CES Team

Centre for European Studies

The Centre for European Studies (CES), established in 2007, is the political foundation of the European People’s Party (EPP). The CES embodies a pan-European mindset, promoting Christian Democrat, conservative and like-minded political values. It serves as a framework for national political foundations linked to member parties of the EPP, with 26 foundations currently members. The CES takes part in the preparation of EPP programmes and policy documents. It organises seminars and training on EU policies and on the process of European integration.

The CES also contributes to formulating EU and national public policies. It produces research studies and books, policy briefs, and the twice-yearly European View journal. Its research activities are divided into six clusters: party structures and EU institutions, economic and social policies, EU foreign policy, environment and energy, values and religion, and new societal challenges. Through its papers, publication launches, conferences and online activities, the CES offers a platform for discussion among experts, politicians, policymakers and the European public.

Our Goals

The Centre for European Studies has four main goals: advancing centre-right thought, contributing to the formulation of EU and national policies, serving as a framework for national political foundations and academics and stimulating public debate about the EU.

Wilfried Martens
Antonio López-Istúriz White
Joseph Daul
Raymond Gradus
Yannis G. Valinakis
Olof Ehrenkrona
György Granasztói
Hans-Gert Pöttering

Executive Board

The Executive Board is composed by a maximum of eight members, including the President and the Secretary-Treasurer, elected by the General Assembly of the CES. Its roles range from drafting the annual programme based on agreed research priorities, ensuring the legal representation and financial supervision of the activities of the Centre, as well as steering the expansion of the CES network of member organisations.

Academic Council

The Executive Board nominates esteemed academics and researchers as members of the Academic Council in order to increase the academic scope of CES and oversee the scientific standards of its research, studies and activities. This includes enhancing the standing and visibility of the CES in the academic sphere, contributing with expertise, advice and ideas to ensure the Centre is always pursuing cutting-edge research. The Academic Council also proposes new and innovative projects and implements the highest standard of peer review.
Konstantina E. Botsiou
Olof Ehrenkrona
Werner Fasslabend
Bruno Aguilera Barchet
John Bruton
Jos J.A.M. van Gennip
Mart Laar
Žiga Turk
Paweł Śpiewak
Martti Häikiö

Research Associates

Svante Cornell
Katarina Králiková
Filippo L. Calciano
Florian Hartleb
Nikolaos Tzifakis
Hans Geeroms
Michalis Peglis

Who they are

Research Associates are politically like-minded academics who can provide research papers, short analyses and blogs and who are also capable of providing quick advice on current affairs.

What they do

The Research Associates contribute to an improved reflection process on fundamental strategic questions in the CES, and indirectly provide input for strategic debates in the EPP family.

General Assembly

The General Assembly is composed of the representatives of the Centre’s political foundations/think-tanks members and of individual members. Both these organisations and the individual members represent the interests of the European People’s Party and of its member-parties In order for a political foundation/think-tank to become a member of the Centre, it must be recognized by its respective EPP member party and be engaged in promoting political information and debate and facilitating EU integration. Additionally, the Centre can accept supporting members as non-voting members. All members have to be committed to support the objectives and aims of the Centre.

Our Members

The CES functions as a pan-European platform for our member foundations, individuals and think tanks from all over Europe that share the central values of the European People’s Party family and of its centre-right partners. In working closely together we strive firstly to contribute to the public awareness of European citizens, thus bringing the European debate closer to the public. Secondly, by bringing together the brightest minds of Europe we strive to help our decision-makers and opinion leaders, such as EPP Heads of State and Governments and party leaders to formulate new and effective policy options. Together with its members, the CES currently organises more than 100 activities every year across all Europe, ranging from publications, research projects, conferences, trainings and other events. Currently, the CES has 26 member foundations and 11 individual members and will continue to expand its European network in 2013 and beyond. 

Members Map

John Bruton
Pablo Arias Echeverría
Georgios Koumoutsakos
Tom Spencer

Fundraising Committee

It advises the Centre on fundraising opportunities based on its research and activities agenda. Its members identify and discuss how the Centre can strengthen its ties with business representatives following the latest EU policy-making developments.

Individual Members

Individual members are politically like-minded senior level professionals active in European politics, European institutions and related organisations. They participate in the meetings of the General Assembly and offer their perspective on the overall strategy and goals of the Centre and how to attain them.
Wilfried Martens
Antonio López-Istúriz White
Joseph Daul
Yannis G. Valinakis
Miguel Papi-Boucher
Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb
Kostas Sasmatzoglou
Filippo Terruso
João Marques de Almeida
Kristof Altusz
Antti Timonen
Jacob Lund Nielsen
Nicolas Pascual De La Parte
Timothy Beyer Helm
Marianne Thyssen

Meet the CES Team

Roland Freudenstein

CES Deputy Director
CES Head of Research
Tomi Huhtanen

CES Director

Visiting Fellows

Henna Hopia

Former Visiting Fellows

Florian Hartleb
Lucia Vesnic-Alujevic
Eugeniusz Smolar
Angelos Chryssogelos
Mojca Kucler Dolinar

Alumni

  • Matthieu Ravillon
  • Elizabeth Mary O’Brien
  • Davide Casale
  • Ivan Delibasic
  • Helena Lamb
  • Cristina Ferrara
  • Guillaume Périgois
  • Vincenzo Aldo Conforti
  • Elaine Larsen
  • Giovanni Mastrobuono
  • Patricia Murray
  • Stian Tvede Karlsen
  • Bonnie Chan
  • Lauren Zoebelein
  • Lubica Nadasska
  • Boyan Tanev
  • Antonios Nestoras
  • Rodrigo Castro Nacarino
  • Maarten Marechal
  • Erik Zolcer
  • Alena Dzemidzenka
  • Corina Suceveanu
  • Eline Storeide
  • Naďa Kovalčíková
  • Kate O’Sullivan
  • Vesta Ratkevičiūtė
5 years. Thinking Europe.
Centre for European Studies 20, Rue du Commerce, 1000 Brussels Funded by the European Parliament | info@thinkingeurope.eucreated by eresus