Table scrap: Budget talks in a fragmented Europe
It will be difficult for the member states that are most invested in the EU’s global role to prevent a reduction in the external portion of its budget
Experts & Staff
Susi Dennison
Senior Director for Strategy and Transformation
Senior Policy Fellow
Areas of expertise
EU foreign policy; climate and energy; cohesion and politics in the EU; migration
Languages
English and French
Biography
Susi Dennison is a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Her topics of focus include strategy, politics and cohesion in European foreign policy; climate and energy, migration, and the toolkit for Europe as a global actor.
At ECFR, Dennison acts as chief of staff to the Director and leads the European Power programme as well as the organisational growth and transformation process. She has been with ECFR since 2010 in a range of roles including developing ECFR’s work with public opinion data on foreign policy, leading ECFR’s foreign policy scorecard project for five years, working on North Africa in the early years of the MENA programme, and exploring how the EU can pursue a values-based foreign policy which supports human rights and democracy in a contested world. Before joining ECFR, Dennison worked for Amnesty International and HM Treasury in the United Kingdom.
Farming versus foreign policy: The future of the EU budget
The EU’s global role matters to member states, but investing in it is not political leaders’ top priority
How to deal with our Western Balkan neighbours?
North Macedonia and Albania wanted to start negotiations with the EU after having been candidate countries since 2005 and 2014. But the enlargement plans seemed…
False moves: Migration and development aid
Europe should not confuse development aid’s role in reducing forced migration with that of reducing migration more broadly
The instinctive multilateralist: Portugal and the politics of cooperation
The Portuguese hope that the EU can help them tackle the challenges of globalisation: from climate change to cooperation on the impact of freedom of movement
Von der Leyen’s safe Commission
Billed as a safe pair of hands, Ursula von der Leyen is about to find out that caution can only take her so far
Give the people what they want: Popular demand for a strong European foreign policy
European voters want to see the European Union come of age as a geopolitical actor and chart its own course
How to govern a fragmented EU: What Europeans said at the ballot box
The results of the European election confront EU leaders with a considerable challenge: navigating a new, more fragmented, and polarised political environment
Key takeaways from the European elections 2019
This week, Ulrike Franke is filling in for the regular host Mark Leonard to discuss the stories behind the media headlines in the aftermath of…
The end of monogamy in Europe?
With two thirds of Europeans voting for a pro-European party, the big challenge now is for the political groups to move beyond their status quo ways of working
Publications
A sharp right turn: A forecast for the 2024 European Parliament elections
The 2024 European Parliament elections will see a shift to the right in many countries and could mean that a populist right coalition emerges with a majority for the first time
Strategic interdependence: Europe’s new approach in a world of middle powers
Middle powers are shaping a fragmented world for which Europe is ill prepared. To protect its interests and values, the EU needs a foreign policy strategy that emphasises its wide range of interdependencies
Ends of the earth: How EU climate action can weather the coming election storm
In the run-up to a busy election year in Europe, there is a clear risk of a backlash against climate action. European policymakers need to emphasise the benefits of climate action to voters and update their policy instruments to the changing circumstances to keep the European Green Deal on course
Decarbonisation nations: How EU climate diplomacy can save the world
The EU’s status as a global leader on decarbonisation is in uncertain territory. It needs a new approach to climate diplomacy, centred in a broader political and economic relationship with its partners worldwide
Green peace: How Europe’s climate policy can survive the war in Ukraine
Russia’s war on Ukraine has weakened European governments’ commitment to EU climate goals. European leaders should intensify their efforts to build clean, sustainable energy security.
A certain idea of Europe: How the next French president can lead
The next French president should pursue a strong European foreign policy agenda to protect Europeans against the threats they are most concerned about
Climate of cooperation: How the EU can help deliver a green grand bargain
The bloc should reframe the international debate on energy security to focus on clean energy resources and efficiency, engaging in the market reforms needed to incentivise this shift
New energies: How the European Green Deal can save the EU’s relationship with Turkey
EU member states should help Turkey manage the impact of the new trade regulations the deal would bring in
Crisis of confidence: How Europeans see their place in the world
Public faith in EU institutions has declined due to their handling of the covid-19 pandemic. However, citizens still believe in the need for greater cooperation.
