Vikram Bharati’s Post

Our economies are evolving as entry barriers decline. What was once limited to governments and corporates, now increased competition spur innovation and create new ways of living. The 3Cs have been the anchors of any major economy. 1) Companies as a vehicle for profit-making can now be created and deployed anywhere. When the world's 1st company (#DutchEastIndiaCompany in 1602), was founded who knew that we can now create private companies from anywhere (since 2001, #eEstonia), and run them with great success digitally and globally. #Microsoft (1975), #Amazon (1994), #Alphabet (1998), ... are among the ~500 million companies worldwide that are almost inevitable. 2) Currencies can now be issued and adopted by everybody. When #USD became the reserve currency in 1944, who knew that a digital currency enshrined on the blockchain, #Bitcoin (2008), is able to challenge it. Now everybody with an internet connection can issue and adopt digital currencies on #solana within seconds and for a few cents. Today, we have less than 200 established currencies worldwide, and millions of verifiable tokens on various blockchains are emerging. 3) Countries can now be formed digitally by anybody. While many countries are formed physically through conquest and treaties first, who knew that we could do it the other way around. Now Draper Nation (2024) creates a digital country attracting immigration of new land, talents and capital around the world. While social media populations are growing, now these self-interested attentions can be directed towards governing, investing and contributing to a bigger picture.

MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CANDIDACY 2024 🇪🇺 | PSOE 🌹| SPAIN 🇪🇸 I want to begin by expressing my profound gratitude to our Provincial Secretary and the Executive Committee led by Dani Pérez, as well as to Juan Espadas, General Secretary of PSOE-A. It is an honor to be considered as part of this impressive team representing the entire nation. From Genalguacil, we are committed to contributing to the promotion of equality, inclusion, and sustainable development throughout Europe. This recognition is the result of the hard work we have done in Genalguacil, particularly through the Genalguacil Pueblo Museo project and the International Laboratory of Rural Innovation. These initiatives, benchmarks in Spain and Europe, have shown how art, culture, and innovation can be powerful tools in combating depopulation and revitalizing our rural areas. For me, being part of this team represents the opportunity to bring the voice and needs of Rural Europe to the European Parliament. Rural Europe is a crucial player in building a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable Europe. We believe in a Europe where territorial disparities are reduced, where social justice prevails, and where art, culture, agriculture, and the environment are drivers of change. The future of Europe is rural. It is a future where everyone, regardless of their place of residence, has the same opportunities. It is a future where territorial development is carried out inclusively, leaving no one behind. As a candidate, I commit to working tirelessly to create tools that address territorial and social inequalities, ensuring that every European citizen has the opportunity to thrive. Join us on this exciting journey towards a fairer, more equitable, and rural Europe. Together, we can build the future we desire for generations to come. The future of Europe is rural 🌱🇪🇺🙌🏽🌹

Our paper is out!! 🎉 I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that our article, by Rieneke Beeftink and myself, is now published in the Journal of Public Affairs! #public #affairs about policy learning in networks during a lobbying process by the Dutch Urban Envoy in Brussels. We evaluated this role with Tibor Hargitai & Mendeltje van Keulen at European Impact for Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties in 2021-22. Now, finally, our academic paper based on this evaluation is out!!! 🎉 This is the link: https://lnkd.in/ejUZvtim Please let me know if you can't access! In the paper, we argue that: 👏 1. Network Governance is Key to EU Lobbying: The article emphasizes that effective lobbying in the EU is heavily reliant on building and maintaining strong networks. Using a network perspective helps explain how the Dutch Urban Envoy (DUE) successfully advocates for cities at the European level. 👏 2. The Dutch Urban Envoy as a Bridge: The DUE plays a crucial role in connecting Dutch cities to EU institutions, representing urban interests in European policy-making. This role has evolved to strengthen city participation in EU decisions, particularly through the Urban Agenda for the EU. 👏 3. Evaluating Success Through Network Metrics: The DUE’s performance is assessed based on network legitimacy, centrality, and diversity. Strong, diverse, and active networks lead to more effective lobbying outcomes, helping cities gain greater influence in EU policy. 👏 4. Network Maturity Increases Impact: The article highlights that as the DUE’s networks mature over time, they become more diversified and effective. Established connections and sub-networks help cities achieve better representation and influence in Brussels. 👏 5. Collaborating to Address Future Challenges: The growing influence of cities in EU decision-making presents a unique opportunity to tackle critical urban challenges like climate change, migration, and innovation. Leveraging well-established networks will be vital for cities to collaborate and drive solutions to these shared problems. These takeaways underscore the importance of strategic #networking for #cities looking to shape #European #policies especially in times of #sustainability #transitions 🌱 🌱 🌱 Thanks so much for this opportunity, Karen Van Dantzig Mendeltje van Keulen Martijn Verheus Remmelt de Weerd Robert-Jan van Lotringen Diana van Altena Ruud van Raak Sabrina Abdi Pedro Campos Ponce Simone Goedings Fenna Pols Bas van den Barg Marine Gaudron Jaap Docter Jan Olbrycht René de Heer Diana Van Driel Valentina Schippers Peter Rhebergen Peter Rem Ellen Nauta mark Boekwijt Natalie Burgers Annelies Kroeskamp Emmanuel Moulin Dorthe Nielsen Aša Rogelj Chris Kuijpers Rob van Eijkeren Mark Frequin Marcia Van Der Vlugt Liviu Bailesteanu Martin Grisel Caelesta Braun

