Stefania Attolini
Stefania Attolini
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Digital Borders and the Future of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice

by Stefania Attolini

The European Union is entering a new phase in the evolution of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice.

As the Pact on Migration and Asylum approaches its full application in June 2026 and the Entry/Exit System (EES) becomes operational across the Schengen Area, the governance of migration and border management is increasingly shaped by digital technologies, biometric identification, and large-scale information systems.

These reforms are intended to strengthen migration management, improve security, and enhance cooperation among Member States. At the same time, they raise important legal and constitutional questions concerning privacy, data protection, proportionality, and the protection of fundamental rights.

The ongoing transformation of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice therefore reflects a broader development within European integration: the growing interconnection between internal security, digital governance, and the management of mobility.

Recent reports have also highlighted practical concerns linked to the deployment of the Entry/Exit System, including delays, operational challenges, and potential disruptions at major border crossing points and airports. These developments show how technological governance is becoming an increasingly central component of European migration and security policy.

One crucial question nevertheless remains open: can the European Union reconcile increasingly sophisticated systems of border control with the fundamental values of freedom, rights, and the rule of law on which the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice is founded?

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Circular Economy and Europe’s New Environmental Strategy

by Stefania Attolini

Environmental policy in the European Union is increasingly becoming an industrial and geopolitical strategy.

With the European Commission expected to present the forthcoming Circular Economy Act in 2026, the EU appears determined to move beyond traditional waste management and reshape the European Single Market around sustainability, resource efficiency, and strategic autonomy.

Current policy discussions suggest that the future legislative framework may seek to strengthen the market for secondary raw materials, harmonise “end-of-waste” criteria across Member States, and reinforce circular design requirements for products and industrial supply chains.

The initiative also reflects a broader transformation of EU environmental governance: ecological transition is now closely connected to competitiveness, industrial resilience, and digital regulation.

In this sense, the circular economy is no longer presented merely as an environmental objective, but as a core element of Europe’s economic and regulatory future.

One key question nevertheless emerges: can the EU reconcile ecological transition, industrial competitiveness, and regulatory coherence without weakening its environmental ambitions?

Here is the European Commission’s overview of the EU Circular Economy strategy:
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/circular-economy_en

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Artificial Intelligence and the Rise of Europe’s Regulatory Power

by Stefania Attolini

Artificial intelligence is no longer merely a technological issue: it has become a constitutional, economic, and geopolitical one.

With the AI Act, the European Union is attempting to build the world’s first comprehensive legal framework for AI regulation, based on a risk-oriented approach aimed at balancing innovation, fundamental rights protection, and security.

In doing so, Europe is pursuing a path distinct from both the American and Chinese models: neither complete deregulation nor centralized state control.

One crucial question nevertheless remains open:
👉 can the EU transform its “regulatory power” into genuine technological leadership?

Here is the official European Commission overview of the AI Act:
AI Act – European Commission

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Visiting the European Institutions with the Students of the Diploma in Environmental Law

by Stefania Attolini

Visiting the European Institutions with the Students of the Diploma in Environmental Law

On 18 May 2026, I had the pleasure of accompanying the second-year students of the Diploma in Environmental Law (DE Droit de l’environnement) of the Université Catholique de Lyon to Brussels for a study visit dedicated to European environmental governance and the functioning of the EU institutions.

The visit took place within the framework of the Comparative Moot Court on Environmental Law (CMCEL), bringing together students from four European universities: the Université Catholique de Lyon, University College Dublin, Universität Münster and Universiteit Utrecht.

The morning session was hosted by the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) of the European Commission. Students presented the outcomes of the national moot court sessions to representatives of the Commission.

The discussions provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the implementation of European environmental law and on the role played by the European Commission in ensuring compliance with EU environmental standards.

Students also attended a presentation on the role of the European Commission in the development and enforcement of environmental legislation within the European Union.

In the afternoon, the group visited the European Parliament, where students had the opportunity to discover the functioning of the institution and discuss the role of democratic representation within the European legislative process.

This visit once again highlighted the importance of connecting academic training with direct engagement with European institutions, allowing students to better understand the practical dimensions of European environmental governance and decision-making.

