On April 9th, 2026, the UC Berkeley Institute of European Studies, along with the Goldman School of Public Policy, and the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, and the UC Berkeley International House welcomed Magnus Brunner, the present European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration for a discussion entitled “USA & Europe: How Can We Win Together?”. Before being called into the European Commission in 2024, he was the Federal Minister of Finance of Austria, the Austrian State Secretary for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation & Technology, and the Vice President of the Austrian Federal Council. In his pre-political career, he was also the CEO of OeMAG Eco-Power in Vienna. Andreas Altmann, Rector of MCI Entrepreneurial School, introduced Brunner, as well as the other panelists–Jeroen Dewulf, Director of the Austrian Studies Program at UC Berkeley, and Susan Giesecke, Director of Global Engagement at UC Berkeley.
This discussion first began with Brunner’s perspective on the ‘new world disorder’ in which the European Union is faced with attacks in the East and difficulty with the West. He points out an optimistic fact–that more and more regions around the world have turned towards Europe, whether that be for membership or partnerships, and stated that the European Union, although sometimes considered too bureaucratic, is a stable and reliable coalition. The commissioner acknowledged the need for reforms and highlighted the progress of migration policies through new migration and visa strategies, such as the European Union's new Exit and Entry System, which is a digital border management system for recording entries and exits into the Schengen area. For the large scope of migration issues, Brunner spoke on the importance of being firm and fair, and always being committed to human rights and international law, especially with cases regarding refugees. Additionally, he mentioned the complexities of security in the modern age and that there would be no freedom, democracy, or prosperity without security. Brunner ended by evoking a clear message that, as Europeans, they should have a balance between focusing on themselves and taking pride in the European Union, as well as being collaborative with partners across the globe. Then, the panelists discussed various questions regarding the European Union’s preparation for large migration waves and cohesion within the European Union and its transatlantic allies.
Following the lecture, an audience Q&A took place, in which questions addressing comparisons between the United States and European Union stances on collaboration, the impact of climate change on migration, and reform acceleration were insightfully responded to by Brunner, Altmann, Dewulf, and Giesecke. The lecture was held in person in the Home Room at UC Berkeley’s International House from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. At the conclusion of the lecture and question period, a few guests remained to continue speaking about the ideas discussed.