The future of the Transatlantic Alliance: not without the European Union
The debate about the division of labor between the European Union (EU) and NATO has been ongoing ever since the former was created in 1993. Much more sensitive than the […]
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
Use connectivity to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the EU’s neighbourhood
To strengthen multilateralism in their own neighbourhood, Germany and the EU should pursue connectivity strategies with their Eastern and Southern neighbours. These could create the links between the EU’s neighbours […]
Challenges with security force assistance in Niger: Understanding local context and aligning interests
Since the attacks the 11th of September 2001 in the US, there has been a strong increase in security force assistance (SFA) to fragile states with the aim of professionalising […]
No pain, no gain: taking PESCO to the gym
It is fair to assume that at least one out of three readers of this paper have at some point in their life accepted to join a group of friends […]
Extremist offender management in Belgium
The presence of terrorist convicts in prison is not a new phenomenon in Belgium. However, radicalisation or recruitment was less visible, or at least less observed until it became a […]
Commentaries
An Alliance of Democracies: with the US or for the US?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for an “a new grouping of like-minded nations, a new alliance of democracies” against China. The US has raised this idea before: […]