🌍 Local Governance in Switzerland 🇨🇭 Delighted to share pivotal insights from our detailed report on Local Government in Switzerland, part of the LoGov project funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (https://buff.ly/3LQQqwD). In the country report our partners Eva Maria Belser, Flavien Felder Erika Schläppi Kelly Bishop give an overview of the local government structure of Switzerland. The report sheds light on several critical aspects: 📚 Dynamic Allocation of Tasks and Funding**: The allocation of municipal competences is a constantly evolving topic. Effective communication and cooperation are crucial for addressing challenges in primary education across urban, peri-urban, and rural settings. 💸 Financial Systems and Equivalence**: While the overall funding system works well, balancing the financial capacities of municipalities requires constant attention. The current system does not differentiate between urban and rural municipalities, despite the distinct challenges each faces. 🤝 Inter-Municipal Cooperation**: Small, rural municipalities often engage in cooperation schemes to meet quality standards cost-effectively. This cooperation is essential for addressing the financial burdens of providing primary education. 🏛️ Cantonal and Municipal Roles**: Switzerland's 26 cantons and approximately 2,200 municipalities have distinct roles. The cantons are responsible for overarching regulations and policies, while the municipalities handle local implementation. This distinction requires constant communication to avoid blurred accountability lines. 📢 Participation and Lobbying**: Constructive participation in political decision-making at the cantonal level is facilitated through various formal and informal processes. Successful lobbying, however, demands significant human resources and extensive political networks. For a deeper dive, I highly recommend exploring the full report. 👉https://buff.ly/4drapxO #LocalGovernance #UrbanRural #PublicPolicy #Switzerland

🌍🏛️ Which city will become the next European Capital of Democracy in 2026? Applications are open until October 31, and cities across Europe are gearing up to compete for this prestigious title. Selected by a jury of 4,000 European citizens, the European Capital of Democracy initiative is all about strengthening democracy across the continent. As Barcelona prepares to pass the torch to Vienna, the question remains—who will take the lead in 2026? The title brings transformative benefits to cities, we’ve highlighted the top 5 reasons why this title is a game-changer. 🔵 Read the full article on the European Commission’s blog: https://lnkd.in/gGUJFU_D #ECoD2026 #GovernanceInnovation #EuropeanCapitalofDemocracy

Today we celebrate three decades of Le Comité européen des régions — 30 years of giving millions of local and regional leaders a platform to bring the voice of regions and cities into the heart of EU decision-making. During our anniversary Plenary Session, members debated bold reforms to strengthen the role of the CoR in the institutional architecture of the EU, and to empower regions and cities, enabling them to better address challenges like the European Green Deal and territorial cohesion. 💡 Read my article to learn more about our vision for the future ⬇️

With all EU eyes on the upcoming Letta and Draghi reports a timely event by Forum Europe looking at the Belgian experience of the Single Market and some ideas on how to reboot it. https://lnkd.in/enUYdsK2

📙 Don’t miss this year’s edition of ‘Benchmarking Working Europe’, the ETUI-CES - ETUC annual report on the #WorldOfWork and #SocialPolicy in the #EU 🔗etui.org/Zeo #WorkingEurope #SocialEurope

Tomorrow we will talk about AI and the challenges of the 4 Motors for Europe in the #EURegionsWeek.

🚨  Two major Debating Europe & Friends of Europe publications launched today! Europe's social systems are under pressure.  We need an upgrade to manage the digital, green and demographic transitions. Friends of Europe’s 10 Policy Choices for a #RenewedSocialContract opens a cross-sector discussion with government, private sector and civil society. It covers issues like taxation, competitiveness, democracy, sustainability and more. We also asked 2024 citizens from 7 EU countries to speak up and share their needs, concerns and desires with Debating Europe. Check our report ‘2024 Voices – Citizens Speak Up!’ as it starts a process to give policy-makers easy access to citizen views.   🔗 https://lnkd.in/eVxW92Xc      These are essential reading for an incredibly important conversation for Europe. Whatever your sector, policy area, or priority, read and prepare yourself for 2030 and the #FutureOfEurope. #DebatingEurope #CitizensVoices