On November 15th, the Institute of European Studies (IES) at UC Berkeley hosted its annual Undergraduate Research Conference, bringing together approximately 20 attendees. The event featured a keynote address by Austrian Consul General Isabella Tomas and presentations by UC Berkeley students on the theme of "The European Union’s Strategic Role in Global Affairs."
Anshul Singh: Europe’s Path to Economic Autonomy Amidst a Second Trump Administration
Anshul Singh, a first-year UC Berkeley student majoring in Business Administration and Computer Science, presented an insightful analysis of how a second Trump Administration might impact the European Union's pursuit of economic autonomy.
Singh opened by discussing the potential consequences of increased U.S. tariffs, projecting that a 10-20% universal tariff could significantly reduce real income levels across EU member states. He also examined the financial strain a cessation of U.S. aid to Ukraine might impose on the EU, potentially shifting substantial costs onto European nations.
Expanding his scope, Singh connected these challenges to broader trends, such as the EU's reliance on globalization and its response to shocks such as Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He highlighted initiatives like the European Chips Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act of 2023 as efforts to enhance industrial competitiveness and accelerate the green energy transition. Despite these measures, Singh identified significant hurdles, including political fragmentation, the high costs of transitioning supply chains, and the difficulty of reducing dependency on globalization.
Singh concluded by outlining three scenarios: a worst-case scenario of globalization collapses, a moderate scenario involving partial progress towards economic autonomy for the EU, and a best-case scenario where Trump's tariff threats serve as a negotiating strategy for Europe.
Jash Desai: EU-China Trade Tensions and the Role of Multinational Corporations
Jash Desai, a senior majoring in Political Science and Business Administration, examined the EU-China trade tensions through the lens of multinational corporations, focusing on Louis Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy (LVMH).
Desai's presentation was centered around China's recent 30.6-39% security deposit on EU brandy imports, a measure affecting a €1.7 billion export market for French brandy, with the investigation set to conclude in January 2025. Using a strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis, he identified LVMH's strengths, such as its market leadership in Chinese premiums, alongside weaknesses like stock volatility and overdependence on the Chinese market.
He proposed strategies to navigate these challenges, including tiered pricing, expanding duty-free retail networks, and leveraging limited-edition products to maintain luxury appeal. Desai also analyzed key actors’ interests—such as the French government's World Trade Organization (WTO) challenge and China’s protectionist stance—before concluding with the broader implications of escalating trade tensions and the pivotal role of multinational corporations in mitigating risks.
Conor Devlin: Europe’s Path to Competitiveness in Space, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
Conor Devlin, a senior majoring in Political Economy and Chinese, delivered an engaging presentation on the EU’s competitiveness in the space industry and its critical role in modern economies and security.
Devlin traced the industry’s evolution from fragmented efforts in the 1960s to the establishment of the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1975. Despite these advancements, he pointed to ongoing challenges, including limited launch capacity, underinvestment in research and development, and reliance on Russia's launch services, which were disrupted by the war in Ukraine.
To address these issues, Devlin proposed streamlining governance by abolishing ESA's geo-return policy, increasing financial support for innovation, and aligning space and defense policies. He emphasized the urgency of these reforms, linking them to Europe's global competitiveness and strategic independence.
Angel Fan: The EU’s Role in Civil Society Building in the Post-War Western Balkans
Angel Fan, (year and major needed) another UC Berkeley student, examined the EU's efforts to foster civil society in the Western Balkans focusing on Mostar, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.
Fan discussed the region's history of ethnic tensions, exacerbated by Mostar's spatial division and segregated education systems. She analyzed EU initiatives such as the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP), which aim to promote democratization and ethnic integration. Fan also evaluated the successes and limitations of local projects, like the United World College (UWC) Mostar and Mostar Rock School, noting their contributions to shared spaces and cultural exchange but acknowledging challenges like limited local integration and skepticism toward international oversight.
Fan concluded by advocating for greater community engagement and the inclusion of local perspectives in peacebuilding and globalization efforts.
Johnny Li: Lessons from Europe’s Green Deal
Johnny Li, a UC Berkeley (year and major) student, explored the European Green Deal's geopolitical and economic dimensions, focusing on renewable energy and job creation.
Li illustrated the Green Deal’s €1 trillion budget and its potential to create 2.5 million jobs, emphasizing renewable energy as a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Connecting these developments to Karl Polanyi's “double movement” theory, Li discussed balancing market-driven policies with societal welfare.
Despite challenges like high costs and skepticism toward electric vehicles, Li emphasized the importance of innovation and policy adjustments in achieving sustainability and global competitiveness.
Tony Ordoukhanian: Armenia and the EU: Navigating Nuclear Energy and Sustainability Goals
Tony Ordoukhanian, a senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Public Policy, delivered a compelling presentation on Armenia's reliance on the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (MNPP) and its implications for energy security, sustainability, and geopolitics.
Ordoukhanian explained that the MNPP, which supplies nearly 40% of Armenia's electricity, is located in a seismically active region and has drawn global safety concerns due to its aging infrastructure. To provide historical context, he outlined key events that have shaped Armenia's energy policies, including the 1988 Spitak earthquake, the dissolution of the USSR, and ongoing conflicts with neighboring countries. These challenges, he argued, have contributed to Armenia’s heavy reliance on Russian energy infrastructure, complicating efforts to transition to alternative energy sources.
He noted ongoing efforts by the EU and international organizations, such as safety upgrades to the MNPP and initiatives promoting renewable energy dialogues. However, Ordoukhanian indicated that these efforts are constrained by Armenia’s economic limitations. He concluded by discussing the socio-economic ramifications of closing the MNPP and emphasized the critical importance of investing in renewable energy infrastructure to ensure Armenia's long-term sustainability and energy independence. .
Keynote Speaker: Isabella Tomas, Austrian Consul General
The keynote address by Austrian General Consul Isabella Tomas provided an inspiring conclusion to the conference. Tomas shared her journey into diplomacy, detailing her interdisciplinary training at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna, her postings across Serbia, Spain, Brazil, and the U.S., and her current focus on tech diplomacy in the Silicon Valley.
Tomas emphasized adaptability and linguistic proficiency, particularly in UN languages, as essential skills for diplomats. She discussed Austria’s diplomatic processes and challenges, including fragmented EU representation, while praising the European External Action Service’s unifying role.
Reflecting on her career, Tomas highlighted the rewards of fostering international collaboration and inspired the audience to consider the transformative potential of diplomacy in building a more interconnected world.