukasz Kohut (EPP, PL), the third and fourth deputies will be elected later.
Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE): Chairwoman: Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Renew, DE). Substitutes: Christophe Gomart (EPP, FR), Mihai Tudose (S&D, RO), Alberico Gambino (ECR, IT), Riho Terras (EPP, EE).
Development Committee (DEVE): Chairman: Barry Andrews (Renew, IE). Substitutes: Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, SE), Hildegard Bentele (EPP, DE), Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew, SE), Robert Biedroń (S&D, PL).
Committee on International Trade: Chairman: Bernd Lange (S&D, DE). Substitutes: Manon Aubry (Left, FR), Iuliu Winkler (EPP, RO), Karin Karlsbro (Renew, SE), Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D, BE).
Budget Committee (BUDG): Chairman: Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE), Vice-Chairmen: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE), Giuseppe Lupo (S&D, IT), Janusz Lewandowski (EPP, PL), Lucia Yar (Renew, SK).
Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT): Chairman: Niclas Herbst (EPP, DE). Deputies: Caterina Chinnici (EPP, IT), Cristian Terheş (ECR, RO), Claudiu Manda (S&D, RO), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON): Chairpersons: Aurore Lalucq (S&D, FR), Damian Boeselager (Greens/EFA, DE), Ludovit Odor (Renew, SK), Ludek Niedermayer (EPP, CZ), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Subcommittee on Fiscal Affairs (FISC): Chairman: Pasquale Tridico (Left, IT). Substitutes: Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Greens/EFA, DK), Regina Doherty (EPP, IE), Markus Ferber (EPP, DE), Matthias Ecke (S&D, DE).
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL): Chairwoman: Li Andersson (Left, FI). Deputies: Johan Danielsson (S&D, SE), Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak (EPP, PL), Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, DE), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI): Chair: Antonio Decaro (S&D, IT), Esther Herranz García (EPP, ES), Pietro Fiocchi (ECR, IT), Anja Hazekamp (Left, NL), András Tivadar Kulja (EPP, HU).
Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT): Chair: Adam Jarubas (EPP, PL), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, LU), Stine Bosse (Renew, DK), Romana Jerković (S&D, HR), Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR, EL).
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): Chair: Borys Budka (EPP, PL), Tsvetelina Penkova (S&D, BG), Elena Donazzan (ECR, IT), Giorgio Gori (S&D, IT), Yvan Verougstraete (Renew, BE).
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO): Chairpersons: Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, DE), Christian Doleschal (EPP, DE), Nikola Minchev (Renew, BG), Maria Grapini (S&D, RO), Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz (EPP, PL).
Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN): Chairwoman: Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (EPP, EL). Substitute: Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens/EFA, LT), Sophia Kircher (EPP, AT), Elena Kountoura (Left, EL), Matteo Ricci (S&D, IT).
Committee for Regional Development (REGI): Chairman: Adrian-Dragoş Benea (S&D, RO). Substitutes: Gabriella Gerzsenyi (EPP, HU), Nora Mebarek (S&D, FR), Francesco Ventola (ECR, IT), Ľubica Karvašová (Renew, SK).
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development(AGRI): Chairwoman: Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, CZ). Substitutes: Daniel Buda (EPP, RO), Norbert Lins (EPP, DE), Eric Sargiacomo (S&D, FR), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Committee on Culture and Education (CULT): Chair: Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA, DE), Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (EPP, PL), Emma Rafowicz (S&D, FR), Diana Riba I Giner (Greens/EFA, ES), Hristo Petrov (Renew, BG).
Legal Committee (JURI): Chairman: Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew, BG). Substitutes: Marion Walsmann (EPP, DE), Mario Mantovani (ECR, IT), Lara Wolters (S&D, NL), Emil Radev (EPP, BG).
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Chairman: Javier Zarzalejos (EPP, ES). Substitutes: Marina Kaljurand (S&D, EE), Charlie Weimers (ECR, SE). Alessandro Zan (S&D, IT), Estrella Galán (Left, ES).
Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO): Chairman: Sven Simon (EPP, DE). Substitutes: Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, DE), Adrián Vázquez Lázara (EPP, ES), Charles Goerens (Renew, LU), Péter Magyar (EPP, HU).
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM): Chair: Lina Gálvez (S&D, ES). Substitutes: Dainius Žalimas (Renew, LT), Irene Montero (Left, ES), Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (EPP, ES), Predrag Fred Matić (S&D, HR).
France: Left-wing alliance wants former financial investigator as prime minister
Parisian tax official Lucie Castets is to be appointed France’s new prime minister, according to the left-wing electoral alliance. The alliance announced on Tuesday evening that it would propose Castets to President Emmanuel Macron as a candidate for the office of Prime Minister.
Castets is independent. She is currently Director of Finance and Purchasing at Paris City Hall. “As she has been active in the fight against tax fraud and financial crime and has experience in working with non-governmental organizations, she will have our full support in the government she will lead”, the four parties said in a joint statement.
