Experts & Staff

Josef Janning

ECFR Alumni · Head, ECFR Berlin
Senior Policy Fellow

Areas of expertise

European integration; EU reform; European foreign and security policy; EU enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy; Europe in the world; global governance; German foreign and security policy; transatlantic relations; Europe/Asia

Languages

English, German

Biography

Josef Janning was a senior policy fellow and head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations until November 2019. His topics of focus include European integration, EU reform, European and German foreign and security policy, global governance and transatlantic relations.

Janning joined the European Council on Foreign Relations in April 2014 as senior policy fellow in the Berlin office. From 2013 to 2014 he was a Mercator Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to that he served as Director of Studies at the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels. Between 2001 and 2010, Janning led the international policy work as Senior Director of the Bertelsmann Foundation, a major private German foundation. Earlier positions in his career include Deputy Director of the Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) at Munich University from 1995-2007. Previously, he has held teaching positions at the University of Mainz, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a guest professorship at Renmin University of Beijing. He has worked with leading think tanks in Europe, the US and Asia, and engaged in and led various international study groups, high-level groups and commissions.

Janning has published widely on European affairs, International Relations, EU foreign and security policy, German foreign and Europe policy as well as global affairs. On these issues he is also a frequent commentator with German and international media.

Views from the capitals: Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran deal

We asked our national offices to outline how the E3, in cooperation with other EU partners, should respond to the JCPOA pull-out by the US

Hungary in the EU: From front runner to veto player

A convincing victory for Victor Orban will reinforce the Hungarian veto role in the EU. However, the country has only marginal influence beyond its neighbourhood on EU policies.

Italy: Following Britain towards the exit?

With elections approaching, the fact that Italy’s EU cohesion profile is approaching Britain’s is cause for grave concern across Europe

From Iran to North Korea, German policymakers are at a loss

Postwar German foreign policy is based on cooperation, rules and trust, not power, interest and threat. But with crises from Iran to North Korea likely to be play out the old-fashioned way, that approach looks naive.

Views from the capitals: European dreams for 2018

We asked our national offices to outline their governments’ greatest hope and greatest fear for foreign and European policy in 2018. 

Publications

Articles

Brexit Weltschmerz: An era ends

Britain helped bring modern, unified, and peaceful Germany into being. Its Brexit convulsions have trashed this historic reputation – probably for good.  

Spitzenkandidaten poker

For most voters, the battle over people and positions would be revealing if only it wasn’t so confusing. It is misleading to frame the nomination process as an example of backroom politics prevailing over parliamentary democracy.

Germany and the crisis of Atlanticism

With the US opting out of its traditional European role, the “German question” has returned. And European leaders will need to make sacrifices if they are to address it.

Specials

Podcasts

In the media