 

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Supranational Democracy Dialogues – VIII ed.

by Stefania Attolini

Teaching Environmental Democracy: Reflections from the Supranational Democracy Dialogues 2026

On 23 April 2026, I had the pleasure of presenting my intervention entitled “Teaching Environmental Democracy: From Pedagogical Design to Democratic Tensions” during the VIII edition of the Supranational Democracy Dialogues, within the session dedicated to Democracy and Education.

The presentation was inspired by the recently launched Erasmus+ project TED – Teaching Environmental Democracy, which I coordinate at the Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLy) in partnership with the Università del Salento, the Democracy and Culture Foundation (Athens), and CESUE / Focus Europe Italia.

The intervention explored a central question: how can environmental democracy be taught today in a context marked by ecological urgency, democratic tensions, and growing complexity?

Environmental democracy is often understood through procedural rights such as access to environmental information, public participation, and access to justice. However, contemporary environmental governance raises broader and more challenging questions related to democratic legitimacy, expertise, participation, urgency, and the shrinking of civic space.

The presentation argued that teaching environmental democracy cannot be limited to explaining legal frameworks or institutional procedures. It also requires addressing tensions, contradictions, and real-world environmental conflicts, while encouraging students to develop critical thinking, deliberative skills, and democratic competences.

Within the TED project, this pedagogical approach takes concrete form through the creation of a Students Assembly, where students are invited not only to analyse environmental issues but also to deliberate collectively and experience democratic decision-making processes in practice.

One particularly interesting aspect discussed during the conference concerned the first empirical feedback collected from student representatives involved in designing the Students Assembly rules. Their responses revealed important tensions between participation and efficiency, inclusiveness and organisation, deliberation and decision-making — highlighting how environmental democracy is not a fixed model, but an evolving and contested process.

The intervention concluded with a broader reflection on the role of universities in preparing future generations to navigate ecological transitions through legal knowledge, democratic participation, and interdisciplinary dialogue.

The TED project will continue developing innovative teaching methodologies on environmental democracy throughout the 2025–2028 period, contributing to the broader debate on democracy, sustainability, and environmental governance in Europe.

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T.E.D. – Kick-off event

by Stefania Attolini

TED kick-off event (Programme)

TED – Teaching Environmental Democracy: Kick-off Meeting in Lecce and Brindisi

On 16–17 March 2026, the cities of Lecce and Brindisi hosted the kick-off meeting of TED – Teaching Environmental Democracy, an Erasmus+ KA220 project co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by the Université Catholique de Lyon (UCLy).

The project brings together an international consortium composed of UCLy, the Università del Salento, the Democracy and Culture Foundation (Athens), and CESUE / Focus Europe Italia, with the aim of developing innovative teaching methodologies combining European environmental law, democratic participation and active citizenship.

At the core of the project is the creation of a Students Assembly, an innovative pedagogical tool through which students will discuss and deliberate on concrete environmental law cases, experiencing participatory and deliberative democracy in practice.

The kick-off meeting opened at the Rectorate of the Università del Salento with a public session dedicated to the importance of teaching environmental democracy. The project coordinator, Stefania Attolini, presented the objectives and long-term vision of TED, highlighting the need to strengthen environmental awareness and democratic participation among younger generations.

The programme continued with operational working sessions dedicated to the design of TED’s pedagogical methodology and with meetings involving academics, researchers and student representatives from the partner institutions.

On the second day, partners visited the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) – UNHRD Base in Brindisi, exploring the role of environmental sustainability within humanitarian logistics and international cooperation.

The kick-off concluded with a public event at Palazzo Nervegna in Brindisi focused on democracy, environmental awareness and European cooperation projects, followed by the first official coordination meeting of the consortium.

The TED project will run from 2025 to 2028 and aims to create a joint training programme and certification in Environmental Democracy, integrating innovative educational practices into the curricula of the partner universities.

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# Visiting Day at ESA (European Space Agency)

by Stefania Attolini

As part of my ongoing research on Copernicus and environmental data governance, I recently had the opportunity to spend a visiting day at the European Space Agency (ESA).

The visit provided valuable insights into Europe’s Earth observation infrastructure and the role of satellite data in supporting environmental monitoring, climate action, and evidence-based policymaking. It was also an excellent opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities related to data accessibility, interoperability, and the growing importance of digital environmental infrastructures.

A particularly inspiring part of the visit was the discussion with Mr. Eric Monjoux, ESA’s Destination Earth Project Manager. Our exchange focused on the strategic value of Earth observation data and on Destination Earth (DestinE), the European initiative developing a highly accurate digital twin of the Earth. By combining Copernicus data, advanced modelling, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing, DestinE aims to enhance our capacity to understand, monitor, and anticipate environmental and climate-related changes.

