Foreign policy & defence
Relaunching the EU
07 November 2017
The EU is ripe for fundamental reform. New policies are needed for migration and the euro. The EU also needs more flexible structures so that countries can opt in and out of key policies.
EU enlargement: Door half open or door half shut?
09 October 2017
EU enlargement has spread peace and prosperity, but it has now stalled. The EU should keep the door open, and prepare countries for coming inside.
Can the world live with North Korea's bomb?
19 September 2017
The world should stop pretending that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons, and focus on minimising the risks of further proliferation and of accidental or deliberate conflict.
How the West can contain - and end - the conflict in Ukraine
15 September 2017
New US sanctions on Russia prevent a backroom Trump-Putin deal on Ukraine, but they also threaten Western unity. They should prompt the EU to re-invigorate the Minsk agreement.
European policy in Asia: Getting past mercatorism and mercantilism
07 September 2017
Asia is a dangerous place, and closer to Europe than most Europeans think. They cannot leave Trump's America to tackle all Asia's security problems.
Liberalism under attack: Is the EU a fortress or a sandcastle?
27 July 2017
The EU cannot rely on partnership with Trump’s America to defend the international liberal order. It must do more to protect its values and interests.
What future for the European defence fund?
28 June 2017
For the European defence fund to succeed, member-states have to agree how to distribute the money, how to finance joint projects, and which capabilities to develop.
Trump, Europe and the Middle East peace process: A path out of the quicksand
23 June 2017
The Middle East peace process is frozen. Rather than attempting to reach an all-or-nothing final agreement, Europe and the US should pursue an incremental approach.
Europe's NATO balancing act
24 May 2017
This week in Brussels, Europe's leaders must not only convince President Donald Trump of NATO's value, but also push for Europe's NATO priorities.
Unfreezing TTIP: Why a transatlantic trade pact still makes strategic sense
11 May 2017
Despite concerns about Trump's views on trade, a transatlantic deal would bring foreign policy benefits. If only Europe could get its act together.
No entry: What Trump’s migration policies mean for the EU
10 April 2017
Trump's 'Muslim ban' does not apply to EU citizens. But his migration and security policies may have unexpected effects in Europe.
Playing defence
20 March 2017
The UK’s contributions to European defence will play a role in Brexit negotiations. But both sides should keep the long-term objective of close co-operation in mind.
Bulletin Issue 113 - April/May 2017
20 March 2017
- The meaning of Macron, Charles Grant
- Can Martin Schulz beat Angela Merkel?, Christian Odendahl
- Playing defence, Sophia Besch
The EU, the Eurasian Economic Union and One Belt, One Road: Can they work together?
16 March 2017
The EU, Russia's Eurasian Economic Union and China's One Belt, One Road initiative may become rival spheres of influence. But could they complement each other instead?
Contested space: Eastern Europe between Russia and the EU
09 March 2017
The EU's Eastern Partners are caught between the West, which excludes them from its organisations, and Russia, which tries to force them into its orbit.
Trump, trade and the EU: Two wrongs don't make a right
23 February 2017
The US will not gain by resorting to protectionism. If it does so, the EU should stay calm, listen when US criticism is justified, and make its first priority the defence of the WTO process and the rule of law.
The year of Brexit and Trump: Annual report 2016
13 February 2017
The CER's annual report features essays on how Brexit and Trump are changing the world. It also highlights CER research on Brexit, economics, foreign policy and much else.
The EU and Libya: Realism or irrelevance
03 February 2017
Europe cannot view Libya only through the lens of migration. It needs to stabilise the country, brokering a compromise between different factions.
Russia, the West and Eastern Europe: Lenin's long shadow
26 January 2017
Russia's neighbours in Eastern Europe are dogged by their Soviet legacy. Both Russia and the West need better strategies to deal with Europe's contested spaces.
Where will Donald Trump take the world?
20 January 2017
Donald Trump has been sworn in as 45th President of the United States, and delivered a short but savage inaugural address. If he means what he says, he is going to do enormous damage both to the US and to the rest of the world.