Exploring the boundaries of conditionality in the EU
Conditionality in the EU comes in many forms: legally codified and enforced by the Court of Justice, or reliant on intergovernmental bargaining and expressed by means of political or economic […]
European Affairs
Located in Brussels at the heart of EU political decision-making, the European Affairs Programme provides in-depth as well as policy-oriented analyses on a wide range of themes of relevance to EU and Belgian policy makers. Topics that are – or ought to be – central to the EU policy debate are given special attention. Aside from a constant focus on institutional matters, various substantive EU policies dominate the Programme’s research agenda, such as the Green Deal, the digital agenda, the consolidation of an inclusive social model, the protection of people and the defence of rights, and the promotion of Europe’s interests in the world.
The Programme also deals extensively and in a forward-looking way with the impact of the multiple crises the EU has had to address over the last decade. They all had an impact on its policies, its decision-making processes, and more generally its architecture, which is proof of the resilience of the European project.
With the aim of reaching the broadest audience possible, the European Affairs Programme seeks to share its expertise and stimulate the debate through a variety of publications as well as by organizing round tables, expert-seminars, and conferences.
Publications
Between Rome and Sibiu: a trajectory for the new European narrative
Many observers may easily reach the conclusion that the European Union (EU) has been in crisis for the last decade. Against this background, and especially since the outcome of the […]
What is it like to be a Non-Permanent member of the UN Security Council?
The UN Security Council undoubtedly is the most prominent body of the world organization’s institutional machinery. Through its key executive decision-making powers it addresses conflicts and crises which constitute threats […]
Commentaries
The Homecoming of Foreign Fighters in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium: Policies and Challenges
Some 5000 men, women and children have travelled from Europe to Syria and Iraq since 2012. Less than a year after this process began, European intelligence services started to openly […]
Waiting for new deliverables: Can the EU-Japan strategic partnership measure up to global and regional challenges?
The EU and Japan are now concluding two partnership agreements that should facilitate bilateral trade, streamline political and security cooperation and reinforce shared values. While they buttress the strategic […]
The Outermost Regions: Challenges and prospects
The construction of Europe begins in 1957, with the signature of the Treaty of Rome. The initial aim is, then, to build a Union equipped with institutions and common values, […]