Foreign policy & defence
Britain must pool defence capabilities
01 October 2009
Britain’s current approach to defence is unsustainable. Ambitious operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, coupled with expensive weapons programmes, have fed a defence budget deficit that is forecast to be £2 billion a year by 2011-2012.
Issue 68 - 2009
25 September 2009
- Europe leaves behind the era of treaty change, Charles Grant
- Europe's imbalanced response to the financial crisis, Philip Whyte
- Britain must pool defence capabilities, Clara Marina O'Donnell
The dangers of Karzai’s re-election
10 September 2009
The final result of the Afghan election may not be known until the end of September, but it looks as if President Hamid Karzai will have done well enough to avoid a second round of voting.
Iran's nuclear problem: Ever harder to fix
03 August 2009
Iran’s theocratic regime remains in power, despite persistent divisions within the ruling elite. Whatever the long-term fate of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the unrest that followed June’s presidential election probably makes it harder for the West to persuade Iran to set aside its nuclear ambitions.
Barack Obama...
Barack Obama...
Issue 67 - 2009
31 July 2009
- Iran's nuclear problem: Ever harder to fix, Tomas Valasek
- Britain and the EU: The cost of leaving, Simon Tilford
- Scotland's bid to join the EU, Hugo Brady
Can Europeans share a common security culture?
27 July 2009
European countries have long declared their ambition to turn the EU into a global player in security – in order to tackle common threats and strengthen their voice on the global stage.
Carl Bildt and the cost of speaking plainly
21 July 2009
Carl Bildt is better known throughout the world than most of his fellow EU foreign ministers – and many of the prime ministers, too.
Iran, elections, and nuclear weapons
10 July 2009
What the future holds for Iran's theocratic regime is hard to read. True, the government has ensured its own survival by suppressing last month's protests there with brutal force.
Intelligence, emergencies and foreign policy: The EU's role in counter-terrorism
01 July 2009
Many European countries feel threatened by terrorist plots against civilians and infrastructure. European governments have strengthened their efforts to co-operate on counter-terrorism over the past decade.
Is Europe doomed to fail as a power?
01 July 2009
How relevant is Europe in the emerging multipolar world? On current trends, the EU seems unlikely to be one of the powers that shapes the new order. Divisions among the member-states and a lack of military muscle have weakened the EU's foreign and defence policy.
The EU's approach to Israel and the Palestinians: A move in the right direction
18 June 2009
Divisions amongst Palestinians and the reluctance of the new Israeli government to work towards a viable two-state solution weaken the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
What the economic crisis will mean for European defence
05 June 2009
There are mounting indications that defence budgets across Europe, not very high in the first place, could fall further because of the economic crisis.
The EU should do more to support UN peacekeeping in Africa
01 June 2009
The EU likes to highlight its commitment to tackling failed states, addressing humanitarian disasters and bringing order to unstable regions.
The EU finally opens up the European defence market
01 June 2009
For decades Europeans have been fighting side by side. Yet governments have maintained a broadly national approach when purchasing their military equipment.
Making a success of the EAS
21 May 2009
If the Irish people vote yes to the Lisbon treaty at the second attempt, and the Czechs, Germans and Poles also ratify, the EU will set up an ‘external action service’ or EAS. This new institution promises to make the Union’s common foreign and security policy more effective.
Choices for Europe
01 May 2009
CER - University of Birmingham
Sluggish economic growth, high unemployment, ageing populations, climate change and security challenges on the borders of Europe have been some of the top priorities on the European agenda since the early 1990s. The EU has tried to tackle these issues, notably through its commitments to reduce greenhouse gases and its Lisbon strategy for economic growth.
What the economic crisis means for the EU's eastern policy
01 April 2009
The EU's new 'eastern partnership' risks being undermined by the economic crisis. The initiative offers countries like Armenia and Ukraine fresh incentives, such as free-trade agreements and easier visa regimes, to adopt European norms of democracy and open markets.
Is Russia a partner to the EU in Bosnia?
19 March 2009
Where does Bosnia fit in the broader picture of EU – Russian relations? The EU and Russia are ostensibly partners in building a viable government in this Balkan country, but for much of 2007-08 Russia encouraged Bosnian politicians to resist EU-sponsored police reforms. This policy brief argues that Russian policy...
Economic crisis and the 'eastern partnership'
10 March 2009
In two months, at a summit in Prague on May 7th 2009, the European Union will launch a new policy for Eastern Europe – an 'eastern partnership'.
Why enlargement is in trouble
24 February 2009
It is five years since the EU admitted eight Central and East European countries, followed by another two in 2007. To celebrate this anniversary, Commissioner Olli Rehn has just released a report that explains how these countries have benefited from integrating into the EU. But any jubilant mood was dimmed by the current economic crisis in Central and Eastern Europe; and by the bleak outlook for further accessions.