Commentaries
Brexit and defence: where is the strategy?
Should the UK decide to leave the EU, its leverage on many of the strategic decisions that shape the framework within which its military deployment takes place would be negligible.
Europe in the World
In a world that is largely driven by competition and rivalry (and partnership, yet) between great powers, understanding the Grand Strategy of each of these powers is crucial. So is developing a Grand Strategy for the EU itself. An EU that acts as one, as one pole of the multipolar world on a par with the other powers, is the only way to safeguard the way of life that the Member States of the EU have chosen, based on democracy, the free market, and equality.
Power cannot be divided: a global player must have political, economic, as well as military power. To that end, the Europe in the World Programme analyses the diplomacy and defence of the US, China, and Russia, and of the EU, NATO, and their members. We also focus on geoeconomics, researching Open Strategic Autonomy and the Global Gateway as key EU instruments, as well as the geoeconomic approaches of the other powers.
Defence policy is our third main axis of research, with a particular focus on European defence and its interaction with NATO, but also on nuclear deterrence and the deterrence of hybrid threats. Throughout all three research axis, we devote special attention to the role of Belgium, including notably the development of its own National Security Strategy and diplomatic and military capabilities.
Publications
Commentaries
Defence does not get that much more
The Belgian government gives a new long-term perspective to its armed forces. Not that much extra money, but enough to maintain its significant contribution to operations abroad.
Commentaries
Can European strategy cope?
If we want to avoid large mistakes, we have to have the courage to ask large questions – and to consider the difficult answers. Sven Biscop gives us a taste […]
The EU strategic partnerships with emerging powers
Carleton University organised a workshop on the EU’s strategic partnerships in April 2015, gathering some of the most prominent experts on the topic. On this occasion, Thomas Renard gave a […]
Commentaries
After Paris: five questions on (counter-)terrorism in Europe
The terrorist attacks in Paris, on 13 November, and the unprecedented terror alert in Brussels over the past days have raised a number of interrogations, in Europe and beyond, on […]
Commentaries
An anchor for the EU maritime security strategy
Sea power: not a concept many would associate with the EU. Yet it was put to the fore at the very start of the Maritime Security Conference organized by the […]