CIFE Policy Papers 2026
"A Europa Connosco": Forty Years of Protugal in Europe, Peter Gentle
Abstract: Exploring the legacy of Portugal’s 40-year relationship with the EU, this paper investigates the shifting boundaries of domestic populism, immigration rhetoric, and constitutional debate. It argues that while the rise of the radical right signals an end to Portuguese isolation from continental friction, the European framework remains a vital democratic stabiliser. The analysis highlights how shifting voter participation and institutional resilience have preserved the nation's rare status as a global "full democracy."
The Termination of 'Chat Control 1.0': Just an Intermezzo or a Real Turning Point in the Big Tech Battle and Online Surveillance in the EU?, Jana Stehlíková
Abstract: The security–privacy dilemma resurfaced in March 2026 when the Council of the EU and the European Parliament voted on extending the “Chat Control 1.0” Interim Regulation. The proposal prompted intense debate between data protection advocates and those favouring stronger cyber regulation. This paper analyses the controversy and the political and normative tensions underpinning it, and asks how the outcome—the termination of the provisional act after five years without a successor to combat online child sexual abuse—should be interpreted. It contributes to the broader debate on balancing security and privacy in the EU, questioning whether an effective protective tool was dismantled or whether a disproportionate surveillance gap was ultimately closed.
Why European Industry Needs Carbon Diplomacy in the Age of CBAM, Giulia Cretti
Abstract: The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which applies a levy on carbon-intensive imports from countries without comparable carbon pricing, increases costs for European importers and downstream industries. EU companies thus have an interest in ensuring that their counterparts abroad comply with CBAM requirements and reduce the carbon footprint of their products. This aligns well with the so-called carbon diplomacy efforts of the European Commission, which aim to promote carbon pricing policies in partner countries. However, there is still scope to better align these efforts with EU industrial competitiveness objectives. This policy brief proposes turning carbon diplomacy into a strategic instrument of industrial policy, with a stronger focus on key trading partners, emphasis on MRV interoperability and mutual recognition of ETS, and integration into external instruments such as Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships and Team Europe Initiatives. Ultimately, such an approach can strengthen Europe’s long-term competitiveness and decarbonisation while accelerating the transition to renewable energy in industrial production.
Renewables: A New Frontier in India-China Relations?, Ayushi Parashar
Abstract: This paper examines the energy security-related dynamics of renewable energy transition between India and China, exploring whether it presents more challenges or opportunities for India. Respectively, as the world’s largest and third-largest energy consumers, China and India’s shift towards renewable energy has significant implications for global climate goals and energy markets. This paper analyses the potential for collaboration between the two states, highlighting shared interests in climate change mitigation and the benefits of cooperation in renewable energy development. It also examines the competitive aspects of their relationship, focusing on China’s dominance in manufacturing and critical mineral supply chains, which pose challenges to India’s energy security and technological autonomy. The paper further investigates India’s policy responses, including initiatives to boost domestic manufacturing and diversify international partnerships. By assessing these factors, the research aims to provide insights into India’s strategic position in the renewable energy sector and its prospects in the context of its relationship with China.
Regulation of 'Foreign' Lobbying in the EU: Mission Impossible?, Doris Dialer
Abstract: Lobbying and foreign influence are normal, integrated activities in EU policy formulation and decision-making. Moreover, the EU’s openness towards lobbying is central to the legitimacy of its law-making. However, the EU is facing a rapidly changing international order that affects not only its global role but also the ways in which it interacts with the possible undue influence of third countries. As a consequence, the EU has been enhancing the transparency of foreign ‘influence’ by broadening the scope of the Transparency Register, a public EU lobby database jointly managed by the three law-making institutions. This paper aims to show that the tension between the functional need for openness to the lobbying of third states and the necessity for regulation is likely to become more important in the years to come.
Is the EU Governance Mechanism on Track to Achieve a Just Transition?, Rachel Guyet
Abstract: The EU's just transition framework, once heralded as pioneering, confronts a challenging reality at national level. Member States' failure to meet Social Climate Plan deadlines, superficial analysis of distributional impacts of the decarbonisation policies in their National Energy and Climate Plans, and opaque consultation processes reveal a disconnect between the European institutional architecture and the political will of national governments. The persistent gap between stated ambition and concrete action threatens social cohesion and risks undermining public acceptance of Europe's decarbonisation agenda.
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