Simone Esposito

AUTHOR

Simone is a graduate student in EU Politics at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he is specialising in the public policy of the European Union. He holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from LUISS Guido Carli in Rome, and took part in the Erasmus exchange programme at Sciences Po Paris. Simone currently works as Economic Affairs officer for the 1989 Generation Initiative, a newly founded policy network that commits to mobilise young citizens to revive the European project. His interests lie in the field of politics and geopolitics in Europe, and in European political economy.

PESCO – One “Giant Leap” Towards European Defence?0

PESCO, a dormant Lisbon Treaty provision to deepen defence integration among EU Member States, finally saw the light of day. While broad questions remain about the future of European defence, the initiative surely promises to be the biggest leap forward for the bloc’s defence policy in decades.

Why the Commission President is wrong to go wide but not deep 0

In his annual address to the European Parliament, European Commission’s President Jean-Claude Juncker set out a blueprint for his final two years in office, covering a wide range of policy areas. On his call for deeper and more inclusive integration for all Member States, I say we are rolling the ball back to the starting point: the avant-garde option remains the only plausible route to closer political unity in the continent.

The ‘Berlin Promise’ – Dashed expectations must not spell defeat in the Western Balkans 0

The countries of the Western Balkans are facing numerous socioeconomic challenges, such as a dramatic deterioration in democratic governance, slow rates of growth and high unemployment. Despite the fact that full membership for the Western Balkans countries is unquestionably a long way off, EU approximation represents hope for reforms to prevent the region from fading into oblivion and insecurity. This approximation could best be secured in the framework of the Berlin Process.

Time to scrap the cap – modernizing the EU budget 0

The current structure of the budget of the European Union is not adequate to deal with the challenges Europe is facing today, which range from unemployment to terrorism and migration management. The expected budget shortfall after Brexit, however, can spur pressures to reform. At a time when the EU project needs to restore trust and legitimacy, I recommend that spending be focused in view of Europe’s greatest concerns, cutting back on current farm funding.