The visit offered important perspectives for my research and reinforced the central role of European space programmes in addressing contemporary environmental challenges and supporting the green and digital transitions.

I am grateful to ESA for the warm welcome and for the stimulating discussions that will undoubtedly enrich the next stages of my research.

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Nomination à la vice-présidence de la Maison de l’Europe Albertville-Savoie

by Stefania Attolini

Hier, 2 juin 2025, à l’occasion du Conseil d’Administration de la Maison de l’Europe Albertville-Savoie (MDEAS), j’ai eu l’honneur d’être élue vice-présidente de l’association.

Je remercie sincèrement les membres du Conseil d’Administration pour leur confiance. Cette nomination représente pour moi une responsabilité importante ainsi qu’une belle opportunité de contribuer davantage aux activités de la MDEAS, dont la mission est de promouvoir la citoyenneté européenne, le dialogue interculturel et les valeurs qui fondent le projet européen.

Cette nouvelle gouvernance s’inscrit dans la continuité du remarquable travail accompli pendant dix-huit années par Henri-Georges Brun, dont l’engagement constant a largement contribué au rayonnement de la Maison de l’Europe en Savoie. Je tiens à saluer son action et à le remercier pour son investissement au service de l’Europe et des citoyens.

Aux côtés du nouveau président Luc Martin, de l’ensemble des membres du bureau et du Conseil d’Administration, je suis heureuse de participer à cette nouvelle étape de la vie de l’association. Dans un contexte international marqué par de nombreux défis, la promotion des valeurs européennes, de la démocratie, de la paix et de la coopération apparaît plus essentielle que jamais.

Je me réjouis de poursuivre cet engagement collectif au service de l’Europe, de ses citoyens et des générations futures.

 

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Journée de l’Europe 2025 avec la Maison de l’Europe d’Albertville et de la Savoie (MDEAS)

by Stefania Attolini

J’ai eu le plaisir de participer à la Journée de l’Europe organisée par la Maison de l’Europe Albertville-Savoie (MDEAS), un événement consacré à la promotion des valeurs européennes, du dialogue interculturel et de la citoyenneté européenne.

L’un des moments les plus marquants de cette journée a été la lecture collective de passages de la Déclaration Schuman du 9 mai 1950, texte fondateur de la construction européenne. Des participants de différentes nationalités ont lu, chacun dans sa propre langue, des extraits de cette déclaration historique prononcée par Robert Schuman. Ce texte proposait la mise en commun de la production franco-allemande de charbon et d’acier, posant ainsi les bases d’une coopération destinée à rendre la guerre « non seulement impensable, mais matériellement impossible » entre les nations européennes.

Cette initiative symbolique a rappelé la richesse de la diversité linguistique et culturelle de l’Europe, tout en soulignant les valeurs communes qui unissent ses citoyens.

Chaque année, le 9 mai est célébré comme la Fête de l’Europe, en mémoire de la Déclaration Schuman. Cette date marque le point de départ du processus d’intégration européenne qui conduira à la création de l’Union européenne telle que nous la connaissons aujourd’hui. Elle constitue une occasion privilégiée de réfléchir à l’histoire de la construction européenne, à ses réalisations, mais aussi aux défis auxquels l’Europe est confrontée dans un contexte international en constante évolution.

En tant que membre de la MDEAS, j’ai été particulièrement heureuse de contribuer à cette belle journée d’échanges, de mémoire et de réflexion sur l’avenir du projet européen, qui illustre pleinement l’engagement de l’association en faveur de la citoyenneté européenne et du dialogue entre les peuples.

Comme le rappelait Robert Schuman dans sa déclaration du 9 mai 1950 :

« La paix mondiale ne saurait être sauvegardée sans des efforts créateurs à la mesure des dangers qui la menacent. »

Et encore :

« L’Europe ne se fera pas d’un coup, ni dans une construction d’ensemble : elle se fera par des réalisations concrètes créant d’abord une solidarité de fait. »

Soixante-quinze ans plus tard, ces mots conservent toute leur actualité et continuent d’inspirer celles et ceux qui croient dans un projet européen fondé sur la paix, la solidarité et la coopération entre les peuples.

 

  

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