Jean Monnet Chair - Bridging Horizons

What is a Jean Monnet Chair?

A Jean Monnet Chair is a prestigious recognition awarded by the European Commission to distinguished academics specializing in European Union studies. It affirms both scholarly excellence and international impact, while supporting innovative teaching, advanced research, and outreach activities that connect academia with policy and society. The selection process is highly selective, reflecting the Chair’s academic distinction and global relevance.

Meet our Team

Dr. Anja Merz

Affiliated Researcher

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Prof. Nathalie Martial-Braz

Chancellor, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

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Dr. Maia-Oumeima Hamrouni

Associate Professor

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Dr. Salem Boubakri

Associate Professor

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Dr. Yann Rodier

Head of History Department & Associate Professor

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Dr. Proscovia Svard

Associate Professor

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Dr. Nicolas Catelan

Acting Head of Law, Economics and Management Department Associate Professor

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Dr. Rose Marie Ferre

Head of Archeology and History of Art Department & Associate Professor

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Dr. Beatriz Garcia

Sustainability Officer and Associate Professor, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

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Prof. Jamile Bergamaschine Mata Diz

Professor, Federal University of Minas Gerais

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Prof. Tarin Cristino Frota Mont’Alverne

Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Federal University of Ceará

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Prof. Nuno Cunha Rodrigues

Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon

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Dr. Mario León Torres Jarrín

Director, Institute of European Studies and Human Rights

Director, Office of International Projects, Pontifical University of Salamanca (Spain)

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Prof. Delphine Dero-Bugny

Professor of European Law, University of Paris Cité

Deputy Director, Centre Maurice Hauriou

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Bridging Horizons in Action

From high-level EU and UE–UAE dialogues and academic collaborations to cultural initiatives and policy events, find here key moments that reflect our commitment to deepening understanding and engagement between Europe and the Gulf region.

In preparation for COP30 in Belém, the Council of the European Union has adopted its conclusions outlining the EU’s unified position and priorities for the upcoming negotiations. The document situates the EU’s climate diplomacy within an urgent global context and calls for a decisive shift from ambition to implementation. All countries are urged to submit or revise their post-2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to make them economy-wide, measurable, and aligned with the 1.5°C objective. To transform pledges into measurable progress, the EU supports the establishment of an annual review of NDCs through UNFCCC Synthesis Reports, transforming them into a living accountability tool. It further calls for the full operationalization of the first Global Stocktake (GST-1) across all relevant workstreams to ensure collective advancement toward Paris Agreement goals.

The Council highlights data transparency as a cornerstone of climate governance, emphasizing the role of Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) in building trust and assessing global progress. It urges a global phase-out of unabated fossil fuels and the elimination of subsidies that hinder the energy transition. In parallel, the EU advocates the expansion of carbon pricing mechanisms to drive decarbonization and prevent carbon leakage, while stressing that emission-abatement technologies must complement, not delay, mitigation in hard-to-abate sectors.

On climate finance, the Council calls for mobilizing USD 1.3 trillion by 2035, combining public and private investment, and supports the reform of the international financial architecture to align all financial flows with Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement. Beyond financial and technical mechanisms, the EU underlines the human rights dimension of climate action, reaffirming the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a prerequisite for the enjoyment of all other rights. It calls for a just and inclusive transition, ensuring that no one is left behind — particularly vulnerable communities, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth — and commits to a new Gender Action Plan that guarantees equal participation in decision-making. Finally, the Council underscores the importance of cooperation with non-Party stakeholders — including local authorities, civil society, and the private sector — as essential partners to accelerate implementation, ensure transparency, and translate international commitments into concrete, equitable results on the ground.

For more information: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-14310-2025-INIT/en/pdf

On 13 October 2025, the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) adopted its position on the Omnibus Directive, revising the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).

The revised approach introduces higher thresholds — companies with over 1,000 employees and €450 million turnover (CSRD), and 5,000 employees and €1.5 billion turnover (CSDDD) — thereby limiting the number of firms subject to binding sustainability and due diligence obligations.

The proposal aims to streamline reporting requirements and reduce administrative complexity, while also reflecting concerns about the competitiveness of European businesses. However, it may also narrow the scope of corporate accountability and diversify enforcement across Member States, as the harmonized civil liability framework has been removed.

This development represents an important moment in the EU sustainability governance, where the balance between economic pragmatism and regulatory ambition continues to shape the future of the European Green Deal. The next step will be a plenary vote in the European Parliament, followed by trilogue negotiations with the European Commission and the Council of the EU later this year, which will determine the final legal framework for corporate sustainability in Europe.

Check the press release here: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251009IPR30836/sustainability-reporting-and-due-diligence-simpler-rules-for-fewer-companies

This year’s Forum focused on advancing global connectivity in the face of geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, bringing together high-level representatives from governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society to explore innovative strategies for scaling up Global Gateway investments in partner countries.

You can now revisit all sessions from the second edition of the Global Gateway Forum, held on 9–10 October 2025 in Brussels.

Watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0NKSZy4-2DYv3SC-b9P1EHb7ly2K6SFS

Writing a new chapter in EU-UAE relations, by HE Lucie Berger, EU's Ambassador to the UAE, September 10, 2025

Explore HE Lucie Berger’s article “Writing a New Chapter in EU-UAE Relations” on The National, offering an insightful analysis of the evolving strategic and institutional framework underpinning EU-UAE cooperation, highlighting its significance for regional governance, sustainable development, and multilateral engagement.

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/united-arab-emirates/writing-new-chapter-eu-uae-relations_en