European Ideas Network (EIN)

European Ideas Network (EIN)

History

The European Ideas Network (EIN) was initiated by EPP group (European People's Party) in the European Parliament and eventually founded in summer 2002. EIN is partly a think tank and partly a network of people and institutions. The network comprises estimated 600 active members (politicians, business people, media multiplier). Additionally there are 40 institutions/organizations associated with EIN.

Organizational structure and funding

EIN is funded, organized and managed by the EPP group in the European Parliament. The EIN is headed by a management body consisting of 12 members. Besides being part of the managing body those people fill other positions such as EPP parliamentary party leader, representative of a national delegation, representative of one of the three national foundations or think tanks (Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung {foundation of the German Christian Democrats (CDU)}, Centre for European Studies {EPP foundation} and Fondation Robert Schumann). The EIN is organized in 10 thematic working groups focussing on the following themes: "The Economy and the Environment" (1. economic and financial recovery, 2. social market economy, 3. energy and environment), "Governance and Values" (4. European demographic challenges, immigration and familiy policy, 5. values and liberties, 6. European governance: implementing the Lissbon treaty, 7. Making Europe a safer place) and "Foreign Affairs" (8. Neighbourhood Policies, 9. Transatlantic Relations, 10. Globalization and Foreign Trade).

Thematic collaboration among think tanks within the network is organized by a task force. Themes on which think tanks collaborate vary and derive from the thematic array of the aforementioned working groups (economic policy and reform, foreign affairs of the EU, immigration, human capital, governance).

Topics

Work Mode and Aims

The core activities of EIN are organized in permanent working groups. Furthermore EIN hosts programs such as summer universities and seminars. Within EIN there are 10 working groups concerned with the following range of topics: Economy/ Environmental Policy, Governance/ Values and Foreign Affairs. Those themes and accordingly the EIN working groups are structured and coordinated by the corresponding EPP working groups.

The EIN actively promotes networking among center-right oriented think tanks in Europe. The pursued aim of the EIN is to provide conservative parties in Europe especially those sitting in the European Parliament with intellectual resources and thus find innovative solutions to problems on all relevant policy areas.

The EIN operates through reports and working results compiled by their working groups and through a task force. Furthermore EIN organizes an annual conference - the summer university, which since 2002 takes place in different European cities every year. Additional activities comprise seminars and communications among the member think tanks and the EPP group.

Network

Among the ca. 40 institutions and organisations that are linked with the EIN the following also belong to the Stockholm Network:

• Stockholm Network (UK)
• Friedrich von Hayek Stiftung (DE)
• Walter Eucken Institut (DE)
• Fondation pour l'Innovation Politique
• Fundacion para el analisis y los estudios sociales (FAES) (ES)
• Fondazione Magna Charta (IT)
• Fondazione Res Publica (IT)
• Tocqueville-Acton Centre for Studies & Documentation (IT)
• Timbro (SE)
• Policy Exchange (UK)

as well as the

• Institut Montaigne (FR) that was listed as partner institution outside the cooperation context.

further think tanks belonging to the EuropeanIdeasNetwork are:

• European Enterprise Institute (Brussels, BE)
• Politische Akademie der ÖVP (AT)
• Austrian Institute for European Security Policy (AT)
• CEVRO Liberal Conservative Academy (CZ)
• E-Stat (CZ)
• Copenhagen Institute (DK)
• Fondation Robert Schuman (FR)
• Eurolib (FR)
• Hanns Seidel Stiftung (DE)
• Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (DE)
• Constantine Karamanlis Institute for Democracy (GR)
• Fondazione Farefuturo (IT)
• Fondazione Liberale (IT)
• Foundation for a Civic Hungary (Polgári Magyarországért Alapítvány, PMA) (HU)
• József Antall Foundation (HU)
• Századvég Foundation (HU)
• Free Europe Centre (HU) (Zentrum für die Wahlkampagne von FIDESZ [1]); kein Link zu finden
• SPK Europe (LV); weder Link noch weitere Informationen zu finden
• Institute of Democratic Politics (LT)
• Azad Centre for Political Studies (MT); kein Link, Information zu Azad: [2]
• CDA Research Institute (NL)
• Institute for Research on the Market Economy (IBNGR) (PL)
• CREO (Centrum Rozwoju Edukacji Obywatelskiej (PL)
• Instituto Francisco Sá Carnero (PT)
• Mecs Laszlo Foundation (SK); weder Link, noch weitere Informationen
• Joze Pucnik Institute (SI)
• Civitas/KRDU Foundation (SE)
• Ratio Institute (SE)
• European Policy Forum (UK)

Moreover the EIN maintains relations with

• [International Republican Institute] (USA)
• International Center for Research on Environmental Issues (ICREI) (FR)
• Natolin European Centre (PL)

Cooperating think tanks collaborate with topic related task forces within the EIN. The results of those project related collaborations are documented in final reports that are published on the EIN website [3].