Castets would reverse pension reform
In a statement to French news agency AFP, Castets said she was honored to have been nominated, adding that if she is appointed prime minister, she will work to reverse Macron’s pension reform, which raised the statutory retirement age from 62 to 64.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she is a specialist in combating money laundering and terrorist financing and has worked at the Financial Action Task Force, the French Ministry of Finance and the World Bank.
Candidate search a crucial test
Castet’s nomination was preceded by a fierce dispute between the four parties of the left-leaning NFP party alliance over a joint candidate. The Socialists had insisted on a nomination from within their ranks – triggering a row with the more left-wing La France insoumise (LFI). As a result, the government negotiations were put on hold in mid-July.
As the alliance has the most seats in parliament, it has the right to propose a new prime minister to succeed the outgoing Gabriel Attal, but does not have enough seats to form a majority government.
Macron wants election only after Olympics
Macron announced that he would appoint a new prime minister at the earliest after the end of the Olympic Games in his country. “Our responsibility is to ensure that the Games go well”, Macron said on France 2 in the evening. “It is clear that we are not in a situation where we can change things until mid-August because we would create disorder.”
During the Olympics, the current centrist government of Macron’s camp will remain in office on a caretaker basis. Afterwards, depending on the progress of the talks, it would be his task to appoint a new prime minister, Macron said. lei/rtr/dpa
Frankreich
NGO
New Commission: Netherlands nominate Wopke Hoekstra
Wopke Hoekstra has been nominated by the Dutch government for a new term as EU Commissioner. Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed corresponding media reports and described Hoekstra as a “strong candidate for a solid portfolio“.
Hoekstra was previously responsible for climate policy in the Commission. A year ago, he replaced Frans Timmermans, who returned to Dutch politics.
The 48-year-old Hoekstra is a member of the Christian Democratic CDA, which is not partof the current coalitionled by far-right politician Geert Wilders. The government in The Hague is evidently calculating that the former foreign and finance minister will be able to secure an influential position with a financial or economic focus in the new commission. Hoekstra is a party friend of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is said to have a good relationship with her. tho
Niederlande
AI and the digital euro: How both could jeopardize EU climate targets
The digital transformation of the European Union is often at the expense of the environment in Europe. This is shown by a recent study by the Center for European Policy (cep). The study, entitled “The environment takes a back seat in the EU’s digital offensive”, examines the energy requirements of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and a possible digital euroand sheds light on how these technologies could jeopardize the EU’s climate targets.
The authors point out that the EU’s approach of aiming for both a greener and a more digital society with its “twin transition” leads to a dilemma. While digital technologies could contribute to resource efficiency, they also have a significant environmental impact due to their high energy consumption and the production of e-waste. “The impact of digital technologies on sustainability is diverse and therefore difficult to predict“, write Anselm Küsters, Anastasia Kotovskaia and Philipp Eckhardt.
Two case studies: AI and the digital euro
“The environmental impact in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions isimmense, not only in the training phase but also in the application phase of modern generative AI models”, says cep AI expert Küsters. A case study on generative artificial intelligence shows that the emissions generated by the training and use of models such as ChatGPT could cause around 14,720 tons of CO2in Europe every year. This corresponds to the emissions of 38,272 flights between Amsterdam and Rome.
The planned digital euro is also the focus of the study. “If designed correctly, it could be one of the most environmentally friendly means of payment“, says cep researcher Eckhardt. However, this potential advantage depends on many factors, such as whether it is an additional means of payment or whether the digital euro is issued in two variants – online and offline.
Measuring the environmental impact of digital solutions
The study makes specific policy recommendations to improve the environmental compatibility of both technologies. For AI technologies, increased transparency through disclosure rules and the promotion of “green coding” practices are proposed. In addition, energy-efficient chips and small language models should be developed.
For the digital euro, the researchers recommend favoring acentralized system and using renewable energy sources. “The technical design should aim to minimize energy consumption”, write the authors. A reliable strategy for electronic waste and transparency about the environmental impact of the digital euro are also advisable.
Finally, the authors call for a holistic and standardized approach to measuring the environmental impact of digital solutions in order to achieve the EU’s goals for sustainable digitalization. vis
Transformation
CSRD: Germany lags behind in implementation
Germany is one of seven countries in Europe that did not meet the deadline for implementing the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) on July 6. This is according to the “Transposition Tracker” published by the New York law firm Ropes & Gray, which documents the progress of national legislation on a monthly basis. It examines the 27 EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The deadline marked the end of the 18 months that the states had for the introduction of the EU directive.
In addition to Germany, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Iceland have neither held a consultation in the form of a parliamentary procedure nor enacted legislation. Other countries have made more efforts to meet the deadline. “Given the looming deadline, there has been significant progress in the last month”, the authors of the report said, including Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. Of the 30 countries in total, eleven had enacted legislation or had done so in part. A further eight countries have submitted draft legislation and consultations have been held in another four.
