From July 2 to 4, Kira Neumann, a research fellow at the Observatory, took part in the Fifth Sofia Corradi Summer School on the European Union, co-organized by CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs), the European Parliament Office in Barcelona, and the European Commission Representation in Barcelona.
Held at CIDOB’s historic venue, the program provided an intensive overview of the new institutional cycle of the European Union and its evolving strategic agenda. Through expert lectures, roundtable discussions, and interactive debates, participants examined the key political, economic, and social challenges the EU faces in the short, medium, and long term.
A distinctive feature of the summer school was its inclusive and multilingual format, with sessions in Catalan, Spanish, and English, and simultaneous interpretation available throughout.
Speakers included Fernando Sampedro, Secretary of State for the European Union; Jaume Duch, Counselor for the European Union and External Action of the Government of Catalonia; Sergi Barrera, Head of the European Parliament Office in Barcelona; Michael Adam, Head of the Digital Policy Unit at the European Parliament’s Research Service; and several experts from leading European think tanks, research institutes, and universities.
Key topics addressed included the implications of the EU’s new institutional cycle, the European technological agenda, and the Union’s relations with its southern neighborhood, approached from both theoretical and practical perspectives.