The EU as an actor for sustaining peace in the world: International relations are in a very fragile state with Syrian Civil War still continuing after 7 years, an intensifying Israel/Palestine conflict and the US withdrawing unilaterally from the Iran Nuclear Deal. How can the EU develop its foreign policy tools for peacekeeping in conflict zones around its borders?
Speaking volumes: Multilingualism is a fact of life in the EU. In what ways should the European Union further develop its policy framework for language learning, in order to improve social integration, enhance its citizens skillset on the job market, as well as foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding?
The thin red line: Increasingly, political discourse takes place on the internet. The last years have seen not only an increase of so called fake news, but also a brutalisation of political discourse, with invectives and diffamation becoming widespread. Keeping in mind the basic human right to freedom of expression, what stance should the EU adopt regarding the prosecution of hate speech and discriminatory statements made on the internet?
Better together: Especially since the recent rise of immigration into the EU, ethnic and cultural minority groups suffer from social and economic exclusion. How can European cities, through tools such as zoning, housing policy, and economic incentives, increase the social cohesion of their inhabitants?
Future of online shopping: With the E-Commerce Directive still being in force after 18 years of its adoption, how should the EU update its policies on online sale of goods and services keeping in mind its effects on SMEs and local businesses?
Neighbourhood democracy: More and more European cities are implementing a Smart City strategy which includes collecting a vast amount of data about their citizens and their behaviour as a base for policy decisions. While recognising the benefits of the Smart City concept, how can bottom-up democracy in urban areas be fostered to ensure that decisions are made by the people affected instead of by the data about them?
Read my mind: With social media emerging as the dominant news source for a majority of the populace, the question regarding the neutrality of these social networks’ media distribution arises. What steps should the EU take regarding the fact that private companies’ algorithms will play a dominant role in deciding what news are consumed by citizens?
The streets belong to everybody: City streets tend to be designed for cars, often leaving other participants in traffic feeling unsafe and excluded. How can urban traffic management and the usage of urban street area be improved in order to allow for safer, more inclusive and more sustainable urban mobility?
Future of low-cost travelling: The impact of low-cost travelling options have been increasing in the last two decades, with low-cost companies dominating both air travel and road transportation. How can the European Union ensure affordable transportation options to its citizens while also guaranteeing high safety standards, a competitive market without monopolisation and a decreased environmental impact?