It also lists which countries have opted for “gold plating” and therefore impose additional requirements on reporting companies that go beyond the obligations stipulated by the EU. This currently applies to nine countries, including Italy, Romania, France, Finland and Denmark.
18 European law firms contributed to the CSRD tracker, including Gleiss Lutz in Germany. The CSRD is part of the European Green Deal, which aims to achieve sustainability goals. The directive tightens and standardizes the obligation to report on sustainability and extends it to around 50,000 companies across Europe. maw
Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung
Delivery services: Commission initiates antitrust proceedings against Delivery Hero and Glovo
The Commission has launched an investigation into Delivery Hero for alleged anti-competitive practices. The authority suspects that the food delivery company and its Spanish subsidiary Glovo are involved in a cartel, the Commission announced on Tuesday.
Delivery Hero and Glovo are among the largest food delivery services in Europe. Delivery Hero held a minority stake in Glovo from July 2018 and took sole control of the company in July 2022. The Commission currently assumes that collusion may have taken place before this takeover.
What is special about the case is that the investigation relates for the first time to potentially anti-competitive agreements that may have been concluded in the context of a minority shareholding of a market participant in a competitor, the Commission said.
Investigation has expanded
The investigation was originally limited to suspected market sharing. The Commission announced last fall that the suspicions had widened in the course of the review. The Commission now assumes that there may also have been an agreement not to poach employees from each other. The Commission emphasizes that it has not yet come to a final conclusion as to whether the two companies have broken EU rules.
In a statement, Delivery Hero referred to the initial presumption of innocence: “The opening of a formal investigation does not mean that the European Commission has come to the conclusion that an actual infringement of competition law has taken place.”
Penalty of more than €400 million possible
The company has already set aside money in case of a fine. After informal talks with the Commission at the beginning of July, Delivery Hero explained to its investors that it was expecting a fine of more than €400 million. The previous provisions of €186 million should therefore be increased once again.
The Commission had previously carried out unannounced inspections of Delivery Hero in Berlin and Barcelona in 2022 and 2023. Delivery Hero is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and, according to its own information, is represented in more than 70 countries worldwide. Glovo is also active in various countries. In Spain, the company has been convicted of bogus self-employment of tens of thousands of drivers in separate proceedings. According to media reports, the company has to pay social security contributions of €253 million alone. lei/dpa
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Magdalena Kirchner – In search of new partners for the Mercator Foundation
Magdalena Kirchner is head of the European department at the Mercator Foundation. She previously worked for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in various countries.
“It’s exciting that you come from a country that no longer exists”, another child said to Magdalena Kirchner when she was five years old. Kirchner’s family had just left the GDR. The application to leave had been approved for Nov. 11, 1989 of all days. And so, shortly after the fall of the Wall, she ended up in an emergency reception camp in Giessen, Hesse. At the time, nobody knew what this event would mean for the future of Germany and Europe.
Political transformation processes and questions of arrival still fascinate Kirchner today. Dealing with them is part of her job. Since the beginning of January, the 40-year-old has been Head of Europe at the non-profit Mercator Foundation in Essen. This means that her new desk is “at the heart of Europe”, as she says herself. Until now, the political scientist has been observing the continent from the outside. Kirchner worked for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in various countries until the turn of the year.
Experiences in Jordan and Afghanistan
Most recently, she headed their office in Jordan. In 2021, during NATO’s hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan, she was responsiblefor the Kabul office. In an interview at the time, she reported on the difficulties of evacuating her Afghan colleagues. In the end, her persistence paid off: “To this day, I am glad that these eight families trusted me and risked their lives to board a bus that took them to safety through Taliban territory.” The local forces are now in Germany.
Individually, she was able to make a difference. Structurally, it is a stressful experience not to be able to stop negative developments. “Decisions made by external actors who are not in our hands can cause decades of hard-won success to slip away”, she says. Together with her team of 15, she wants to help ensure that Europe is better prepared for future upheavals.
New cooperation with EU candidate countries
Magdalena Kirchner wants to broaden the Foundation’s perspective and funding policy – beyond EU member states. “We want to initiatedebates on climate protection or the rule of law in countries that are still candidates for accession“, she says, formulating one of her goals. Her work will also focus on Europe’s relations with other regions of the world. To this end, she is currently analyzing political discourse and looking for potential partners. “It’s a bit of a trip around the world for us”, she explains.
“After all, with our new strategy, we are also looking at geographical areas in which we are not yet so well established.” Kirchner has therefore set her sights on two transformation processes: that of the Mercator Foundation – and that of Europe. “We still have a lot to do concerning the global South”, she says. “There are many important players with whom we in Berlin and Brussels have too little knowledge and too few contacts.” Paul Meerkamp
Today at 12:30 p.m., Bernd Lange (SPD) will all likely be elected by the other chairmen of the committees in the European Parliament as their chairman. Lange has already held the post since 2022. The head of the CCC has an important job: He settles conflicts when committees tussle over responsibilities for dossiers. Does the report go to the Environment Committee or the Industry Committee? The Chair takes part in the Conference of Presidents (COP) and is involved in the agenda of the European Parliament.
