On Europe Day 2020, the EU institutions want to pay tribute through numerous online activities to the many Europeans who, in a spirit of solidarity, are helping our Union get through the coronavirus crisis. The Institute for European Studies joins them in their wishes and reflects on this crisis, that has impacted every fibre of our societies in significant and unforeseen ways. 

In 2019, the Institute for European Studies was honoured to bring four PhDs to fruition: Sara Silvestre (PhD in Political Science), Max Jansson (PhD in Law), Carla Mascia (PhD in Political Science) and Stephan Klose (PhD in Political Science). The IES organised 59 events and produced 104 publications. The Institute continued to expand and now counts 108 people or 52.4 full-time equivalents. In 2019, IES scholars took part in a total of 175 media appearances. Moreover, the Institute was successful in obtaining externally funded projects. At the end of the year, no less than 35 external projects were conducted by IES scholars, whereas an additional 14 projects were funded through our own budget. IES research output contributed significantly to a range of prominent policy developments, like the EU and Flemish policies to achieve CO2 neutrality in the coming decades.

Please note that as a result of the ‘social distancing’ measures currently implemented at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel to combat the further spreading of the coronavirus, we have postponed all our events taking place in March and April 2020 until further notice.

Following the decision of the National Security Council, the Institute for European Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) will make the following adjustments to its organisation from Friday 13 March 24:00 until 19 April 2020. The IES will not close but will go completely digital. As of Monday 16 March 2020, all classes will be offered in an online format. The new regulations imply that visits are no longer possible for the time being. Please note that the IES remains operational and information will be provided through alternative ways. Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or e-mail. 

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and in line with Belgium’s federal government restrictions, the EUIA organising team and the partner institutions have decided, with much regret, to postpone the EUIA20 conference for one year, to May 26-28, 2021.

More than 400 colleagues have already proposed or reviewed papers and panels, so we have decided to maintain the existing paper selection. In view of the altered circumstances, authors will be allowed to bring their papers and panels up to date. A decision on whether to issue a supplementary call for Papers will be made in due course.

Given these extraordinary circumstances, we believe that this rescheduling is the most foresighted option for the EUIA conference. We wish that our community members can travel and gather safely soon, and hope to see you all next year, healthy, in Brussels.

It’s well known what the EU wants in migration policy. Yet, what are the genuine interest of the EU’s partner states in the very same field? IES Professors Ilke Adam and Florian Trauner contributed to a study analyzing the West African interests in (EU) migration policy. It draws upon more than 80 interviews and four months of fieldwork in Ghana and Senegal. The study derives from the project ‘African Migration: Root Causes and Regulatory Dynamics’ (AMIREG)’, which was collaboratively realized by the IES and the United Nations University - Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS) in Bruges. UNU-CRIS funding for the work is gratefully acknowledged. The article is open-access, hence freely available at the journal’s website.