Research
What does the Supreme Court's ruling mean for British parliamentary sovereignty?
25 January 2017
The Supreme Court ruled that Theresa May needs to ask Parliament for its consent to notify of the UK's intention to leave the EU.
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.
What free movement means to Europe and why it matters to Britain
19 January 2017
Britain and the EU-27 view migration very differently. That could complicate the Brexit and free trade negotiations.
Will the new president of the European Parliament make any difference to the Brexit talks?
18 January 2017
The European Parliament (EP) yesterday elected Antonio Tajani, an Italian MEP from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), as its new president.
What does Theresa May’s speech tell us about how Britain will leave the EU?
17 January 2017
Until now, Theresa May’s government has avoided being open about the trade-offs that Brexit entails: the more that Britain restores sovereignty, the greater the economic costs.
What does Theresa May's speech tell us about how Britain will leave the EU?
17 January 2017
Theresa May has decided on a hard Brexit, putting sovereignty ahead of economics. She thinks the negotiations will take only two years, but they will take longer.
Europe's make-or-break country: What is wrong with Italy's economy?
19 December 2016
Italy's economic problems are a threat to the eurozone and the EU as a whole. While the euro has not helped Italy, its problems are mainly homegrown.
Customs union membership is no way out of the Brexit trap
16 December 2016
Remaining in the customs union seems to be the least damaging way for Britain to ‘take back control’, but it is fraught with difficulties.
EU defence, Brexit and Trump: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
14 December 2016
Brexit and Trump compel European leaders to get serious about EU defence. But a lack of leadership and investment will make sustaining their efforts difficult.
Brexit and the economics of populism
12 December 2016
Inequality, insecurity and a nativist backlash against immigration all help to explain the rise of populism. But globalisation does not prevent governments from addressing these problems.
Russia and China: Partners of choice and necessity?
08 December 2016
Russia and China are not natural allies. Western policy should reflect their different interests, not drive them together. China may be the easier one to accommodate.
Has the ECB started to tighten the screws?
08 December 2016
Given the continued weakness of inflation, the ECB was always going to extend its bond purchasing programme (‘quantitative easing’ or QE) beyond its previously scheduled end in March 2017.
Italy's referendum: Much ado about little
28 November 2016
Whatever the outcome, Italy's referendum is not the watershed moment in Italian politics many are making it out to be.
Autumn Statement 2016: How will Brexit affect the budget?
23 November 2016
‘Brexit’ will be added to the Collins dictionary this year, and one Twitter wag suggested that the dictionary should tweak Theresa May by making the following entry: ‘Brexit (n): Brexit’.
Does 'America First' mean EU defence at last?
22 November 2016
The election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States puts European security at risk.
A wake-up call for liberal Brexiters
22 November 2016
Trump's win has further weakened the liberal case for Brexit. Forging the closest EU ties possible is now even more essential for Britain.
Plugging Britain into EU security is not that simple
22 November 2016
Plugging the British into EU police and judicial co-operation will not be easy. And the UK will probably end up with less generous deals than the ones it has now.
Bulletin Issue 111 - December 2016/January 2017
22 November 2016
- Does 'America First' mean EU defence at last?, Ian Bond, Sophia Besch
- A wake-up call for liberal Brexiters, Simon Tilford
- Plugging Britain into EU security is not that simple, Camino Mortera-Martinez
Brussels prepares for a hard Brexit
21 November 2016
The EU institutions predict a painful divorce for the UK, because they see hard-line eurosceptics pushing Theresa May away from a soft Brexit.
Trump and Europe: The sun sets on the West
09 November 2016
Donald Trump's election will strain the transatlantic partnership. Populism in Europe and the US will threaten post-Cold War security and prosperity. Europe will need to work with Trump and to hedge against risks.