He has an exchange with the Commission on its work program and therefore also follows when the Commission presents its proposals. It represents Parliament’s interests vis-à-vis the Commission. In the last parliamentary term alone, MEPs called onthe Commission to draw up a proposal19 times by an absolute majority. The CCC Chair ensures that the Commission keeps its word.
The CCC President is also the point of contact for the Council. He has regular exchanges with the President of the Council. He is also called upon when the rules of procedure in the European Parliament are to be changed. For example, he will be involved in negotiationswhen the regulations for trilogues or business trips are amended soon. Like all posts in the EP, he is appointed for two and a half years. If, halfway through the parliamentary term, the Socialists once again become the President of the Parliament, an EPP committee chairman will almost certainly become the next CCC chief.
The committee chairs were already elected on Tuesday. Read our News to find out why Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermannwas able to assert herself despite huge criticism from the CDU/CSU and who will chair the other committees in the future.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK) is considering separate targets for renewable energy in the industry, transport, and buildings sectors. “The question for the energy policy framework after 2030 is therefore to what extent these sector targets should be continued in principle after 2030 or to what extent alternative metrics, for example the degree of electrification in the sectors, the use of hydrogen, should be considered instead or in addition”, it says in a 29-page invitation to tender for external consulting issued by the BMWK at the end of June.
The document provides an in-depth insight into which parts of the “Target architecture for renewable energies by 2040” the ministry considers to be in need of reform. The BMWK had recently published a similar call for proposals for a reform of the European electricity market.
Commission presents draft legislation for 2026
The new document not only deals with topics such as expansion targets and remuneration from the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), but also with issues of financing, subsidies, planning acceleration, governance, and cross-border cooperation.
The reason for the study is the work on the 2040 climate target. The Commission’s formal legislative proposal is expected at the beginning of next year. The draft of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will follow in the summer and the Commission intends to present legislative proposals for the individual areas of law affected by the new climate target in 2026.
‘Framework for RE expansion also indispensable after 2030’
In principle, the BMWK writes: “To be able to achieve the huge expansion of renewable energies by 2040, a European legislative framework for the expansion of renewable energies after 2030 is therefore indispensable.” However, a few days after the tender was published, the coalition agreed in the budget negotiations to completely changethe funding for renewable energies in Germany. Instead of securing electricity tariffs for 20 years, there will only be investment subsidies and, with the “end of the market-driven coal phase-out“, there will no longer be any EEG funding at all.
Even the document published shortly beforehand does not indicate that the BMWK is determined to defend funding in its current form. In the chapter on the remuneration framework, Robert Habeck’s office writes that existing instruments should be examined to determine “to what extent they are still necessary for the effective and efficient achievement of objectives or need to be adapted”.
Cooperation becomes more important with higher shares of green electricity
The Ministry of Economic Affairs sees a need for regulation in the future, particularly for cross-border projects and a centralized expansion of renewables controlled by the Commission. The need for cooperation will increase significantly with the level of ambition, writes the BMWK. However, if wind farms are connected to several member states, project developers will still have to contend with revenue risks. According to the BMWK, these risks could be covered by EU funds.
EU funding pools such as the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism (RENEWFM) would need sufficient funding with the next MFF. Individual member states should also be given incentives to expand renewables more than their national contributions to the EU targets under the Governance Regulation actually provides for.
Cohesion funds only for participation in the Green Deal
The BMWK also supports the Commission’s efforts to link “concepts for the conditioning of structural funds to national contributions to the Green Deal“. In other words, the cohesion billions, which make up a large part of the EU budget, should only flow inthe future if the member states comply with climate targets. However, the BMWK does not mention the classic structural funds in the document, but only the innovation and modernization funds, which are fed from the ETS and are only used to promote climate protection measures anyway.
According to the BMWK, a centrally controlled expansion of renewables can be triggered by various mechanisms:
According to the Governance Regulation, a “gap filler” is to step in if the EU target is foreseeably not achieved.
The RED3 provides for optional EU tenders to increase the renewable energy target for 2030 from 42.5 to 45 percent.
“Possible transfer of competencies from national to EU level” in the new legislature.
According to the BMWK, the effects of such new EU instruments on the availability of land and biomass and the expansion of the electricity grids in the member states should be considered.
Frustration over governance regulation and NECPs
Concerning a central law, however, the BMWK shows clear frustration. The “question arises as to whether the EU governance framework is sufficiently equipped to ensure the achievement of objectives”. The Commission intends to present an amendment to the governance regulation at the beginning of 2025, which is sorely needed if the BMWK is to be believed.
