The EU’s strategic compass and its four baskets
The “Strategic Compass” is one of the most discussed initiatives related to EU security and defense during Germany’s ongoing Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second […]
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
Can corona cure our superiority complex?
A superiority complex is hard to cure. Nobody in Europe is longing for a return to empire (well, nobody in continental Europe, at least). Most Americans still pretend they never […]
Commentaries
Act as if it does not matter who wins
Of course it does matter very much. The proof is that although the title does not say so, every reader knows that this will be a piece about the US […]
From bad to worse: The fate of European foreign fighters and families detained in Syria, one year after the Turkish offensive
Hundreds of European “foreign fighters” are still being held by Kurdish authorities, in Syria. Their fate remains uncertain, as European governments are unwilling to repatriate their citizens. Meanwhile, security and […]
Female peacekeepers’ added burden
Twenty years since the adoption of UNSC 1325 there is an almost unanimous call for an increased number of uniformed women in peace operations from policy makers and multilateral organizations. […]
New pact on migration: a balanced proposal to be further enhanced
Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council, has been credited with the idea according to which the Commission under Ursula von der Leyen has three key tasks facing […]