Tough trade: The hidden costs of economic coercion
The EU needs to develop an Anti-Coercion Instrument that acts as a powerful economic deterrent, but this alone will not sufficiently protect Europe against economic coercion
Economic Sovereignty
Featured
Europe’s new economic statecraft: A strong Anti-Coercion Instrument
A strong Anti-Coercion Instrument could help the EU brace for a long-term economic war with Russia and adapt to the new geo-economic order
Europe’s new economic statecraft: Unity through a European Resilience Fund
A European Solidarity Fund could help the EU preserve its unity as it engages in economic warfare. The fund would make it much more difficult for third countries to weaken Europe – and for Europeans to weaken themselves.
The EU’s geo-economic revolution
Europeans have shown unity and decisiveness in countering Russian aggression. But there is still much they should do to adapt to the new geo-economic order.
21 Feb
Can Europe stand up to Chinese and Russian economic coercion?
The European Council on Foreign Relations in the context of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU is delighted to invite you to a debate on the principles that should guide Europe’s quest for economic sovereignty
17 Feb
Europe Debates | Should Lithuania expect more European solidarity vis-à-vis China?
This Oxford-style debate is part of ECFR’s Re:shape Global Europe project supported by Stiftung Mercator
Tough trade: The hidden costs of economic coercion
The EU needs to develop an Anti-Coercion Instrument that acts as a powerful economic deterrent, but this alone will not sufficiently protect Europe against economic coercion
Coercion with Chinese characteristics: How Europe should respond to interference in its internal trade
China is pressuring EU companies to cease trading with Lithuanian firms. This is a critical moment for the European Union – it should build up defences for its internal market and protect member states and companies from political coercion.
The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists | Session 3 with Dan Drezner
Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five special episodes with guests including today’s Dan Drezner, Marietje Schaake, and Anne Marie Slaughter.
Critical mass: Raw materials, economic coercion, and transatlantic cooperation
The EU and the US lack a shared strategy for tackling economic coercion involving critical raw materials, and it could increase transatlantic competition during severe supply disruptions
Jamil Anderlini: Inside scoop on POLITICO Europe
Mark Leonard talks to POLITICO Europe’s Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini to discuss China, and Anderlini’s plans for POLITICO
Publications
Tough trade: The hidden costs of economic coercion
The EU needs to develop an Anti-Coercion Instrument that acts as a powerful economic deterrent, but this alone will not sufficiently protect Europe against economic coercion
Measured response: How to design a European instrument against economic coercion
The anti-coercion instrument needs to enable countermeasures that are both effective and credible; if it does not, this could carry more risks than benefits
Defending Europe’s Economic Sovereignty: new ways to resist economic coercion
The EU should move quickly to consider and adopt a suite of tools to protect and enhance European sovereignty in the geo-economic sphere
Articles
Europe’s new economic statecraft: A strong Anti-Coercion Instrument
A strong Anti-Coercion Instrument could help the EU brace for a long-term economic war with Russia and adapt to the new geo-economic order
Europe’s new economic statecraft: Unity through a European Resilience Fund
A European Solidarity Fund could help the EU preserve its unity as it engages in economic warfare. The fund would make it much more difficult for third countries to weaken Europe – and for Europeans to weaken themselves.
The EU’s geo-economic revolution
Europeans have shown unity and decisiveness in countering Russian aggression. But there is still much they should do to adapt to the new geo-economic order.
Coercion with Chinese characteristics: How Europe should respond to interference in its internal trade
China is pressuring EU companies to cease trading with Lithuanian firms. This is a critical moment for the European Union – it should build up defences for its internal market and protect member states and companies from political coercion.
Critical mass: Raw materials, economic coercion, and transatlantic cooperation
The EU and the US lack a shared strategy for tackling economic coercion involving critical raw materials, and it could increase transatlantic competition during severe supply disruptions
Economic arm-twisting is on the rise. Europe must learn how to resist it
Protectionism is not the answer. European countries must build public support for strategic openness.