“The Governance Regulation has so far only demonstrated limited effectiveness in terms of achieving European targets”, the ministry complains. About the national energy and climate plans, with which the states have to report on progress every five years, it says: “They are too complex for informing private individuals, and as a basis for investment decisions or cross-border planning, they lack topicality and, in some cases, depth of detail.” However, it is up to the ministry to ensure this level of detail. Germany has been behind schedule with the current revision since the end of June.
Doubts about achieving renewables target
However, the BMWK’s reform proposals concern governance and enforcement in general: “In particular, the question arises as to whether and to what extent all sectoral governance provisions, which are currently divided up in various legal acts, should be integrated into the Governance Regulation as a central governance instrument.”
It is also doubtful whether the member states are keeping pace with the EU’s renewables targets in terms of their ambitions. There is a non-binding formula for national contributions in the Governance Regulation. “The upcoming reform could be used to seamlessly embed these provisions into a more binding and robust mechanism.”
Lighter subsidies and authorizations
Numerous reform proposals also relate to the EU state aid framework:
Flexibilization of the TCTF and permanent anchoring in the KUEBLL
Simplification of the General Block Exemption Regulation
Review and, if necessary, adjustment of the requirements for exemptions from levies (and surcharges) for energy-intensive companies
Easier approval of CfDs
The BMWK also considers the simplified approval procedures that have been in place since 2022, some of which are limited until July 1, 2025, to be insufficient. The BMWK therefore wants to examine adjustments to European and international environmental, nature conservation, species protection and energy law: “This is less about changing the relevant European directives and more about introducing tailor-made exemptions for renewable energies and grid infrastructure, for example as part of energy policy dossiers.”
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann is the new Chair of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament. MEPs elected the FDP politician by acclamation on Tuesday; there were no opposing candidates. She wanted to “continue [her] commitment to a resilient Europe in her new role together with [her] colleagues”, wrote the former Chair of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag on X.
Strack-Zimmermann had drawn displeasure in advance, particularly from the EPP, because the five FDP MEPs had demonstratively voted against the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) as Commission President last week. Daniel Caspary, the chairman of the CDU/CSU MEPs, described the behavior of the German liberals as “just embarrassing”.
Renew with right of proposal
However, the right to nominate the chair of the SEDE Committee lay with the liberal Renew Group, where Strack-Zimmermann’s appointment was not questioned. Green foreign affairs politician Hannah Neumann emphasized that it was good practice in the European Parliament for the political groups themselves to decide who to send to the committees.
“The role of the committee chairwoman will be to represent the majority opinion to the Commission and member states“, she told Table.Briefings. “After the first three hours, I have no reason to doubt that Ms Strack-Zimmermann will do just that.” Frenchman Christophe Gomart (EPP), Romanian S&D MEP Mihai Tudose, Alberico Gambino from the Fratelli D’Italia (ECR), and Estonian Riho Terras (EPP) were elected as vice-chairs of the committee. tho
Election of committee chairs: Dispute over gender parity
All 20 standing committees and the four subcommittees of the European Parliament met for their constituent meetings on Tuesday. The members elected their chairpersons and four deputy chairpersons each.
Their mandate lasts two and a half years. The committees deal with legislative proposals, appoint negotiating teams for talks with EU ministers, adopt reports, organize hearings and monitor other EU bodies and institutions.
Will the cordon sanitaire fail due to parity?
There was trouble in several committees over the equal representation of the five committee chairs and deputies. On Monday evening, a majority of the Conference of Presidents had waved through a motion by EPP leader Manfred Weber to deviate from the rules of procedure in some committees in order to be able to elect more male candidates. The S&D, the Left and the Patriots for Europe had voted against.
In some committees, the maneuver was successful, in others, such as the Agriculture Committee, there was no agreement, leaving several deputy posts unfilled. “Unfortunately, individual political groups did not manage to adhere to the rules on gender parity that Parliament has set itself when filling the top posts in the committees. The EPP’s approach was completely ignorant“, said S&D Group Vice-President Gaby Bischoff.
It cannot be ruled out that the Parliament’s legal service will examine the legality of some elections. There are doubts about the competence of the COP, as the competence for such matters of procedure lies solely with the AFCO. In the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Patriots had also put forward a female candidate who was defeated by a male candidate. It would be extremely embarrassing if some political groups had created an opportunity for the Patriots to legally challenge the cordon sanitaire based on the gender equality issue of all things.
The elected chairpersons and their deputies
Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET): Chairman: David McAllister (EPP, DE). Deputies (first to fourth): Hana Jalloul (S&D, ES), Urmas Paet (Renew, ET), Alberico Gambino (ECR, IT), Ioan-Rareș Bogdan (EPP, RO).
Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI): Chairman: Mounir Satouri (Greens/EFA, FR). Substitutes: Marta Temido (S&D, PT), Łukasz Kohut (EPP, PL), the third and fourth deputies will be elected later.
Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE): Chairwoman: Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Renew, DE). Substitutes: Christophe Gomart (EPP, FR), Mihai Tudose (S&D, RO), Alberico Gambino (ECR, IT), Riho Terras (EPP, EE).
Development Committee (DEVE): Chairman: Barry Andrews (Renew, IE). Substitutes: Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA, SE), Hildegard Bentele (EPP, DE), Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew, SE), Robert Biedroń (S&D, PL).
Committee on International Trade: Chairman: Bernd Lange (S&D, DE). Substitutes: Manon Aubry (Left, FR), Iuliu Winkler (EPP, RO), Karin Karlsbro (Renew, SE), Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D, BE).
Budget Committee (BUDG): Chairman: Johan Van Overtveldt (ECR, BE), Vice-Chairmen: Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, DE), Giuseppe Lupo (S&D, IT), Janusz Lewandowski (EPP, PL), Lucia Yar (Renew, SK).
Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT): Chairman: Niclas Herbst (EPP, DE). Deputies: Caterina Chinnici (EPP, IT), Cristian Terheş (ECR, RO), Claudiu Manda (S&D, RO), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON): Chairpersons: Aurore Lalucq (S&D, FR), Damian Boeselager (Greens/EFA, DE), Ludovit Odor (Renew, SK), Ludek Niedermayer (EPP, CZ), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Subcommittee on Fiscal Affairs (FISC): Chairman: Pasquale Tridico (Left, IT). Substitutes: Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Greens/EFA, DK), Regina Doherty (EPP, IE), Markus Ferber (EPP, DE), Matthias Ecke (S&D, DE).
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL): Chairwoman: Li Andersson (Left, FI). Deputies: Johan Danielsson (S&D, SE), Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak (EPP, PL), Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, DE), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI): Chair: Antonio Decaro (S&D, IT), Esther Herranz García (EPP, ES), Pietro Fiocchi (ECR, IT), Anja Hazekamp (Left, NL), András Tivadar Kulja (EPP, HU).
Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT): Chair: Adam Jarubas (EPP, PL), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA, LU), Stine Bosse (Renew, DK), Romana Jerković (S&D, HR), Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR, EL).
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE): Chair: Borys Budka (EPP, PL), Tsvetelina Penkova (S&D, BG), Elena Donazzan (ECR, IT), Giorgio Gori (S&D, IT), Yvan Verougstraete (Renew, BE).
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO): Chairpersons: Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, DE), Christian Doleschal (EPP, DE), Nikola Minchev (Renew, BG), Maria Grapini (S&D, RO), Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz (EPP, PL).
Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN): Chairwoman: Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (EPP, EL). Substitute: Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens/EFA, LT), Sophia Kircher (EPP, AT), Elena Kountoura (Left, EL), Matteo Ricci (S&D, IT).
Committee for Regional Development (REGI): Chairman: Adrian-Dragoş Benea (S&D, RO). Substitutes: Gabriella Gerzsenyi (EPP, HU), Nora Mebarek (S&D, FR), Francesco Ventola (ECR, IT), Ľubica Karvašová (Renew, SK).
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development(AGRI): Chairwoman: Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, CZ). Substitutes: Daniel Buda (EPP, RO), Norbert Lins (EPP, DE), Eric Sargiacomo (S&D, FR), the fourth deputy will be elected later.
Committee on Culture and Education (CULT): Chair: Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA, DE), Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (EPP, PL), Emma Rafowicz (S&D, FR), Diana Riba I Giner (Greens/EFA, ES), Hristo Petrov (Renew, BG).
Legal Committee (JURI): Chairman: Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew, BG). Substitutes: Marion Walsmann (EPP, DE), Mario Mantovani (ECR, IT), Lara Wolters (S&D, NL), Emil Radev (EPP, BG).
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE): Chairman: Javier Zarzalejos (EPP, ES). Substitutes: Marina Kaljurand (S&D, EE), Charlie Weimers (ECR, SE). Alessandro Zan (S&D, IT), Estrella Galán (Left, ES).
Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO): Chairman: Sven Simon (EPP, DE). Substitutes: Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, DE), Adrián Vázquez Lázara (EPP, ES), Charles Goerens (Renew, LU), Péter Magyar (EPP, HU).
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM): Chair: Lina Gálvez (S&D, ES). Substitutes: Dainius Žalimas (Renew, LT), Irene Montero (Left, ES), Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (EPP, ES), Predrag Fred Matić (S&D, HR).
France: Left-wing alliance wants former financial investigator as prime minister
Parisian tax official Lucie Castets is to be appointed France’s new prime minister, according to the left-wing electoral alliance. The alliance announced on Tuesday evening that it would propose Castets to President Emmanuel Macron as a candidate for the office of Prime Minister.