Europe’s green moment: How to meet the climate challenge
Member states are not divided into two diametrically opposed camps. This makes the implementation of the European Green Deal an intricate puzzle – yet achievable.
Articles
Agricultural tackles: Protesting farmers and the EU’s climate agenda
As farmers’ protests spread across the EU, European leaders will need political courage to implement the next phase of the European Green Deal
Rescue mission: Von der Leyen’s call of history and the rules-based global order
Ursula von der Leyen’s state of the EU address was defensive in tone – but one part of it could prove groundbreaking
Competitive climate: How the EU’s green agenda can protect the environment and economy
If Europeans pull back on their climate obligations, they will endanger both their green agenda and their competitiveness
Tracking Europe’s energy security: Four lessons from the EU’s new energy deals
The EU and its member states have taken unprecedented steps to reduce their dependence on Russian energy resources. ECFR’s new EU Energy Deals Tracker documents Europeans’ agreements with new suppliers – and highlights four key lessons for policymakers
Deals of a lifetime: Why the EU should include renewables in its response to the energy crisis
European leaders are realising that short-term fixes on gas supplies have long-term implications. They should include renewables in their deals with new suppliers to speed up the process of decarbonisation.
State of the Union: How the energy crisis can strengthen EU unity
The European Commission president’s annual address has not pleased everybody – but its focus on energy reflects a deeper understanding of the nature of security today
Own coal: Why Europe could lose its green transition
European leaders’ need to sanction Russia is pushing them to develop alternative sources of fuel. They should not lose sight of the role that clean energy could play in this.
Diplomatic power: The EU’s ambitious new energy strategy
The EU can protect its energy security in the long term by transforming its approach to green diplomacy
Ukraine, Europe, and the power of association: A new way to help aspiring EU states
A new compact could allow Ukraine, Balkans states and others to move closer to the EU and drive reform more powerfully than the current rigid rules
New year’s irresolution: France, nuclear power, and the EU’s energy transition
The roles of gas and nuclear power in the EU’s transitional energy mix present France with one of the first big fights of its EU presidency
Specials
EU Energy Deals Tracker
The energy deals the EU and its member states are now making with third countries will shape Europeans’ ability to protect their energy security in the long term. The EU Energy Deals Tracker provides a comprehensive overview of these agreements, including their implications for the sustainable transition.
European Sovereignty Index
The EU can overcome the new challenges it faces and can shape the global order. To achieve this, Europeans will need to improve their joint capacity to act.
What Europeans really want: Five myths debunked
New ECFR/YouGov research reveals huge fluidity in current voting intentions: 70 percent of Europeans certain to vote are yet to make their choice. Nearly 100m swing voters are up for grabs.
The 2019 European election: How anti-Europeans plan to wreck Europe and what can be done to stop it
Summary With anti-Europeans on their way to winning more than one-third of seats in the next European Parliament, the stakes in the May 2019 election…
The nightmare of the dark: The security fears that keep Europeans awake at night
Great power competition is increasingly shaping Europeans’ security environment, while other security threats are also on the rise, from terrorism and cyber attacks to climate change
New European Security Initiative
Edited by Ulrike Esther Franke, Manuel Lafont Rapnouil & Susi Dennison
Fear and loathing on the road to the US elections
European leaders are underestimating the danger that Trump presents to the transatlantic alliance and assuming too much continuity in the event of a Clinton presidency
The Future of Schengen
In the midst of a Schengen crisis, how do Europe's member states see the future of Europe's visa-free travel area?
