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Green competitiveness: Why Europe should rethink targets to outpace China
- Byford Tsang, Rosa Melissa Gehrung
Featured
Power sharing: The politics of European-Tunisian energy cooperation
- Philipp Wagner
- Policy Brief
The ethos of the EU’s “Pact for the Mediterranean” could help revitalise cooperation on clean energy with Tunisia—but only if Europeans learn how to better factor in the country’s politics
Sudan: A war Europe cannot stop, but cannot ignore
- Cinzia Bianco, Will Brown
- Commentary
- 3 minute read
El-Fasher in North Darfur is now the epicentre of the world’s greatest humanitarian catastrophe. Europe’s options are limited, but there are still ways to hold the responsible accountable
Dutch masters: The art of renewing the centre
- Herman Quarles van Ufford
- Commentary
- 2 minute read
After the Dutch election on October 29th, pro-European centrist parties are best placed to form the next government—and their youthful leader could help move the country back to the heart of the EU
The bear and the bot farm: Countering Russian hybrid warfare in Africa
- Will Brown
- Policy Brief
Russia has many quiet enemies in Africa. Working together, like-minded Africans and Europeans can roll back its troublesome influence
Upcoming events
Recent events
Strategic minerals, strategic futures: Africa at the heart of shifting global security
- German Federal Foreign Office
Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Venezuela and Trump’s hemispheric defence agenda
- Podcast
- Mark Leonard's World in 30 minutes
Mark Leonard welcomes Jeremy Shapiro to discuss the US millitary engagement in Venezuela and Trump’s broader defence strategy
ECFR on air
Lessons for Europe: Inside Ukraine’s drone war
- Podcast
- ECFR on air
Lesia Ogryzko and Leo Litra welcome Lyuba Shipovich and Gustav Gressel to unpack how warfare in Ukraine is changing and if Europe can respond
Views from the Council
A tribe of tribes: Why the EU needs a stronger identity
- Tibor Dessewffy
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
Behind the European far-right’s success is an identity politics that gives voters a sense of belonging. Europe’s liberal forces need to offer a credible alternative
When Czech populists win, that’s nothing peculiarly “east European”. It’s the new normal of the Western world
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
The likely new government in Prague will add one more state opposed to the EU’s green deal, and migration and asylum pact
In the Media - Council
Patrycja Sasnal on the Gaza peace deal
Carl Bildt on Ukraine imposed sanctions on former president and opposition politician Petro Poroshenko
Mark Leonard, Ivan Krastev, and Timothy Garton Ash on ECFR’s latest global survey
Featured and flagship projects
The Data Collection
Explore our open-access data platform for unparalleled access to ECFR’s public opinion polls—empowering research and insight on today’s key foreign policy issues.
Transatlantic twilight: European public opinion and the long shadow of Trump
- Jana Puglierin, Arturo Varvelli, Pawel Zerka
Re:Engage
This project helps the EU in refining its foreign policy, re-engaging neighbours post-Russia's invasion of Ukraine to bolster regional resilience and advance enlargement policies.
The interest of values: The EU’s democracy promotion in the Western Balkans and the eastern neighbourhood
- Piotr Buras, Marie Dumoulin, Tefta Kelmendi, Marlene Marx
Re:Order
Re:Order project explores emerging visions of the global order, as well as the interplay between economic might and geopolitical influence.
