Research
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.
Britain prepares for a softer Brexit
27 June 2017
Britain’s general election has increased the chances of a ‘softer’ Brexit. But what would a softer Brexit look like? And could it include a customs union with the EU?
Hard Brexit, soft data: How to keep Britain plugged into EU databases
23 June 2017
Retaining full access to EU databases fighting crime and terrorism will not be easy for Britain. Any deal will require a role for the European Court of Justice and keeping EU privacy laws.
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.
How should the EU react to Britain's general election?
15 June 2017
The EU-27 can force Britain's politicians to acknowledge Brexit’s trade-offs, by offering the British four options from which it must choose.
What does the election result mean for Brexit?
09 June 2017
Brexit barely figured in the UK's general election, but the result means that the country might yet have an election fought explicitly on the issue.
Why no deal would be much worse than a bad deal
24 May 2017
Theresa May and several of her ministers have claimed that no Brexit deal would be better than a poor deal. They are wrong.
Macron, Merkel and the future of the euro
24 May 2017
Emmanuel Macron wants to change the way the eurozone is run. But can he persuade Angela Merkel?
Bulletin Issue 114 - June/July 2017
24 May 2017
- Why no deal would be much worse than a bad deal, John Springford, Simon Tilford
- Macron, Merkel and the future of the euro, Charles Grant
- Europe's forgotten refugee crisis, Camino Mortera-Martinez
Europe's forgotten refugee crisis
24 May 2017
The EU is far from having solved the problems that led to the refugee crisis. It needs to make its asylum system work and do more to send irregular migrants back.
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.
A flexible EU: A new beginning or the beginning of the end?
18 May 2017
The EU needs to become more flexible if it is to tackle current and future challenges effectively. But it should do so transparently, and remain inclusive.
Good cop, bad cop: How to keep Britain inside Europol
16 May 2017
A post-Brexit deal on Europol should be relatively easy to negotiate. The UK could retain a special status, but the British government will need to make some concessions.
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.
A prime minister unshackled
09 May 2017
Checks on prime ministerial power are weak in Britain – and Theresa May’s massive parliamentary majority after the general election will weaken them further. In the context of Brexit, this is dangerous.
How will Germany respond to Emmanuel Macron?
08 May 2017
Germany is divided on how to respond to Macron: some are wary of a new bargain to revive the Franco-German alliance, others are enthusiastic.
The British and their exceptionalism
03 May 2017
Few countries have allowed their sense of exceptionalism to damage their interests in the way Britain is doing. British overconfidence is unjustified and will come at a heavy price.
Brexiting Swiss-style: The best possible UK-EU trade deal
24 April 2017
The softest form of hard Brexit that is plausible – given the red lines of the 27 and Britain – is something like Switzerland's deal with the EU.
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.
Is the EU's single market leading to convergence or divergence?
04 April 2017
The single market's 'agglomeration effects' – the tendency of wealthier areas to attract capital and skills – seem as strong as the 'catch-up effects' of poorer members importing capital and expertise.