Foreign policy & defence

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Trio leadership

Trio leadership: The need to liberalise the European defence market

Clara Marina O'Donnell
03 June 2011
TGAE report
Over the last year, renewed defence spending cuts in many EU member-states have increased the need for closer EU defence co-operation. European governments have long acknowledged that significant savings could be gained through more common procurement in defence, joint logistics and common ownership of the most expensive military capabilities. In...
Ark Royal

EU ministers tackle defence austerity

Tomas Valasek
01 June 2011
How do you do more with less? The EU defence ministers agreed last week that the way to limit the impact of the economic crisis on their defence budgets lies in more co-operation.
Palestinian

Palestinian reconciliation is an opportunity for peace

Clara Marina O'Donnell
01 June 2011
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict risks deteriorating further amidst the upheaval in the Arab world and Palestinian efforts to gain recognition at the UN. But one glimmer of hope has emerged.
Press freedom

Press freedom – the new accession criterion?

Katinka Barysch
16 May 2011
Countries that want to join the EU need to show that their democracies work well. However, press freedom – a key ingredient of any pluralist democracy – is under threat in most of the countries that are now queuing for accession.
Surviving austerity

Surviving austerity: The case for a new approach to EU military collaboration

Tomas Valasek
22 April 2011
A wave of budgetary austerity is weakening Europe’s defences. The armed forces of Europe will lose important skills and capabilities unless they can find ways of saving money through collaboration. Tomas Valasek examines previous efforts at pooling and sharing, and explains why some succeeded better than others. The formation of...
Can the Arab spring bring peace to the Middle East?

Can the Arab spring bring peace to the Middle East?

Clara Marina O'Donnell
21 April 2011
Many western diplomats and observers argue that the popular uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East reinforce the need for Israelis and Palestinians to return to peace talks.
The EU and Russia: All smiles and no action?

The EU and Russia: All smiles and no action?

Katinka Barysch
18 April 2011
The relationship between the EU and Russia has been warmer than it has been for year. Yet there has been little progress on a new bilateral treaty, an energy dialogue, the new modernisation partnership or security co-operation.
Europe needs a military avant-garde

Europe needs a military avant-garde

01 April 2011
A union of 27 member-states is large and unwieldy. So it is not surprising that sub-groups - formal and informal- are playing a bigger role in managing what the EU does. The Euro Group is emerging as an important institution in its own right, with its own summits.
Turkey, the EU and the Mediterranean uprisings thumbnail

Turkey, the EU and the Mediterranean uprisings

Katinka Barysch
16 March 2011
The revolts in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have brought home to many people that Turkey has become a force to be reckoned with in this region. Turkey enjoys lots of credibility in the Arab world. It has burgeoning trade ties and solid political relations with many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries.
What cuts in US defence budget will mean for the transatlantic alliance

What cuts in US defence budget will mean for the transatlantic alliance

Tomas Valasek
15 March 2011
The US defence budget seems set to fall as Washington begins to restore order in its finances. Spending on the military has reached such heights – $700 billion, or 20 per cent of the US federal budget – that it has become too large for deficit-cutters to ignore.
A new neighbourhood policy for the EU file thumbnail

A new neighbourhood policy for the EU

11 March 2011
The revolutions in North Africa have exposed the failings of the EU's neighbourhood policy. Rather than fostering democracy, the policy entrenched autocracy.
What should NATO’s new strategic concept say about Russia?

What should NATO’s new strategic concept say about Russia?

Tomas Valasek
09 March 2011
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO has strived to reduce mutual suspicions with Russia and to build a more co-operative relationship. So it is vexing that 20 years on, Russia continues to view NATO as a hostile alliance.
A new opportunity for EU foreign policy

A new opportunity for EU foreign policy

01 February 2011
The EU's foreign policy has not impressed many people in recent years. A wide range of views among member-states has made it hard for the EU to develop focused policies on key issues such as Russia and China.
Bulletin issue 76

Issue 76 - 2011

Charles Grant, Katinka Barysch, Sir Julian Priestley
28 January 2011
Has Ukraine lost appetite for reforms?

Has Ukraine lost appetite for reforms?

Tomas Valasek
17 December 2010
In a study on Ukraine published in October, the CER gave President Viktor Yanukovich credit for passing difficult economic reforms but criticised his efforts to suppress political opposition. Since then, reforms have stalled while the concentration of power in the president's hands has continued unabated.
Turkey and the EU: Can stalemate be avoided?

Turkey and the EU: Can stalemate be avoided?

Katinka Barysch
16 December 2010
Turkey's accession to the EU is heading for an impasse. The bulk of the membership talks are blocked. Unless there is progress over Cyprus or Nicolas Sarkozy starts welcoming Turkish membership – both unlikely prospects – the EU and Turkey will soon run out of policy chapters to negotiate.
Britain cannot afford to neglect EU defence efforts

Britain cannot afford to neglect EU defence efforts

Clara Marina O'Donnell
01 December 2010
Britain is showing an unprecedented interest in closer defence co-operation with its European partners. The coalition government in London should be commended for initiating bilateral deals and projects amongst a limited number of EU countries.
Bulletin issue 75

Issue 75 - 2010

Charles Grant, Clara Marina O'Donnell, Simon Tilford
26 November 2010
Britain's defence review: Good news for European defence?

Britain's defence review: Good news for European defence?

Clara Marina O'Donnell
28 October 2010
On October 19th, the UK's coalition government published its 'strategic defence and security review' (SDSR), laying out the future shape of Britain's armed forces. As was to be expected at a time of budget austerity, the SDSR foresees significant cuts in military capabilities.