Podcasts
The great reset? How the EU and the UK can rethink their security and defence cooperation
In this seventh episode of our mini-series , Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to Nick Witney and Camille Grand about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations, especially regarding cooperation on defence
The Great Reset? Challenges and opportunities for EU-UK cooperation
In this sixth episode of our mini-series, Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to Philip Rycroft about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations
The Great Reset? How the EU and the UK can rethink their economic cooperation with Ivan Rogers
In this fifth episode of our new mini-series, Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to Ivan Rogers about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations
The Great Reset? How the EU and the UK can rethink their cooperation on climate and energy with Nick Butler
In this fourth episode of our new mini-series, Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to Nick Butler about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations
The Great Reset? The view from Brussels with Mujtaba Rahman
In this third episode of our new mini-series, Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to Mujtaba Rahman about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations
The great reset? How the EU and the UK can rethink their cooperation on foreign policy with David Lidington
In this second episode of our new mini-series, Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to David Lidington about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations
The great reset? How the EU and UK can rethink their cooperation on foreign policy
In the first episode of our new mini-series, Mark Leonard and Susi Dennison talk to Anand Menon about the potential for a great reset in UK-EU relations
Winter is coming: Europe’s energy transition and the war in Ukraine
Can Europe remain true to its climate agenda despite Russia’s war in Ukraine?
Peace versus Justice: The coming European split over the war in Ukraine
New ECFR research reveals that Europe’s remarkable unity in the early days of the war is under threat from an emerging split – between those who want peace as soon as possible and those who favour justice for Ukraine
The European Sovereignty Index #FactsThatMatter
How can the EU and member states close the gap between ambition and capability in their quest for European sovereignty?
Events
28 Sep
Powering the future: Charting Europe’s climate and energy sovereignty
Referring to it as “our answer to the call of history”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen lauded the achievements of the European Green…
4 May
Climate Diplomacy: Designed to Deliver?
Against a backdrop of worldwide concern about energy and food insecurity in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, COP27 took place, bringing attention to…
8 Dec
Germany’s leadership role in Europe’s green agenda
What role can Germany play in Europe’s green transition and where has it come thus far?
24 Nov
Stronger together: From piecemeal energy deals toward a sustainable European energy policy
In this virtual launch event, we will present ECFR’s brand-new online tool, the Energy Deal tracker, and discuss the need for a more coordinated European energy and climate strategy
31 Oct
A new climate for peace? How Europe can reconcile energy and climate security
Cinzia Bianco, Mats Engström and Anthony Dworkin were in conversation with Susi Dennison to hear how Europe can best meet its energy security interests all the while preserving its credibility as a climate superpower
10 Oct
Green future: How can Spain help Europe keep its green transition goals on course through the energy crisis?
How can Madrid help in bringing other European member states on board in saving energy and investing in renewables?
31 Mar
The battle for the Elysee
ECFR is collaborating with De Balie to discuss France’s political future and the impact of the election result on European integration and solidarity
10 Mar
A new era for Europe: Do Europeans trust France on Russia?
Our panel will discuss insights from new public opinion polling of 15,000 citizens across 12 EU member states, captured in the upcoming report by Susi Dennison and Tara Varma.
13 Jan
Delivering the European Green Deal: creating a climate of co-operation after COP26
Our experts will talk about European climate sovereignty, energy security and potential partnerships with the neighbourhood
7 Dec
The European Green Deal: A recipe for development or a source of conflict?
The green transition is vital to Europe’s future. Rebuilding economies to achieve climate neutrality is essential not only to avoid a catastrophe but also to…
In the media
Kevin Cunningham, Simon Hix, Susi Dennison and Imogen Learmonth on the predictions that EU-critical parties will get a good election
Kevin Cunningham, Simon Hix, Susi Dennison and Imogen Learmonth on the forecast for the 2024 European elections
Kevin Cunningham, Susi Dennison, Simon Hix and Imogen Learmonth on the forecast for the 2024 European elections
Kevin Cunningham, Susi Dennison, Simon Hix and Imogen Learmonth on the forecast for the 2024 European elections
Kevin Cunningham, Susi Dennison, Simon Hix and Imogen Learmonth on the forecast for the 2024 European elections