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 Zeitgeist: German and European security at a crossroads

21 March 2019
In this episode of The Zeitgeist, Dr Jana Puglierin (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik e.V. ) and Sophia Besch (Centre for European Reform ) join Jeff Rathke to talk about the direction Germany’s security policy is taking. They cover four fundamental questions: What is Germany’s role in European security? Are the changes in German policy adequate for the changing international security environment? How are Germany and France seeking to strengthen their co-operation? And how can the United States and Germany manage their frictions in the interest of a stronger transatlantic relationship?

CER podcast: Brexit and services

27 February 2019
Sophia Besch asks Sam Lowe how Brexit will affect trade in services between the UK and the EU, and why services have been sidelined in the debate.

All hands on deck

Berlin Policy Journal
27 February 2019
Concerns about fragmentation shape Berlin’s understanding of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy. That carries risks, especially with Brexit approaching.

Brexit negotiations in the field of defence: Lessons learnt and moving forward

Federal Academy for Security Policy
08 January 2019
It is clearly in Britain and the European Union’s mutual interest to continue working closely together on defence after Brexit.

CER podcast: CER researchers review the year 2018

12 December 2018
Charles Grant, John Springford and Ian Bond review the political themes and events that shaped 2018, and take a look at some of the predictions they made last year.  

Review: Plugging In the British: Completing the Circuit

Foreign Affairs
12 December 2018
Brexit has proved surprisingly difficult to implement, not just in economic affairs, where analysts always expected problems, but in many other areas, too.

IFRI: Transatlantic relations in the age of 'America First'

12 December 2018
Sophia Besch, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform discusses transatlantic relations in the age of 'America First' - how American foreign policy will develop, what to make of European efforts to reach strategic autonomy, and how Germany's defence policy is changing.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer’s election offers no cause for Macron and the EU to celebrate

Euronews
10 December 2018
The election of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as the new leader of the governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party suggests there will not be any immediate shift in Germany’s lukewarm approach to French proposals for eurozone reform if she also succeeds Angela Merkel as Chancellor.

CER Bulletin podcast: China and the EU; fighting disinformation

05 December 2018
In this CER Bulletin podcast, CER researchers brief podcast listeners on two of the most important topics for Europe this month.

Letter to the editor: 'Empty' EU army

The Times
23 November 2018
Sir, Gavin Williamson (report, Nov 20) need not worry about a European army, as the term is empty and misleading.