Commentaries
The Road Ahead: Rethinking the Transatlantic Partnership
Recent elections in the EU and the US are poised to reshape political dynamics and redefine key areas of cooperation. For the EU, the US election outcome is a stark […]
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
Trump brings sledgehammer to China and the dollar
‘Why should the dollar be the world reserve currency?’ This challenging question was posed by a young Republican senator from Ohio, in the spring of 2023, to Jerome Powell, chairman […]
EU Strategy 2025-2029: We Have the Instruments, Now Set the Objectives
The EU is very creative at designing and putting to use instruments. Think of how the European Peace Facility (EPF) became the tool to support Ukraine’s war effort. Other instruments […]
Message from the Eastern Flank: From Celtic Uprise to Dacian Fall
Since February 2022, collective defence has again become the main effort of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after decades of ‘out-of-area’ operations. Consequently, the armed forces of NATO’s member […]
Commentaries
Transatlantic Uncertainty calls for Greater National Responsibility
When Belgium was hit by severe terror attacks in 2016, then-President Obama did not hesitate for a moment to pledge full support: ‘Belgium is a close friend and ally of […]
Belgium’s Multilateral Policymaking put to the Test of the 21st Century
The evolving international system places significant pressure on Belgium’s multilateral policymaking. This Egmont Policy Brief advocates for a revamping of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ resources to enhance coordination, ensuring […]