Castets is independent. She is currently Director of Finance and Purchasing at Paris City Hall. “As she has been active in the fight against tax fraud and financial crime and has experience in working with non-governmental organizations, she will have our full support in the government she will lead”, the four parties said in a joint statement.
Castets would reverse pension reform
In a statement to French news agency AFP, Castets said she was honored to have been nominated, adding that if she is appointed prime minister, she will work to reverse Macron’s pension reform, which raised the statutory retirement age from 62 to 64.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she is a specialist in combating money laundering and terrorist financing and has worked at the Financial Action Task Force, the French Ministry of Finance and the World Bank.
Candidate search a crucial test
Castet’s nomination was preceded by a fierce dispute between the four parties of the left-leaning NFP party alliance over a joint candidate. The Socialists had insisted on a nomination from within their ranks – triggering a row with the more left-wing La France insoumise (LFI). As a result, the government negotiations were put on hold in mid-July.
As the alliance has the most seats in parliament, it has the right to propose a new prime minister to succeed the outgoing Gabriel Attal, but does not have enough seats to form a majority government.
Macron wants election only after Olympics
Macron announced that he would appoint a new prime minister at the earliest after the end of the Olympic Games in his country. “Our responsibility is to ensure that the Games go well”, Macron said on France 2 in the evening. “It is clear that we are not in a situation where we can change things until mid-August because we would create disorder.”
During the Olympics, the current centrist government of Macron’s camp will remain in office on a caretaker basis. Afterwards, depending on the progress of the talks, it would be his task to appoint a new prime minister, Macron said. lei/rtr/dpa
Frankreich
NGO
New Commission: Netherlands nominate Wopke Hoekstra
Wopke Hoekstra has been nominated by the Dutch government for a new term as EU Commissioner. Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed corresponding media reports and described Hoekstra as a “strong candidate for a solid portfolio“.
Hoekstra was previously responsible for climate policy in the Commission. A year ago, he replaced Frans Timmermans, who returned to Dutch politics.
The 48-year-old Hoekstra is a member of the Christian Democratic CDA, which is not partof the current coalitionled by far-right politician Geert Wilders. The government in The Hague is evidently calculating that the former foreign and finance minister will be able to secure an influential position with a financial or economic focus in the new commission. Hoekstra is a party friend of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is said to have a good relationship with her. tho
Niederlande
AI and the digital euro: How both could jeopardize EU climate targets
The digital transformation of the European Union is often at the expense of the environment in Europe. This is shown by a recent study by the Center for European Policy (cep). The study, entitled “The environment takes a back seat in the EU’s digital offensive”, examines the energy requirements of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and a possible digital euroand sheds light on how these technologies could jeopardize the EU’s climate targets.
The authors point out that the EU’s approach of aiming for both a greener and a more digital society with its “twin transition” leads to a dilemma. While digital technologies could contribute to resource efficiency, they also have a significant environmental impact due to their high energy consumption and the production of e-waste. “The impact of digital technologies on sustainability is diverse and therefore difficult to predict“, write Anselm Küsters, Anastasia Kotovskaia and Philipp Eckhardt.
Two case studies: AI and the digital euro
“The environmental impact in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions isimmense, not only in the training phase but also in the application phase of modern generative AI models”, says cep AI expert Küsters. A case study on generative artificial intelligence shows that the emissions generated by the training and use of models such as ChatGPT could cause around 14,720 tons of CO2in Europe every year. This corresponds to the emissions of 38,272 flights between Amsterdam and Rome.
The planned digital euro is also the focus of the study. “If designed correctly, it could be one of the most environmentally friendly means of payment“, says cep researcher Eckhardt. However, this potential advantage depends on many factors, such as whether it is an additional means of payment or whether the digital euro is issued in two variants – online and offline.
Measuring the environmental impact of digital solutions
The study makes specific policy recommendations to improve the environmental compatibility of both technologies. For AI technologies, increased transparency through disclosure rules and the promotion of “green coding” practices are proposed. In addition, energy-efficient chips and small language models should be developed.
For the digital euro, the researchers recommend favoring acentralized system and using renewable energy sources. “The technical design should aim to minimize energy consumption”, write the authors. A reliable strategy for electronic waste and transparency about the environmental impact of the digital euro are also advisable.
Finally, the authors call for a holistic and standardized approach to measuring the environmental impact of digital solutions in order to achieve the EU’s goals for sustainable digitalization. vis
Transformation
CSRD: Germany lags behind in implementation
Germany is one of seven countries in Europe that did not meet the deadline for implementing the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) on July 6. This is according to the “Transposition Tracker” published by the New York law firm Ropes & Gray, which documents the progress of national legislation on a monthly basis. It examines the 27 EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The deadline marked the end of the 18 months that the states had for the introduction of the EU directive.
In addition to Germany, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Iceland have neither held a consultation in the form of a parliamentary procedure nor enacted legislation. Other countries have made more efforts to meet the deadline. “Given the looming deadline, there has been significant progress in the last month”, the authors of the report said, including Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. Of the 30 countries in total, eleven had enacted legislation or had done so in part. A further eight countries have submitted draft legislation and consultations have been held in another four.
