Making defence European again
The Russian threat is not going away any time soon. To defend themselves without America’s help, Europeans need to pursue a new, distinctly European model of defence and deterrence
European Sovereignty
22
May
European Power
Europe Independence Moment
L’Ufficio di Roma dello European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) ha preso parte al Summit “Europe’s Independence Moment”, organizzato da Future Proof Society a Brescia dal 22 al 24 maggio 2026. Due gli appuntamenti in programma: 22 maggio (ore 18:00 – 19:30): Masterclass di Politica Internazionale, presso il Salone delle Scenografie del Teatro Grande. 23…
30
Mar
European Power
Il Circolo dell’ECFR – ARCHIPELAGO EUROPE: The European public opinion on defense and post-Western disorder
Il focus di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR è l‘opinione pubblica europea di fronte al disordine post-occidentale. La discussione è partita dal policy brief “The European archipelago: Building bridges in a post-Western Europe”, a firma di Pawel Zerka e Célia Belin, rispettivamente Senior Policy Fellow di ECFR e Direttrice dell’ufficio di Parigi e Senior…
Europe’s democratic strain is a crisis of governance, not borders
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
A tribe of tribes: Why the EU needs a stronger identity
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
New tools: How the EU can show China it means business
Chinese policymakers are well used to ignoring European objections to decisions made in Beijing. With a new array of tools, the EU could finally cause them to think differently
5
Jun
European Power
Rome Foreign Policy Club 2025 – Come Undone: Europa e Italia tra frammentazione globale e vulnerabilità del vicinato
Nella sua edizione 2025, la quarta da quando il progetto è stato lanciato, il Rome Foreign Policy Club riunisce giovani think tanker italiani under-40 per elaborare ipotesi di scenario rilevanti per la politica estera e multilaterale italiana ed europea. Tale esercizio si pone come obiettivo la formulazione di raccomandazioni a supporto delle attività di policy…
Big tech, Donald Trump, and “techno-imperialism”: How Europe can avoid becoming a digital colony
US tech giants are preparing to test the EU’s resolve, emboldened by support from the Trump administration. The EU will need to prepare itself for the inevitable clash to safeguard its democratic and technological future
European Power
ECFR’s Election Insights: Implications for Europe’s foreign policy agenda
This webinar will provide a snapshot analysis of election results and their implications for Europe’s foreign policy and security agenda. Featuring perspectives from selected ECFR offices across European capitals, the discussion will explore election outcomes in key EU member states – Bulgaria, France, Germany and Italy – and examine how the political reconfigurations in Brussels,…
From crisis to climate: Europe’s energy diplomacy after two years of war in Ukraine
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU and its member states have intensified their energy diplomacy, moving away from Russian supplies and towards more secure – and greener – alternatives. But to do so efficiently, greater coordination at the EU-level is needed
Publications
Making defence European again
The Russian threat is not going away any time soon. To defend themselves without America’s help, Europeans need to pursue a new, distinctly European model of defence and deterrence
Articles
Europe’s democratic strain is a crisis of governance, not borders
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
A tribe of tribes: Why the EU needs a stronger identity
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
New tools: How the EU can show China it means business
Chinese policymakers are well used to ignoring European objections to decisions made in Beijing. With a new array of tools, the EU could finally cause them to think differently
Big tech, Donald Trump, and “techno-imperialism”: How Europe can avoid becoming a digital colony
US tech giants are preparing to test the EU’s resolve, emboldened by support from the Trump administration. The EU will need to prepare itself for the inevitable clash to safeguard its democratic and technological future
From crisis to climate: Europe’s energy diplomacy after two years of war in Ukraine
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU and its member states have intensified their energy diplomacy, moving away from Russian supplies and towards more secure – and greener – alternatives. But to do so efficiently, greater coordination at the EU-level is needed
A United States of Europe: The need for leadership
A United States of Europe is an ambitious goal but an increasing necessity if Europeans are to maintain their place in the world
The Ukraine war and European identity
With the war in Ukraine well into its second year, European politicians from across the political spectrum are still eager to show their support for the country. But a battle for the soul of Europe is brewing beneath the surface, and next year’s European Parliament elections could serve as its first battleground
Multilateral values: European ideals under pressure
The West no longer has a monopoly on values at the UN. But Europeans can shape a new narrative in the changing multilateral system by emphasising their commitment to sovereignty, development, and openness
The traveller’s guide to European economic sovereignty
Europeans have set out on a journey towards greater economic sovereignty. They will only reach their destination if they learn to navigate an interconnected world
War and sovereignty: How the EU can enhance its ability to act
The EU has made insufficient progress in enhancing its sovereignty, particularly in security and defence. The union now needs to overcome internal differences to bolster its external ability to act
Podcasts
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…
Conquering the cyber sphere: How the EU can build digital sovereignty
Europe’s digital transformation and sovereignty has become a question of existential importance. But what does it actually mean to be digital sovereign? Host Mark Leonard…
Why Europe cannot become a giant Switzerland – geopolitical challenges in times of covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the EU’s conception of order and exposed a gap between European aspirations and actions. Firstly, Europeans are confronted with the…
From fragility to vitality – Analysing von der Leyen’s #SOTEU
Ursula von der Leyen’s first State of the European Union speech was as long as it was broad in topics and calls for action. Host…
Surveillance and the inevitable AI future
In this week’s episode, we feature one of the focus sessions from our Annual Council Meeting this June. Policy Fellow Ulrike Franke moderated this online…
The Biden effect and the future of US-Europe relations | Part II
After last week’s discussion with Matt Duss and Jeremy Shapiro, Mark Leonard follows up by gathering the European views on a possible Biden win and…
Europe’s role in global health & how to build European health sovereignty
“If it’s about Europe´s role in global health, a big part of it is Europe's health sovereignty which we want to make one of the…
How is covid-19 changing European economic sovereignty?
What does the corona crisis mean for economic coercion? How does it amplify some of the problems stemming from punitive economic measures Europeans have worried…
An energizing side-effect? How covid-19 could revive multilateralism
Recently, we have seen funding cuts to the WHO in the middle of the coronavirus crisis and national governments closing borders instead of calling for…
Bonding over coronabonds? How the financial question divides Europe
The EU members states have been caught up in a heated discussion on possible European ‘coronabonds’, a joint debt assistance by the Union to help…
Events
22
May
European Power
Europe Independence Moment
L’Ufficio di Roma dello European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) ha preso parte al Summit “Europe’s Independence Moment”, organizzato da Future Proof Society a Brescia dal 22 al 24 maggio 2026. Due gli appuntamenti in programma: 22 maggio (ore 18:00 – 19:30): Masterclass di Politica Internazionale, presso il Salone delle Scenografie del Teatro Grande. 23…
30
Mar
European Power
Il Circolo dell’ECFR – ARCHIPELAGO EUROPE: The European public opinion on defense and post-Western disorder
Il focus di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR è l‘opinione pubblica europea di fronte al disordine post-occidentale. La discussione è partita dal policy brief “The European archipelago: Building bridges in a post-Western Europe”, a firma di Pawel Zerka e Célia Belin, rispettivamente Senior Policy Fellow di ECFR e Direttrice dell’ufficio di Parigi e Senior…
5
Jun
European Power
Rome Foreign Policy Club 2025 – Come Undone: Europa e Italia tra frammentazione globale e vulnerabilità del vicinato
Nella sua edizione 2025, la quarta da quando il progetto è stato lanciato, il Rome Foreign Policy Club riunisce giovani think tanker italiani under-40 per elaborare ipotesi di scenario rilevanti per la politica estera e multilaterale italiana ed europea. Tale esercizio si pone come obiettivo la formulazione di raccomandazioni a supporto delle attività di policy…
European Power
ECFR’s Election Insights: Implications for Europe’s foreign policy agenda
This webinar will provide a snapshot analysis of election results and their implications for Europe’s foreign policy and security agenda. Featuring perspectives from selected ECFR offices across European capitals, the discussion will explore election outcomes in key EU member states – Bulgaria, France, Germany and Italy – and examine how the political reconfigurations in Brussels,…
6
Dec
European Power
L’allargamento e il futuro dell’Unione europea
Secondo appuntamento di una serie di tre working lunch realizzati congiuntamente da ECFR Roma, SDA Bocconi e l’Institute for European Policymaking @ Bocconi University
European Power
Europe’s global role in light of Russia’s war in Ukraine: The public perspective
What do Europeans think about Russia, China, and the war in Ukraine? Join a panel of policymakers and expert observers to analyse ECFR’s latest public opinion poll. The panel focuses on public perceptions of the EU’s relationship not only with Russia and China but also the US. The opinion polling, conducted across 11 EU member states,…
6
Apr
European Power
Invasione russa dell’Ucraina: Ruolo dell’UE nel contesto regionale e globale
Gli europei richiedono maggiore cooperazione a lungo termine su diversi dossier, in particolare in materia di sicurezza e difesa
20
Jan
European Power
Health security and geopolitical competition: For a more strategic view
The pandemic has transformed public health into an arena of geopolitical competition; at the same time, pandemics like covid-19 are a global challenge requiring international cooperation
5
Jul
European Power
Between strategic autonomy and multilateralism: a more resilient future for the EU
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and ECFR Rome Office aim at fostering a debate on strategic autonomy and how it intertwines with the promotion of multilateralism
European Power
Digital sovereignty of the European Union in the international arena
First part of a series jointly organised by the European Movement International and ECFR exploring the challenges the European Union is facing
In the media
Piotr Buras on US-Europe relations in the context of the Munich Security Conference
Alexander Lipke, Janka Oertel, and Daniel O’Sullivan on the EU’s dependency on Chinese clean technology and energy security