On 30 March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a keynote speech at the European Policy Centre, outlining her vision for a new de-risking approach to the EU’s relations with China. The event was organised in cooperation with the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS).
In her address, von der Leyen also acknowledged the significance of European think tanks and the achievements of the EPC:
“In a time when global affairs are becoming harder to decrypt – and in an era where facts are routinely challenged –
the work that think tanks do has never been more important for Europe. Because it is only by having a deeper understanding of the world as it really is – not as we may wish it to be that we can develop better-informed policies.
This is why I believe think tanks are an essential part of our democracy.”
“
I would like to congratulate the European Policy Centre on its recent 25th anniversary. From the outset, you have been
a truly European voice in the world of policy and academia. This spirit is very much in the image of one of your founders and one of Europe’s most unheralded fathers – Max Kohnstamm. Max Kohnstamm lived through personal trauma and tragedy during the Second World War. This experience inspired him to dedicate his life to building a united Europe and his commitment to creating a better understanding between people lives on through Europe’s think-tank community.”
The transcript of the speech is available
here.