From 30 July to 3 August 2025, the historic city of Genova hosted the EDS Summer University, bringing together young leaders, policymakers, and thinkers from across Europe. EPIC — the European Policy Innovation Council — was proud to stand among the event’s supporters alongside META, KAS, EPP, and others, under a banner that said it all: MAKE EUROPE THINK AGAIN.
A Gathering of Ideas and Debate
The programme spanned five days, mixing institutional meetings, cultural visits, working groups, and high-level panels. EPIC Founder and CEO Antonios Nestoras joined Panel 1: “Present and Future of the Ursula Majority” to deliver a candid assessment of Europe’s current political state — and a call for strategic renewal.
Speaking to an audience of student leaders and young policymakers, Antonios outlined how the so-called “pro-European” majority in Brussels has been running on survival instinct rather than shared vision. He argued that without a common ideological thread, what exists today is not a grand coalition but a fragile compromise — one that produces crisis management rather than leadership.
The Hard Truths: Europe’s Strategic Dependencies
In his remarks, Antonios pointed to Europe’s mounting vulnerabilities:
-
Energy still exposed to Russian risks
-
Trade & critical materials reliant on China
-
Security & defence dependent on the U.S.
-
Migration management outsourced to third countries
-
Digital infrastructure reliant on U.S.-based platforms
He warned that the combination of industrial decline, incomplete integration, and institutional stagnation leaves the EU squeezed between global powers without the budget or capacity to compete.
A Vision for the Future
Despite the sober diagnosis, the message was ultimately forward-looking. Antonios challenged participants to redefine what “pro-European” means — not just “against” something, but for a clear plan to reinvent the Union.
He outlined five pillars for a stronger Europe:
-
A real EU budget with global-scale capacity
-
A defence union with joint procurement and production
-
Digital sovereignty to reduce foreign dependency
-
Industrial renewal that empowers European competitiveness
-
Institutional reform for faster, more accountable decisions
The takeaway was simple: the future will only be as ambitious as we decide to make it.
Why EPIC Was There
For EPIC, this was more than an event sponsorship — it was an investment in the next generation of European political imagination. Our mission as The Thinking Movement is to bridge bold ideas with real policy solutions. The EDS Summer University offered the perfect platform to share that mission, exchange with emerging leaders, and reaffirm that Europe’s best future starts with better thinking.
From 30 July to 3 August 2025, the historic city of Genova hosted the EDS Summer University, bringing together young leaders, policymakers, and thinkers from across Europe. EPIC — the European Policy Innovation Council — was proud to stand among the event’s supporters alongside META, KAS, EPP, and others, under a banner that said it all: MAKE EUROPE THINK AGAIN.
A Gathering of Ideas and Debate
The programme spanned five days, mixing institutional meetings, cultural visits, working groups, and high-level panels. EPIC Founder and CEO Antonios Nestoras joined Panel 1: “Present and Future of the Ursula Majority” to deliver a candid assessment of Europe’s current political state — and a call for strategic renewal.
Speaking to an audience of student leaders and young policymakers, Antonios outlined how the so-called “pro-European” majority in Brussels has been running on survival instinct rather than shared vision. He argued that without a common ideological thread, what exists today is not a grand coalition but a fragile compromise — one that produces crisis management rather than leadership.
The Hard Truths: Europe’s Strategic Dependencies
In his remarks, Antonios pointed to Europe’s mounting vulnerabilities:
-
Energy still exposed to Russian risks
-
Trade & critical materials reliant on China
-
Security & defence dependent on the U.S.
-
Migration management outsourced to third countries
-
Digital infrastructure reliant on U.S.-based platforms
He warned that the combination of industrial decline, incomplete integration, and institutional stagnation leaves the EU squeezed between global powers without the budget or capacity to compete.
A Vision for the Future
Despite the sober diagnosis, the message was ultimately forward-looking. Antonios challenged participants to redefine what “pro-European” means — not just “against” something, but for a clear plan to reinvent the Union.
He outlined five pillars for a stronger Europe:
-
A real EU budget with global-scale capacity
-
A defence union with joint procurement and production
-
Digital sovereignty to reduce foreign dependency
-
Industrial renewal that empowers European competitiveness
-
Institutional reform for faster, more accountable decisions
The takeaway was simple: the future will only be as ambitious as we decide to make it.
Why EPIC Was There
For EPIC, this was more than an event sponsorship — it was an investment in the next generation of European political imagination. Our mission as The Thinking Movement is to bridge bold ideas with real policy solutions. The EDS Summer University offered the perfect platform to share that mission, exchange with emerging leaders, and reaffirm that Europe’s best future starts with better thinking.
