March brings topics that affect the everyday reality of us all – from banning social media for children under 16, housing affordability, and the functioning of European think tanks, to the future of energy subsidies for Czech households. EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy invites you to a series of debates and meetings that combine expert insight with open discussions.
Debate: Social media only from the age of 16?
Come and join us for another in our series of open debates, What’s new in the European Parliament? This time, the topic will be Social media from the age of 16? We will be asking questions not only about where the line between freedom and protecting the youngest members of society lies.
In a recent vote, MEPs expressed concern about the risks to the physical and mental health of minors on the internet. At the same time, they called for stricter protection against manipulative algorithms that deliberately increase addiction and impair children’s ability to concentrate.
Should social networks be completely banned for children? Should their use be subject to parental control? Or is it right to leave the responsibility to the users themselves?
Guests:
Kateřina Lukavská, Department of Psychology, Charles University
Roksana Táborská, National Institute of Mental Health
Markéta Gregorová, MEP (Pirates/Greens)
Tomáš Zdechovský, Member of the European Parliament (KDU-ČSL/EPP)
Jaroslav Bžoch, Member of the European Parliament (ANO/Patriots for Europe)
Moderator:
Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director and Head of the Prague Office of EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy
When? Monday, March 16, from 5:00 PM
Where? Europa Experience, Národní 10, Prague
The event is organized by the European Parliament Liaison Office in the Czech Republic in cooperation with EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy.
Inside a Think Tank: Projects and Student Opportunities in Brussels
Are you a student in Brussels or planning a visit? Don’t miss our event Inside a Think Tank: Projects and Student Opportunities in Brussels.
The meeting is primarily intended for students and anyone interested in how European policy projects are developed, how the Brussels environment works, and what opportunities EUROPEUM Institute and our JustGreen project offer.
When: March 17, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Where? EUROPEUM Institute Brussels office, Av. de Broqueville 40, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Brussels
If you are interested in participating, please write to us at brussels@europeum.org.
Café Collaborations: Housing Accessible to All–Old and Young? Reality or Utopia?
The long-term shortage of affordable housing in the Czech Republic is an urgent problem. It is closely linked to energy poverty, the concentration of job opportunities in larger cities, and rapidly rising real estate prices that have outpaced wage growth.
This Wednesday, Prague will host an English-language debate entitled Café Collaborations: Housing Accessible to All – Old and Young? Reality or Utopia? Together with experts from Austria, Spain, and the Czech Republic, we will explore why affordable housing in Czechia is becoming increasingly challenging and what we can learn from the experiences of other European countries.
What role should the state play, what works abroad, and how can we build affordable housing stock in the long term? Come and discuss a topic that fundamentally affects the quality of life of both younger and older generations.
Guests:
Lucas Barning, University of Vienna
Eliška Vejchodská, Charles University
Mikel Berra Sandin, Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Moderator:
Rebeka Hengalová, Research Fellow at EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy
When: Thursday, March 12, from 5:00 p.m.
Where? Hybernská Campus, ROOM A.3, Prague
More information about the event
The meeting is organized by Charles University, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, the Spanish Embassy in Prague, and the Austrian Cultural Forum.
New Green Savings: Newly in limbo and only with a loan?
Over the past 15 years, the New Green Savings program has significantly helped Czech households finance energy-efficient renovations.
But what is the future of the program once the funds have been exhausted? Will households be able to reapply for subsidies, or will they only be offered preferential loans? Why does the government want to change the basic parameters of the program? And what can citizens who were planning to renovate their homes but are now unable to draw on the program do?
Come and discuss this topical issue with experts and the general public.
When: Friday, March 20, starting at 3:00 p.m.
Where? Flora Exhibition Center (Wolkerova 31, Olomouc)
The debate will take place as part of the STAVOTECH Olomouc trade fair.
Save the date: See you again for beer on Thursday, March 26!
European Thursdays over beer continue! Once again, we can meet for an informal debate focused on foreign policy and current European issues on March 26, traditionally in Smíchov.
This time, we will be joined by Milena Hrdinková, advisor to the Prime Minister for EU affairs. Viktor Daněk, Executive Deputy Director and Head of the Prague Office of EUROPEUM Institute, will also be there.
When: Thursday, March 26, from 5:00 p.m.
Where? Pauwel Kwak Bierhuis, Nádražní 47/90, Prague 5 – Smíchov
Policy Paper | “Smartphones on Wheels”: Connected Cars and the EU’s Cybersecurity
The increasing presence of Chinese connected vehicles on the European market has heightened concerns about cybersecurity risks, particularly regarding their potential use for surveillance, espionage, and cyber operations. Discussions on this issue frequently draw on regulatory approaches and risk assessments developed elsewhere, most notably in the United States. Yet China itself has established one of the most comprehensive regulatory and technical standardisation frameworks for connected vehicles worldwide, writes Paulina Uznaska.
Read the full paper on our website!
EUROPEUM in media
Martin Vokálek, Executive Director and Head of the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, summarized the reactions of European leaders to the events in Iran for ČRo Plus: “European leaders are responding cautiously to the conflict in the Middle East. After an emergency meeting on Sunday evening, the foreign ministers of EU countries called for restraint and respect for international law. At the same time, they directly called on Iran to end its nuclear program. Europe is trying to push for a calming of the situation and is balancing between criticism and loyalty to the US.” You can listen to the entire commentary here.
Viktor Daněk, Executive Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, added his comments on the series of accusations and threats between Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine regarding Russian oil supplies through the damaged Druzhba pipeline to the French daily Les Echos. You can read the entire article in French here.
Project coordinator and analyst Filip Křenek commented for Seznam Zprávy on the European Union’s plan to introduce a unified digital identity for EU citizens and companies, the EU Digital Identity Wallet, by the end of 2026. “The project is currently in transition between pilot testing and full operation. Pilot projects are underway to test how the wallet works in practice. Companies and institutions across the EU are involved in these projects. Among the Czech entities involved are Aricoma, Gen Digital (formerly Avast), Bankovní identita, and the operator of the Czech domain CZ.NIC.” You can read the entire article here.