End-state Afghanistan: a European perspective
The international conference on Afghanistan called upon by Germany and the United Kingdom and to be held later this year or in early 2010, will probably offer the very last […]
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
Afghanistan : une guerre stratégique pour l’Europe, un conflit existentiel pour l’OTAN.
Le remplacement du général David McKiernan par le général Stanley McChrystal à la tête des forces de l’Otan en Afghanistan, annoncé le 11 mai dernier, confirmait le besoin de donner […]
Europe rediscovers peacekeeping? Political and military logics in the 2006 UNIFIL enhancement
The war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 came to an end when both conflict parties accepted the plan of reinforcing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as […]
The value of power, the power of values: a call for an EU grand strategy
In its 2003 European Security Strategy (ESS), the EU has a grand strategy, embracing all instruments and resources at the disposal of the Union and the Member States, but a […]
A BRIC in the world: emerging powers, Europe, and the coming order
The world is changing. It is becoming increasingly multipolar with the emergence of China, India, Brazil, and with the resurgence of Russia – forming the so-called BRIC. The world is […]
External publications
Strategisch partnerschap tussen de EU en de BRICs: waar is de strategie?
in Internationale Spectator, Oct. 2009 – 63(10), pp. 514-516. (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)