IIEA Talks

'China 2.0'

In this edition of IIEA Insights, three experts discuss the future direction of EU-China relations. Tensions between Brussels and Beijing are rising as EU exports to China fall, while the volume of Chinese goods entering the EU grows rapidly. Efforts by the EU to address these imbalances – often the result of subsidies given to Chinese firms and the absence of a level-playing field in the Chinese Market for European companies – are being met with aggressive pushback from Beijing.

Speakers:

Noah Barkin, Senior Advisor in Rhodium Group’s China practice

Alicia García Herrero, Adjunct Professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at NATIXIS

Declan Kelleher, former Ambassador of Ireland to the People’s Republic of China

In this event, Mr Manuel Mateo Goyet provides an overview of the recently published Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA). The CADA seeks to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty and competitiveness in the cloud and AI ecosystem by boosting Europe’s ecosystem, investment and infrastructure. It aims to ensure that Europe can meet demands for data centre, cloud and computing capacity to meet the needs of businesses and support AI adoption. It particularly promotes the scaling of digital infrastructure by addressing unduly lengthy permitting procedures and barriers to accessing energy, land and financing.

Manuel Mateo Goyet is a Head of the Cloud and Software unit at the European Commission, DG Connect. He was previously acting head of unit for two years and a deputy head of unit since 2019. Before that, he served as Member of the Cabinet of Commissioner Gabriel on policy areas including copyright, audiovisual, disinformation, high performance computing, digital skills, and eHealth. Manuel Mateo joined the Commission (DG INFSO/CONNECT) in 2006 where he held several positions, including that of Assistant to the Director General, and of deputy Head of Unit dealing with inter-institutional relations.

In his keynote address, Minister Timcho Mucunski reflects on EU enlargement and North Macedonia’s European path at a decisive moment for Europe ahead of Ireland’s forthcoming EU Presidency. He addresses the need for a credible, merit-based accession process and the strategic imperative of integrating the Western Balkans in the EU at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.

Timcho Mucunski is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of North Macedonia. He has extensive experience across diplomacy, academia and elected office, including as a university law professor, former Deputy Minister, former Member of Parliament and former Mayor of Aerodrom.

Digital policy has emerged as one of the most contentious of policy areas in EU-US relations. Many EU digital policy developments have met with vocal US opposition – including Europe’s pursuit of digital sovereignty, what the US administration perceives as the over-regulation of US firms, the preferencing of European solutions, and EU content moderation rules. Meanwhile in Europe, concerns about perceived threats to European values, democracy, autonomy and competitiveness continue to drive EU digital policy. How Europe and the United States navigate these divergences may carry significant implications for the prosperity, well-being, and security of citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. With Ireland’s role as a transatlantic digital hub and with its forthcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, Dublin will play a leading role in shaping the future of this critical relationship. In this event, Frances Burwell and Kenneth Propp discuss the prospects and challenges for the future of the EU-US digital policy relations.

About the Speakers:

Frances G. Burwell is a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and a senior director at McLarty Associates. Until January 2017, she served as vice president, European Union and Special Initiatives, at the Council. She has served as director of the Council’s Program on Transatlantic Relations, and as interim director of the Global Business and Economics Program, and currently directs the Transatlantic Digital Marketplace Initiative.

Kenneth Propp is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. He is also an adjunct professor of European Union Law at the Georgetown University Law Center and a senior fellow with the Cross-Border Data Forum. He advises and advocates on data trade,
privacy, security, and other regulatory issues in the United States and major international markets.

European integration has driven a wide range of social policy developments in Ireland and across Europe over the past fifty years – including rules relating to equality of opportunity, inclusion, fair working conditions, and social protections. However, since the 1990s, EU activity in the social realm has slowed. Today, the existence of a coherent ‘European social model’ in the enlarged EU has been called into question. Ahead of the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU, this expert panel will consider the current state of Europe’s social policy agenda and identify the main gaps and opportunities in European social policy. The panel assesses the extent to which the EU’s competitiveness agenda relates to, and may be enhanced by, a stronger European social dimension. The panel also explores the role of the European social model in influencing public sentiment towards political institutions and European integration.

The panel for this event includes:

Esther Lynch, General Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation
Dr Shana Cohen, Executive Director, Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC)
Dr Maria Jepsen, Deputy Director, Eurofound
Nichola Harkin, Head of Employment Law Services, IBEC