CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies)

🤖 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫? Autonomous AI agents are a new general-purpose layer of the digital economy, transforming how companies operate, startups scale, and value is created across sectors. They move beyond isolated AI tasks to fully autonomous systems capable of planning, acting and coordinating at scale. At #CEPSlab2026, we will explore how Europe can lead - rather than follow - in the emerging AI agent economy. Moving beyond regulation-only debates, the discussion focuses on: ➡️ How to build a thriving environment for AI agents, ➡️ How to mobilise capital, talent and align industrial and digital strategies ➡️ How to articulate a shared European vision for policy coherence, market scale, and technological ambition Together with: 🗣️ Clemens Wasner, EnliteAI / AI Austria 🗣️ Frank Neffke, Complexity Science Hub 🗣️ Ao Kong, Private Sector Partnerships at United Nations 🗣️ Friederike Schüür, Ada Lovelace Institute Moderated by Pierre-Alexandre Balland 🎥 Watch our data scientist Francisco Ríos Fierro explain the session and what Europe must do to seize the AI agent opportunity. LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/eu3u3FdM

💶 𝐈𝐬 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫? Tax is no longer just about revenue collection. It has become a strategic tool, shaping investment flows, steering corporate behaviour, supporting decarbonisation and responding to distributional tensions in an era of geopolitical fragmentation. At the same time, digitalisation and AI are transforming tax administration, making compliance faster and more data-driven, but also raising new questions about data governance, transparency and trust. At #CEPSlab2026, we will discuss how to promote economic growth through decarbonisation, what effective data governance looks like and how should policymakers respond to rising political pressure for redistribution with: 🗣️ Jost Heckemeyer, Kiel University 🗣️ Edwin Visser, PwC Netherlands 🗣️ Aleksandar Ivanovski, CFE Tax Advisers Europe 🗣️ Benjamin Angel, EU Economy and Finance 🗣️ Lúcio Vinhas de Souza, BusinessEurope Moderated by Elodie Lamer, Tax Notes 🎥 Watch Dr. Apostolos Thomadakis unpack the session and learn more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/euAQ-pex

The European Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) has opened a complex and potentially contentious negotiation process for the EU institutions and Member States. While there is broad agreement on the scale of the Union’s challenges, sharp divisions are emerging over priorities, governance and implementation. At #CEPSlab2026, this session brings together key voices to unpack how positions on the next MFF are taking shape: 🗣️ Pieter Jan Kleiweg de Zwaan, Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU 🗣️ Thomas Westphal, Council of the European Union 🗣️ Atanas Pekanov, WIFO 🗣️ Danuta Hübner, Former Commissioner, Former MEP, Member of the CEPS Board of Directors Moderated by cinzia alcidi The discussion will examine controversial elements, including: ➡️ The role of national-regional partnership plans (NRPP) ➡️ The balance between flexibility and predictability ➡️ The implications for cohesion, competitiveness and EU added value LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/ec-n9QrM

🩺 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐔 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡? In her 2025 State of the Union address, Ursula von der Leyen set out the EU’s ambition to strengthen its role as a global health leader, at a time of declining official development assistance and shifting global priorities. At the heart of this vision is the proposed Global Health Resilience Initiative (GHRI): an effort to reinforce health system resilience at local, national and global levels, ensuring preparedness, response and recovery in the face of future crises. But what should this initiative look like in practice? At #CEPSLab2026, this panel brings together leading experts to explore the priorities, objectives and strategies that should guide the design and implementation of the GHRI: 🗣️ Suerie Moon, Global Health Centre / Geneva Graduate Institute 🗣️ Dr. Florika Fink-Hooijer, DG HERA 🗣️ Dr Sanjay P., NIMS University 🗣️ Anders Nordström, Former Swedish Ambassador for Global Health / Karolinska Institutet/ Stockholm School of Economics 🗣️ Martin Seychell, DG for International Partnerships Moderated by Hien Vu LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYqtmhx2

