Collegium Polonicum Representatives at the 5th National Congress of European Studies

A particularly active role was played by the Research Section of the Polish Association for European Studies (XIV), ,,Lobbying and Interest Groups in the European Union”, co-chaired by prof. UAM dr hab. Agnieszka Vetulani-Cęgiel and prof. SGH Urszula Kurczewska. As part of the section’s activities, a three-part thematic panel entitled ,,Lobbying and Interest Groups in Times of Global Crises and Political Turbulence” was organised, featuring a total of 13 academic presentations.

The aim of the panel was to discuss the changing forms of interest representation, lobbying activities, and the functioning of interest groups in the European Union in the face of contemporary political, social, and economic challenges. Participants debated, among other topics, the consequences of political polarisation, international crises, digital transformation, and changes occurring in decision-making processes at both national and European levels.

Among the speakers representing Collegium Polonicum were:

• Prof. UAM dr hab. Agnieszka Vetulani-Cęgiel, who presented the paper ,,In Search of Ideological Allies: Interest Groups and Political Parties in Central Europe.”
• Dr Łukasz Dulęba, author of the presentation ,,The End of Multistakeholderism? Digital Sovereignty and the Role of Interest Groups in Contemporary Global Internet Governance.”
• Mgr Kinga Wieczorek, who delivered the paper ,,Competing Visions, Shared Narratives? How the Appointment of a Rapporteur Changes the Argumentation of Interest Groups in the EU.”
• Dr Artur Kopka, who discussed the topic ,,The Evolution of European Solutions Regulating Lobbying in the Political Decision-Making Process: The Case of Lobbying Regulations in Germany.”
• Dr Adam Araszkiewicz, who presented the paper ,,The European Strategy towards the Indo-Pacific in the Context of Strengthening the European Union’s Resilience in the Face of China’s Rising Power.”

The strong presence of researchers affiliated with Collegium Polonicum highlighted the institution’s significant position in national research on interest representation processes and European integration. Participation in the congress also provided an opportunity to exchange experiences, establish new research collaborations, and discuss current challenges facing Europe and its institutions.