Jul 2, 2021Let’s Take a Practical Approach to Europe’s Refugee CrisisWith million people forcibly displaced worldwide, it’s an issue that disarms many. But there’s another side of migration that doesn’t get much coverage — depopulation in rural areas. In fact, in the past 50 years, million people have left the European countryside. By connecting the two issues, I believe we…Refugee Crisis1 min readRefugee Crisis1 min read
Jun 23, 2021Plates and Policies Are Best SharedThe global pandemic has jolted our food systems and lifted the veil to reveal the extent of its inefficiency, fragility, and unsustainability. Food is the epicentre of this global transition process. It represents the intricate web that connects everything and everyone — from policymakers to businesses, from producers to consumers…European Union2 min readEuropean Union2 min read
Jun 7, 2021EUducation: Nine Proposals for Quality Higher EducationOver the past six years, I have had the chance to discreetly observe how French-speaking higher education institutions operate on a daily basis within the Agency for Quality Higher Education in Wallonia-Brussels Federation (WBF). I have participated in the evaluation of over 70 programs at 50 institutions. Based on interviews…Education1 min readEducation1 min read
May 25, 2021The New European Bauhaus: Beauty & Privilege Win Again?The New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative invites us to rediscover our relationship with natural environments and sustainable living. With residential and non-residential buildings responsible for about 40% of the European Union’s (EU) total energy consumption and one-third of its greenhouse gas emissions, the project aims to build green housing that…New European Bauhaus1 min readNew European Bauhaus1 min read
May 17, 2021“I’d Blush if I Could” Is What Artificial Intelligence Said to Gender Equality — Accidental EuropeanAI systems might put gender equality, a fundamental right and value of the European Union, at risk. Any discrimination based on gender (or any other basis, such as age or race) is prohibited by EU anti-discriminatory laws. Nevertheless, gender-based discrimination still manages to work its way into the algorithms running…Artificial Intelligence1 min readArtificial Intelligence1 min read
May 10, 2021Innovating Democracy by Turning the Rubik’s Cube — Accidental EuropeanRecently, I was invited to talk about innovation in public policy for a podcast launched by Pathfinder. Myself and the Founder, Miguel de Fontenay, ended up having a really fruitful discussion about innovation and the future of our democracies — particularly in Europe — and my connection to those topics…Democracy1 min readDemocracy1 min read
Apr 28, 2021European Parties: A Cinderella Story? — Accidental EuropeanRegulation 1141/2014 (on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations) might not sound particularly interesting, but it’s pretty important. It represents a chance for the European Parliament to present reform proposals for European parties, and it’s currently under review. Oft-forgotten and underutilised, European Parties could…Democracy1 min readDemocracy1 min read
Apr 20, 2021Is the European Green Deal Capable Of Flying Everyone to the Moon? — Accidental EuropeanFilippo Addarii, co-founder and managing partner of PlusValue specialises in impact, innovation and sustainable investment strategies. He comes with 20 years’ of experience in designing, fundraising for and managing multi-stakeholder initiatives for systemic innovation and socio-economic development. His work has been funded by the European Commission, British Foreign Office, and…1 min read1 min read
Mar 31, 2021Apples and Oranges — The Need for a New EU Food Policy — Accidental EuropeanFood plays an integral role in our everyday lives. Often, though, we find it easy to overlook how it affects millions of people worldwide as an industry. The EU has historically overlooked this too. In this article, sustainable food ecosystem leader Sara Roversi explains why food is so important, and…Food Policy1 min readFood Policy1 min read
Mar 2, 2021Saving Our Digital Selves: Personalisation, Habermas and the GDPRWith our lives becoming more digital by the day, data has never been such an important commodity. The GDPR was a significant step towards securing the safety of our digital selves, but did it do enough? In this article, I use the works of Jurgen Habermas to analyse and explain…1 min read1 min read