Europe has built free movement for goods, capital and people. Yet we still 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫. In my new op-ed for The Parliament, I argue the answer isn’t a European Taxpayers’ Code - and it’s not full harmonisation of rates either. The pragmatic competitiveness lever is 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: common technical and operational “rails” that let national tax systems work seamlessly across borders while keeping sovereignty over tax choices. This matters because fragmentation creates a quiet but persistent penalty on: 👉 𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐬, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞-𝐮𝐩𝐬 trying to expand beyond their home market (fixed compliance costs don’t scale down), 👉 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 who live and operate cross-border, and 👉 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 trying to enforce rules in a digital economy. Four practical steps could deliver gains now: 1️⃣ 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 (secure digital identity, e-filing and e-payments across the EU) 2️⃣ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, starting with 𝐕𝐀𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞-𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠, so cross-border activity doesn’t require maintaining 27 incompatible workflows 3️⃣ 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 - especially for 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬, where exchange is meaningless if it can’t be processed and acted on 4️⃣ 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 for internationally mobile assets, reducing uncertainty and arbitrage while leaving rates and redistributive choices to Member States. These are not a substitute for deeper reforms (including a 28𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐦𝐞). But they 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 and make larger initiatives easier to implement and more effective. If Europe wants firms to scale, it must remove the penalties for scaling. 📖 Read the piece here: https://lnkd.in/ePKgBSxw Many thanks to Francesco Puggioni for featuring the op-ed. 💡 Stay updated on my work at CEPS & ECMI: https://lnkd.in/ea5Zeh5N CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) ECMI - European Capital Markets Institute #SingleMarket #Competitiveness #TaxPolicy #SMEs #Startups #Scaleups #VAT #eInvoicing #Cryptoassets #EU

🌾 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞’𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞? Long known as Europe’s breadbasket, Ukraine’s farmlands have been central to both European and global food security. After four years of war-related devastation, however, the country’s agricultural sector stands at a decisive turning point. Rebuilding is no longer only about restoring production. It is about linking human security, geo-economics and sustainability and turning crisis into long-term renewal. By linking food security, climate resilience and investment confidence, this session at #CEPSlab2026 explores how Ukraine’s agricultural renewal can offer a model for rethinking development finance. We will be joined by: 🗣️ Asees Ahuja, Svenskt Näringsliv 🗣️ Simon Tiller, The HALO Trust 🗣️ Artem Shevalev, EBRD 🗣️ Marek Korowajczyk, Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Moderated by Tinatin Akhvlediani, PhD LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/euFrBGc9 

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐔 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 “𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞”, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭? With its new Return Regulation proposal, the European Commission has signalled its intention to revise the current rules,  from identifying “safe third countries” to establishing offshore “return hubs” and accelerating procedures. But concerns remain about the legality, feasibility and impact of these initiatives, as well as the lack of independent monitoring and accountability mechanisms. This session at #CEPSlab2026 brings together leading voices to debate the way forward: 🗣️ Michele Levoy, Platform for Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) 🗣️ Michael O'Flaherty, Council of Europe 🗣️ Tamás Molnár, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights 🗣️ Eve Geddie, Amnesty International EU Office 🗣️ Catherine Delacour, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs Moderated by Davide Colombi The discussion will explore how tools such as regularisation pathways, residence permits on humanitarian grounds and status transitions, already used in some Member States, could form the basis of a more coherent and effective EU framework. LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/eeijjvwG

🤝 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥: 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐔-𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? The EU-Mercosur Association Agreement entered a new and uncertain phase after being formally signed on 17 January 2026. The European Parliament has referred the deal to the European Court of Justice for legal review, effectively freezing ratification, with a ruling that could take up to two years. ��� What happens next? This session of #CEPSlab2026 brings together policymakers, economists and stakeholders from both regions to explore: 🔹 Is provisional application legally and politically viable? 🔹 What does the impasse mean for EU–Mercosur relations? 🔹 What are the broader strategic implications for EU trade policy amidst geopolitical competition, shifting alliances and supply chain reconfiguration? With:  🗣️ Paolo Garzotti, EU Trade 🗣️ Eleonora Catella, BusinessEurope 🗣️ Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, Embassy of Brazil to the EU 🗣️ Mariana Fleischhauer Corrêa da Costa, FGV Europe Moderated by cinzia alcidi LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/eRrAtEvq 

🤖 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐈 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝? Indigenous languages are deeply connected to the ecosystems they sustain. When languages disappear, so does the vital ecological knowledge required to manage and protect our natural world. But as AI tools become more accessible, they may also offer new opportunities. At #CEPSlab2026, the session “𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴: 𝘈𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦” looks at how new technologies, in particular AI, can be used to document minority languages, compile community-led archives and support new forms of respectful, accessible digital storytelling. Joined by: 🗣️ Fidelina Díaz, Bilingual Indigenous Educator from the Chorote people, the Gran Chaco Americano 🗣️ Sjur Moshagen, Divvun-gruppa / UiT- The Arctic University of Norway 🗣️ Martin Bailey, EU Digital & Tech 🗣️ Linn Harkess, Impacto Verde initiative by Redes Chaco 🎥 Watch Robert Praas introduce the session and discover how AI can amplify indigenous voices, ensuring that cultural heritage projects remain community-owned, not just raw material for distant models. LEARN MORE 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTtUMCZz