Public policy students and researchers gather to discuss Europe in the face of crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, soaring energy and food prices – Europe seems to be in a permanent state of crisis. From 31 April to 2 March, students and researchers took part in the annual European Public Policy Conference (EPPC) in Vienna, Austria to discuss the theme “Europe in the face of crisis”. The event was organised by Hertie School students and was sponsored by the IPLI Foundation.
This year’s EPPC was held at the Central European University (LINK), a member of the CIVICA network. The event was established in 2008 to empower students and future policy leaders to direct their own educational experience to the public policy issues that they consider to be the most pressing.
The crises of today and the future of EU crisis management response
The conference opened with a general discussion of crises, their management and the impact that they have on the integration process of the European Union. The sessions highlighted the biggest issues facing the EU, including climate change, health, data protection, trade and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Speakers and audience members not only discussed how to define and frame these crises, but also how policy can best respond to them. Given the interconnectedness of current crises, a focal point of the discussions was the EU’s (in)ability to offer robust, multidisciplinary solutions to current problems.
The sessions on the final day brought these discussions together and looked to the future of EU crisis management response. Here, the speakers stressed that we must understand the limits of EU action to be able to address future crises. The closing panel wrapped up the conference with a dialogue between Yuliya Kaspiarovich and Hans Gilbers on the pivotal points in the evolution of the EU from policy-making and regulatory perspectives. They underscored that unless we learn from the past, we will not be prepared to face the crises of the future.