ECFR launches DARE* project to boost Europe’s competitiveness and security

Berlin – The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) today launched the DARE* project, a three-year initiative aimed at sustaining Europe’s industrial competitiveness, clean technology leadership, security and global economic influence.

The project, which is structured around four objectives (Diversify global partners, Advance European interests, Reclaim competitiveness, and Engage new coalitions), will develop robust policy proposals to build a bold and competitive Europe which keeps the green transition alive.

DARE* aims to build a competitive, future-proof European industrial backbone that strengthens resilience, social cohesion and global economic influence. It will provide ideas for reducing Europe’s exposure to weaponisation of dependencies by accelerating resilience in clean tech supply chains. At the same time, the project drives ambitious diversification with more traditional and new partners particularly in the Global South, positioning Europe as a leader in fair, resilient and competitive trade.

The project will also serve as a platform to connect traditionally separate communities: foreign and security policymakers, economic and industrial strategists, industry and business stakeholders, and climate advocates. By fostering new coalitions, ECFR aims to shift political, business and public discourse toward a future-proof European industrial strategy with clean technology at its core.

ECFR’s current Asia programme director Janka Oertel will lead the project, moving into a new role as distinguished policy fellow in ECFR’s European Power programme. In this capacity, Oertel will work with all of ECFR’s offices and programmes to deliver on the DARE* objectives. All future research from the DARE* project will be available here.

“With DARE*, we want to secure Europe’s future industrial base, reduce exposure to coercion and supply chain disruption, and forge fair and rules-based global partnerships”, Oertel says.

Later this year, Andrew Small will succeed Oertel as ECFR’s new Asia programme director. He joins ECFR from the German Marshall Fund of the United States, where he spent many years as a senior fellow. Small also previously worked as the first China fellow at IDEA, the in-house advisory hub for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

ENDS