It also lists which countries have opted for “gold plating” and therefore impose additional requirements on reporting companies that go beyond the obligations stipulated by the EU. This currently applies to nine countries, including Italy, Romania, France, Finland and Denmark.
18 European law firms contributed to the CSRD tracker, including Gleiss Lutz in Germany. The CSRD is part of the European Green Deal, which aims to achieve sustainability goals. The directive tightens and standardizes the obligation to report on sustainability and extends it to around 50,000 companies across Europe. maw
Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung
Delivery services: Commission initiates antitrust proceedings against Delivery Hero and Glovo
The Commission has launched an investigation into Delivery Hero for alleged anti-competitive practices. The authority suspects that the food delivery company and its Spanish subsidiary Glovo are involved in a cartel, the Commission announced on Tuesday.
Delivery Hero and Glovo are among the largest food delivery services in Europe. Delivery Hero held a minority stake in Glovo from July 2018 and took sole control of the company in July 2022. The Commission currently assumes that collusion may have taken place before this takeover.
What is special about the case is that the investigation relates for the first time to potentially anti-competitive agreements that may have been concluded in the context of a minority shareholding of a market participant in a competitor, the Commission said.
Investigation has expanded
The investigation was originally limited to suspected market sharing. The Commission announced last fall that the suspicions had widened in the course of the review. The Commission now assumes that there may also have been an agreement not to poach employees from each other. The Commission emphasizes that it has not yet come to a final conclusion as to whether the two companies have broken EU rules.
In a statement, Delivery Hero referred to the initial presumption of innocence: “The opening of a formal investigation does not mean that the European Commission has come to the conclusion that an actual infringement of competition law has taken place.”
Penalty of more than €400 million possible
The company has already set aside money in case of a fine. After informal talks with the Commission at the beginning of July, Delivery Hero explained to its investors that it was expecting a fine of more than €400 million. The previous provisions of €186 million should therefore be increased once again.
The Commission had previously carried out unannounced inspections of Delivery Hero in Berlin and Barcelona in 2022 and 2023. Delivery Hero is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and, according to its own information, is represented in more than 70 countries worldwide. Glovo is also active in various countries. In Spain, the company has been convicted of bogus self-employment of tens of thousands of drivers in separate proceedings. According to media reports, the company has to pay social security contributions of €253 million alone. lei/dpa
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Magdalena Kirchner – In search of new partners for the Mercator Foundation
Magdalena Kirchner is head of the European department at the Mercator Foundation. She previously worked for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in various countries.
“It’s exciting that you come from a country that no longer exists”, another child said to Magdalena Kirchner when she was five years old. Kirchner’s family had just left the GDR. The application to leave had been approved for Nov. 11, 1989 of all days. And so, shortly after the fall of the Wall, she ended up in an emergency reception camp in Giessen, Hesse. At the time, nobody knew what this event would mean for the future of Germany and Europe.
Political transformation processes and questions of arrival still fascinate Kirchner today. Dealing with them is part of her job. Since the beginning of January, the 40-year-old has been Head of Europe at the non-profit Mercator Foundation in Essen. This means that her new desk is “at the heart of Europe”, as she says herself. Until now, the political scientist has been observing the continent from the outside. Kirchner worked for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in various countries until the turn of the year.
Experiences in Jordan and Afghanistan
Most recently, she headed their office in Jordan. In 2021, during NATO’s hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan, she was responsiblefor the Kabul office. In an interview at the time, she reported on the difficulties of evacuating her Afghan colleagues. In the end, her persistence paid off: “To this day, I am glad that these eight families trusted me and risked their lives to board a bus that took them to safety through Taliban territory.” The local forces are now in Germany.
Individually, she was able to make a difference. Structurally, it is a stressful experience not to be able to stop negative developments. “Decisions made by external actors who are not in our hands can cause decades of hard-won success to slip away”, she says. Together with her team of 15, she wants to help ensure that Europe is better prepared for future upheavals.
New cooperation with EU candidate countries
Magdalena Kirchner wants to broaden the Foundation’s perspective and funding policy – beyond EU member states. “We want to initiatedebates on climate protection or the rule of law in countries that are still candidates for accession“, she says, formulating one of her goals. Her work will also focus on Europe’s relations with other regions of the world. To this end, she is currently analyzing political discourse and looking for potential partners. “It’s a bit of a trip around the world for us”, she explains.
“After all, with our new strategy, we are also looking at geographical areas in which we are not yet so well established.” Kirchner has therefore set her sights on two transformation processes: that of the Mercator Foundation – and that of Europe. “We still have a lot to do concerning the global South”, she says. “There are many important players with whom we in Berlin and Brussels have too little knowledge and too few contacts.” Paul Meerkamp