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Discover our newslettersLatest
After Novi Sad: How the EU can help Serbia resurrect its democratic path
- Piotr Buras, Vessela Tcherneva
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
Serbia’s young people are making their dissatisfaction with Aleksandar Vucic’s corrupt government known. The EU should consider freezing Serbia’s accession negotiations and support the country’s return to democratic fundamentals
Green competitiveness: Why Europe should rethink targets to outpace China
- Byford Tsang, Rosa Melissa Gehrung
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
European carmakers are falling behind Chinese makers of electric vehicles. Yet watered-down climate targets will not help European cars compete with China; a different approach is needed
Look what you made us do: How to realise a European-led NATO
- Leoni Habedank, Rafael Loss, Katrine Westgaard
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
America’s gradual retreat from European security under the current Trump administration is reshaping NATO’s centre of gravity. To keep the alliance credible and united, Europeans not only need to spend more—they need to learn to lead
Europe’s democratic strain is a crisis of governance, not borders
- Mireia Faro Sarrats
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
Western politicians are increasingly framing migration as a threat to national security and social cohesion. In doing so, they risk undermining the democratic norms they claim to defend
Europe’s new Defence Readiness Roadmap: The European Commission bids for the driving seat
- Nick Witney
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
After years of slow progress by member states, only the European Commission appears to have a plan to invest in Europe’s defence
The mirage of resilience: Why energy markets cannot shake off the Middle East risk
- Camille Lons
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
Oil prices barely flinched after the Iran-Israel 12-day war in June, but it would be a mistake to conclude Gulf producers have lost their leverage
Our experts are available for media requests. Our work involves many issues relating to Europe and foreign policy, and our programmes focus on Africa, Asia, the Middle East & North Africa, and Wider Europe.
Piotr Buras on Polish court’s refusal to extradite Ukrainian suspect in the the Nord Stream explosion
More on Africa
From ore to more: Mineral partnerships for African industrialisation
- Sarah Logan, Theophilus Acheampong
- Policy Brief
After decades of extractive mining, the industrialisation of resource-rich African countries has fallen short of expectations. To change this—and give Europe a secure, diversified source of minerals—European and African countries should work together to keep more stages of mineral processing and manufacturing in Africa
From street to state: Madagascar’s new leader and the case for EU engagement
- Daria Jankiel
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
The Gulf rush: How Europe can keep up in Africa
- Maddalena Procopio, Corrado Čok
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on Asia
Great changes unseen: The China-Russia nexus and European security
- Alicja Bachulska, Ivana Karásková
- Policy Brief
Europeans must recalibrate their China policy—to recognise the country’s role effectively supporting Russia in its war on Ukraine
Know thy field: China’s new consumerist ethos
- Sonia Li
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
Not so fast: What China’s new climate target means for Europe and the planet
- Byford Tsang
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
More on European Power
It’s not easy being green: Breaking Europe’s climate spending deadlock
- Mats Engström
- Policy Brief
The EU’s next budget will shape its future. Member states must strike a grand bargain to decarbonise Europe and, by extension, drive EU security and competitiveness
When the chips are down: Nexperia, Europe and the US-China trade and tech war
- Herman Quarles van Ufford
- Policy Alert
- 2 minute read
Escalate to negotiate: How Europe should respond to Chinese export restrictions
- Tobias Gehrke, Janka Oertel
- Commentary
- 6 minute read
More on European Security
Occupational therapy: Frozen conflicts, Russian aggression and EU enlargement
- Tefta Kelmendi, Sergi Kapanadze
- Policy Brief
As Russia accelerates its annexation of “frozen conflict” regions, the EU must enhance its policy to counter Moscow’s influence
When Czech populists win, that’s nothing peculiarly “east European”. It’s the new normal of the Western world
- Timothy Garton Ash
- Commentary
- View from the Council
- 4 minute read
Czechs and balances: Protecting Ukraine aid from the new government in Prague
- Lesia Ogryzko, Karel Solař
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
More on Middle East and North Africa
The power of the possible: A step-by-step approach to strengthen human rights in the Middle East
- Anthony Dworkin
- Policy Brief
European credibility to uphold human rights in the Middle East has faded, but the EU can still have an impact by backing social and economic rights, empowering people through reform
Staatsräson: How Germany’s Israel policy hobbles EU strategy
- Nele Anders
- Commentary
- 5 minute read
Diplomacy next: The internal politics of Hamas and the power of European engagement
- Muhammad Shehada
- Commentary
- 7 minute read
More on United States
MAGA goes global: Trump’s plan for Europe
- Célia Belin
- Policy Brief
Form exists in the frenzy of Donald Trump’s first months back in power. His foreign policy is his domestic agenda exported—and that is bad news for Europe
The imported martyr: Echoes of Charlie Kirk in Europe
- Pawel Zerka
- Commentary
- 4 minute read
J.D. Vance’s foreign policy: When restraint meets culture war
- Majda Ruge
- Commentary
- 6 minute read