Research
Britain and France should not give up on EU defence co-operation
24 October 2011
Although EU defence efforts have delivered less than had been hoped, they have led to some welcome improvements in European military capabilities.
EU climate policies without an international framework
21 October 2011
Whatever the outcome of the Durban climate summit, the EU should strengthen energy efficiency policies and the Emissions Trading System, to improve energy security.
Global trade imbalances threaten free trade
17 October 2011
The G20 needs a strategy to rebalance demand between the surplus and deficit economies if the world is to avoid a slide into protectionism.
Britain, the City and the EU: A triangle of suspicion
11 October 2011
Britain has abandoned 'light touch' regulation and signed up to greater supervisory powers at EU level. Yet the Channel looks as wide as ever.
Eurozone crisis: Higher inflation is part of the answer
03 October 2011
The ECB’s inflation target is too low for a currency union. It risks depressing economic growth and makes it hard for countries like Spain and Italy to regain competitiveness.
Sticking to the rules will not rescue the eurozone
28 September 2011
Most events have an official – or at any rate widely accepted – narrative. In much of Europe, the narrative of the eurozone crisis goes something like this: this is not a crisis of the eurozone, which has been a success.
Has Europe given up on fighting climate change?
28 September 2011
The EU has long prided itself on leading international efforts to control climate change. Today, the issue is nowhere near the top of the EU’s agenda, having been eclipsed by the economic downturn and the eurozone debt crisis.
Merkel's euro shackles
28 September 2011
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s apparent inability or unwillingness to take bold steps could sink the euro. Yet is it even realistic to expect her to overcome growing opposition from within her own coalition government, a hostile public mood and the red lines drawn by a powerful constitutional court? Merkel cannot...
Issue 80 - 2011
23 September 2011
- Sticking to the rules will not rescue the eurozone, Philip Whyte
- Has Europe given up on fighting climate change?, Stephen Tindale
- Merkel's euro shackles , Katinka Barysch
The euro: Reaching the endgame?
19 September 2011
Eurozone policy-makers have dug in their feet, preferring to deepen the crisis than admit their mistakes. Unless reason trumps moral posturing soon, dissolution of the eurozone is inevitable.
Green, safe, cheap: Where next for EU energy policy?
09 September 2011
Is the EU's policy on renewables damaging the single market? Why do Europeans not use energy more efficiently? Is the EU's gas policy too obsessed with Russia?
What Libya says about future NATO operations
26 August 2011
In Libya, the Europeans have for the first time responded to Washington's calls to assume responsibility for their neighbourhood. This should be cause for cautious optimism about NATO.
The US and the EU should support the Palestinian bid for UN membership
25 August 2011
The US and the EU should support the Palestinian request for UN recognition. If framed constructively, the Palestinian initiative can strengthen the prospects for peace.
Race to the bottom
24 August 2011
For decades, European countries cut defence budgets with little worry. The United States kept enough troops on the continent to deter all potential enemies, almost irrespective of how small European militaries became.
Eurozone crisis: Can contagion to Italy be arrested?
05 August 2011
The eurozone's debt crisis has spread to Italy. It is becoming increasingly doubtful that much-needed domestic economic reforms will be sufficient to restore market confidence in the country.
Britain draws the wrong lessons from Libya
01 August 2011
When it comes to defence, the United Kingdom is giving up on the EU. For most Britons, the war in Libya has confirmed that the majority of European countries are simply not serious about defence.
Was the euro summit a game changer?
01 August 2011
The pattern is now familiar. After prolonged and very public bickering, European leaders convene in Brussels to try and restore flagging confidence in the eurozone.
Europe's date with destiny
01 August 2011
Many people have quietly given up on the European Union. Not too long ago, Europe struggled long and hard to ratify the Lisbon treaty – now barely mentioned.
What Libya says about the future of the transatlantic alliance
29 July 2011
Libya is the first war fought according to Barack Obama's rules, with the United States taking a back seat. The Europeans responded well: by taking decisive military action to maintain the stability of their neighbourhood.
Britain, Ireland and Schengen: Time for a smarter bargain on visas
28 July 2011
Travellers to the Schengen area – the EU's passport-free travel zone – can move freely between most EU countries but need separate visas for Britain and Ireland, which maintain their own border controls.