Sophia Besch

Sophia Besch

Senior research fellow
Areas of expertise 

EU Common Security and Defence Policy, European defence industry integration, NATO, German security and defence policy

Twitter 

The challenges ahead for EU defense co-operation

The GMF
22 January 2020
As the European Union enters a new institutional era in 2020, its ability to sustain the recent defense momentum will be scrutinized.

CER podcast: Can Europe overcome its paralysis on Palestine?

15 January 2020
The EU has struggled to take decisive action on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Developing a home-grown European defence equipment market

Encompass
02 December 2019
President Emmanuel Macron’s man in the European Commission will struggle to make headway on developing a home-grown European defence equipment market.

The European Commission in EU Defense Industrial Policy

Carnegie Europe
22 October 2019
The European Commission has become more involved in EU defense policy. To see changes implemented, however, it must prove it can help the EU develop into a more capable defense actor.

No escaping an arms export policy

Berlin Policy Journal
10 October 2019
Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen is “enthusiastically working toward a defense union.” Without a co-ordinated stance on European arms exports, this could prove difficult. 

Who should hold Europe's arms?

Project Syndicate
25 September 2019
Although the EU has one of the world's strongest arms-export frameworks, the rules are not enforced. If Europe is to have any chance of deepening defense co-operation, let alone creating a defense union, that must change.

CER podcast: Meet the new European Commission

24 September 2019
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska talks to Sophia Besch about the new European Commission. Who are Ursula von der Leyen's new commissioners – and what happens next?

Zusammen raufen

DGAP - IP-Die Zeitschrift
10 September 2019
Ursula von der Leyen will „energisch auf eine Verteidigungsunion hinarbeiten“. Ohne eine europäische Waffenexportpolitik wird das schwierig

Eine EU-Mission ist illusorisch

Taz
06 August 2019
Deutschland kritisiert gern vom Spielfeldrand, statt eigene Vorschläge zu machen. 

CER podcast: Does the EU need a common arms export policy?

17 July 2019
Sophia Besch and Beth Oppenheim discuss the state of the EU's arms export regime, and whether the Union needs a genuinely common and enforceable policy.