Russia’s ‘gas pivot’ to Asia: How Europe can protect itself and pursue the green transition
Europeans need to pay closer attention to Russia’s growing opportunities to sell gas to China and other countries in Asia – otherwise they could be left even more at Moscow’s mercy
Four ways the new German government can strengthen European trade against economic coercion
Threats to Germany’s and Europe’s economic sovereignty have won too little attention in the German election campaign. But, soon, policymakers in Berlin will have to take decisive steps to build up Europe’s strength against economic coercion.
Why the EU needs an industrial strategy
When the EU is dependent on external suppliers for its green and digital transitions, and for protecting its citizens’ health, it is in a weak geopolitical position
Chinese sanctions: How to confront coercion and avoid a squeeze on Europe II
China’s recent personal and economic sanctions have sent a strong message to Europeans, but there are concrete ways for the EU to build up its resilience against economic coercion
Podcasts
The Age of Unpeace: Therapy for internationalists | Session 3 with Dan Drezner
Join us on this journey to a more therapeutic approach to international relations. The mini-series brings you five special episodes with guests including today’s Dan Drezner, Marietje Schaake, and Anne Marie Slaughter.
Jamil Anderlini: Inside scoop on POLITICO Europe
Mark Leonard talks to POLITICO Europe’s Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini to discuss China, and Anderlini’s plans for POLITICO
Lead time: How Germany should move on from Merkel | Episode 3 – Economic Coercion
How can the next German government build up Europe’s strength against economic coercion?
The strike back against economic blackmail
In what circumstances should an Anti-Coercion Tool be triggered? What kind of countermeasures could protect Europe, keep markets open and support a functional global trade order?
How can the EU strike back? The way towards higher economic resilience
European countries are increasingly coming under threat of economic coercion from great powers, as outlined in the latest ECFR’s policy brief. But what do we…
Events
21 Feb
Can Europe stand up to Chinese and Russian economic coercion?
The European Council on Foreign Relations in the context of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU is delighted to invite you to a debate on the principles that should guide Europe’s quest for economic sovereignty
17 Feb
Europe Debates | Should Lithuania expect more European solidarity vis-à-vis China?
This Oxford-style debate is part of ECFR’s Re:shape Global Europe project supported by Stiftung Mercator
17 Dec
Europe’s answer to economic warfare: The EU’s anti-coercion instrument and building sovereignty in a networked world
Join ECFR in this two-part event on the EU’s potentially game-changing geopolitical instrument against economic blackmail from great powers, and the principles that should guide Europe’s quest for economic sovereignty
2 Dec
Chinese and Russian economic pressure games – what policy for Sweden and Europe?
How should Sweden and Europe adapt to the rise of geo-economics, keeping their markets open but minimizing their vulnerabilities?
23 Jun
Anti-Coercion Instrument: How the EU can counter sanctions, boycotts and economic blackmailing
This event is the second webinar in a two-part series on current developments in the global use of economic coercion
17 Jun
Trapped in an age of economic coercion – How can the EU effectively navigate it?
This event is the first webinar in a two-part series on current developments in the global use of economic coercion
23 Mar
Anti-Coercion Instrument: How can Europe best protect itself from economic coercion?
What kind of countermeasures will protect Europe, keep markets open and support a functional global trade order?
In the media
Economic sanctions can only be one tool in the toolbox for enforcing global peace
Jonathan Hackenbroich provides us context relating to the historic use of sanctions and insights into how the current sanctions policies are being shaped by geopolitical movements of the past decades
Jonathan Hackenbroich explains how countries leverage economic interdependence to apply political pressure as well as giving insight into the bloc’s unprecedented response to rising instances of economic coercion
I think the conflict will remain localized. However, its effects on energy, value chains and migration flows – inter alia – are global.
Arturo Varvelli explains how the Russian threat has changed the perceptions of risk of European countries, and what is the impact of the war in Ukraine on Europe
Those who already saw Russia as a threat at the beginning of February considered European sovereignty particularly desirable
ECFR examined the EU’s mood on the eve of the invasion of Ukraine
Now Beijing has done it once. You can’t exclude the possibility that it will happen in the future.
Jonathan Hackenbroich comments on the Chinese threats against Lithuania and other European companies