Throughout the DIALOGUE ON EUROPE process, the project’s contributors published several analyses and op-eds on specific issues related to the four main themes of the project. They also conducted a series of interviews with experts from the different project countries. In March 2018, the four Thinking Labs released their Policy Briefs with specific Policy Recommendations to be implemented at the European and national level, in order to face the main current challenges in Europe.
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Policy Brief on Migration & Integration
2018 | Thinking Lab on Migration & Integration
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Migration & Integration in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed nine policy recommendations divided into three main clusters.
Migration and Integration in Portugal: An example to follow?
A look at a country with one of the world's best level of protection for refugees' human rights, by Cláudia Pedra
Claudia Pedra, Director of the Network for Strategic and International Studies, comments on the way Portugal deals with the refugee crisis. Even in a country with one of the best asylum laws worldwide, integration and tolerance seem to remain problematic issues.
Policy Brief on Sustainable Growth
2018 | Thinking Lab on Sustainable Growth
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Sustainable Growth in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed six main policy recommendations focusing on two key priorities.
Policy Brief on Social Cohesion
2018 | Thinking Lab on Social Cohesion
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Social Cohesion in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed seven main policy recommendations in four key areas.
Policy Brief on Populism
2018 | Thinking Lab on Populism
Civil society actors from six European countries present their policy brief on Populism in Europe. The Thinking Lab developed nine policy recommendations focusing on the creation of trust between citizens and the political sphere.
Final results of the Thinking Labs online!
Check out the four policy briefs
Over the course of the last two years, civil society experts and practitioners from across Europe gathered in four DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Thinking Labs to deliver fresh ideas and to independently elaborate concrete policy recommendations on four European key areas: Migration & Integration, Populism, Social Cohesion, and Sustainable Growth. Discover the summary of their proposals and the full-length policy briefs below! (more…)
“The European Union is a victim of its own success”
Cas Mudde on the root causes of populism in Europe
Cas Mudde is one of the most renowned experts on political extremism and populism in Europe. He is Associate Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia and Researcher at the Center for Research on Extremism at the University of Oslo. In his interview for DIALOGUE ON EUROPE he talks about the structural reasons behind the rise of populist movements all over Europe, the failure of the traditional parties and why tax havens, unlike migration issues, are not part of the political agenda.
“There has been a constant neglect of the migration reality”
Interview with Meike Behrends on migration and asylum policy in Germany
In 2015, almost one million asylum-seekers came to Germany and the country still has to cope with the repercussions of this development – in social, political and economic terms. Yet, migration and integration is not a new phenomenon to Germany. In this interview, Meike Behrends, an expert on European migration policy talks about the historic development of migration in Germany and how the country’s integration approach has changed during the last decades.
Greek islands going green
Greek islands going renewable and intelligent: a driver for the energy transition in the EU?
Greek non-interconnected islands are small isolated systems bearing the great potential to become autonomous in terms of energy, using renewable and intelligent systems. Is there a potential for small islands to drive Europe’s transition into a sustainable, low-carbon and inclusive economy? What role can Greek islands play in this process?
Migration crisis in Greece: the need for a European action plan
An expert interview with Dimitris Varadinis for #DialogueOnEurope
Long considered as an emigration country, Greece started receiving immigrants in the 90’s. Over the last few years, the country had to deal with huge number of newcomers and despite the engagement of the social society, it doesn’t have the means to properly assist them. Greek authorities repeatedly asked for the support of the other European member states, which are reluctant to take responsibility.
The French migration policy: a tragic lack of long-term vision
An expert interview with Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche for #DialogueOnEurope
Marie-Laure Basilien-Gainche comments on the way France and Europe fail to deal with the so-called “refugee crisis”. If some improvements have been achieved, in particular regarding the relocation system, integration remains a major issue, even for second or third-generation immigrants.
Adapting to increased immigration: the problems faced by Italy
Insider perspective on working towards integration and refugee inclusion with Valentina Fabbri
In this interview for #DialogueOnEurope, Valentina Fabbri highlights flaws and particularities of the Italian system and its effects on refugees living in various capacities in Italy, comparing these to the European context.
Strengthening Vocational Education and Training
Improving Attractiveness and Social Recognition by Fostering "Success Factors"
The first European Thinking Lab took place from 25-27 November in Lisbon. During the Summit, the contributors cooperated within their Thinking Lab and worked out brief policy proposals. Inês Gregório is engaged with the topic of Strengthening Vocational Education and Training.
After Trump’s Success: A Convergence of the Populist Challenge

The unexpected happened and we are still searching for an answer why it happened and what might be the adequate response. This essay attempts to look for the reasons of the current success of populists on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and to face the challenge that is produced by this convergence.
After Brexit, should the Eurozone pursue full political union?
Brendan Simms in the New Statesman Magazine about possible trajectories of the European Union after the Brexit.
A young Spanish Generation “Trying Migration”
Interview with Cristina Faraco about Migration in Spain
The interview was conducted with Christina Faraco. She has studied Political Science and Sociology at the Complutense University of Madrid and is living in Germany since 1998, where she has been working on research projects on the field of migration (European Migration Center). Since 2009 Christina was responsible for different mobility projects and in 2013 founded “La Red e.V.“, an association supporting new immigrants in Berlin. Currently she works at the Competence Center of Immigration of “Minor – Projektkontor für Bildung und Forschung e.V.”.
We can learn from Populists
Dealing with a challenging phenomenon
Hanno Burmester, DIALOGUE ON EUROPE Co-Facilitator and Das Progressive Zentrum Policy Fellow argues within the debate magazine Tagesspiegel Causa that established parties should learn from populist parties’ successes.