European Policy Innovation Council
European Policy Innovation Council (EPIC) is a Brussels-based think tank founded in 2024.[1][2] It is best known for creating the Draghi Observatory & Implementation Index, the first systematic accountability mechanism at EU level tracking the implementation of political promises made by European institutions.[3][4]
History
EPIC was co-founded in Brussels in 2024 by policy expert Antonios Nestoras, who serves as its director.[5] It positions itself as a laboratory for policy innovation, using digital storytelling, research-driven events, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to address Europe's strategic challenges.[6]
Draghi Observatory
In September 2025, EPIC launched the Draghi Observatory & Implementation Index to measure progress on the 383 recommendations of the Draghi report on European competitiveness.[4][7] The Draghi report is a document addressing European competitiveness. It has been commissioned by the European Commission and authored by former European Central Bank president and former Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.[8] The Index was modelled on international accountability tools such as Canada's Polimeter and the U.S. PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter, and evaluates each recommendation as if it were a political pledge. A panel of more than 120 experts provides sectoral and geographical balance in the assessments.[4]
The Index codifies 383 recommendations of the Draghi report, assigning implementation status categories such as fully implemented, partially implemented, in progress, or untouched. Its coding process uses peer review by a network of experts to ensure transparency and comparability across policy domains. [9]
The first audit found that only 11.2 percent of the Draghi report's proposals had been fully implemented after one year, with 20.1 percent partially implemented, 46 percent in progress, and 22.7 percent untouched.[4][10] The findings revealed uneven progress: transport and critical raw materials were relatively advanced, while digitalisation, energy, clean technologies, and health lagged behind.[11][12]
Reception and Criticism
The publication of the first Draghi Implementation Index in September 2025 sparked wide media debate in Brussels. The finding that only 11 percent of Draghi’s competitiveness recommendations had been implemented was cited by outlets including Politico, Financial Times, Euronews, and The Economist. Supporters described the Index as a breakthrough in EU accountability, while critics questioned whether such early measurement oversimplified complex policy processes. [9] Analysts and policymakers offered mixed reactions. Some praised the Draghi Observatory for introducing a culture of measurable accountability into EU policymaking. Others argued that an index cannot capture the institutional complexity of EU decision-making or that early publication of a low implementation figure could foster “euro-pessimism.” [13] [14] [15]
Nestoras argued that “transparency does not create under-performance; it exposes it,” framing measurement as a prerequisite for accountability rather than a political judgment. He also pointed out that the results underscored Europe's structural weaknesses, stating that “instead of backing our remaining ‘Made in Europe’ excellence, we keep churning out world-class bureaucratic cages and regulatory mazes.”[11] The Observatory has been described as the EU's first dedicated accountability mechanism to systematically track delivery on political commitments.[3][16][17]
See also
References
- ↑ "European Policy Innovation Council". www.lobbyfacts.eu. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ Register, Transparency. "European Policy Innovation Council - organisation detail - European Union". transparency-register.europa.eu. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Draghi had a plan to save Europe's economy. We've rated it, a year in". POLITICO. 2025-09-08. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "One Year After the Draghi Report: Europe Delivers Only 1 in 10 Promises". www.euinsider.eu. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ Euractiv Italy, "Nestoras (EPIC) slams EU delays on the Draghi agenda," 9 September 2025.
- ↑ Euronews, "Expert panel identifies key barriers and solutions for boosting European economic growth," 17 September 2025.
- ↑ Foy, Henry (2025-09-03). "Why has the EU only implemented a fraction of Draghi's economic plan?". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ "Mario Draghi's competitiveness report sets a political test for the EU | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". www.chathamhouse.org. 2025-05-01. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The 11% that shook Brussels: Why measuring Europe's progress Is not pessimism". Encompass. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ "Expert panel identifies key barriers and solutions for boosting European economic growth". Euronews via Yahoo News. 2025-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cantarini, Simone (2025-09-04). "Nestoras (EPIC) slams EU delays on the Draghi agenda: "We keep churning out bureaucratic cages"". Euronews Italy. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ "Why European workers need to switch jobs". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ "Draghi orders Europe's leaders: Do what I told you". POLITICO. 2025-09-09. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ Lynch, Suzanne (2025-09-16). "Draghi's Tough Love One Year After Wake-Up Call Report. Former ECB chief warns that continued inaction threatens the EU's competitiveness and sovereignty". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ Muhleberger, Marion; Walther, Ursula (2025-09-10). "Need for speed - the Draghi report one year on". Deutsche Bank Research Institute. Retrieved 2025-10-31.
- ↑ Spirlet, Thibault. "Europe's push to close the innovation gap with US is barely moving, says Deutsche Bank". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ "Europe slow to match economic rivals US, China: Draghi". France 24. 2025-09-16. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
External links
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