Research
What does the election result mean for Brexit?
09 June 2017
Brexit barely figured in the UK's general election, but the result means that the country might yet have an election fought explicitly on the issue.
Bulletin Issue 114 - June/July 2017
24 May 2017
- Why no deal would be much worse than a bad deal, John Springford, Simon Tilford
- Macron, Merkel and the future of the euro, Charles Grant
- Europe's forgotten refugee crisis, Camino Mortera-Martinez
Europe's NATO balancing act
24 May 2017
This week in Brussels, Europe's leaders must not only convince President Donald Trump of NATO's value, but also push for Europe's NATO priorities.
Why no deal would be much worse than a bad deal
24 May 2017
Theresa May and several of her ministers have claimed that no Brexit deal would be better than a poor deal. They are wrong.
Macron, Merkel and the future of the euro
24 May 2017
Emmanuel Macron wants to change the way the eurozone is run. But can he persuade Angela Merkel?
Europe's forgotten refugee crisis
24 May 2017
The EU is far from having solved the problems that led to the refugee crisis. It needs to make its asylum system work and do more to send irregular migrants back.
A flexible EU: A new beginning or the beginning of the end?
18 May 2017
The EU needs to become more flexible if it is to tackle current and future challenges effectively. But it should do so transparently, and remain inclusive.
Good cop, bad cop: How to keep Britain inside Europol
16 May 2017
A post-Brexit deal on Europol should be relatively easy to negotiate. The UK could retain a special status, but the British government will need to make some concessions.
Unfreezing TTIP: Why a transatlantic trade pact still makes strategic sense
11 May 2017
Despite concerns about Trump's views on trade, a transatlantic deal would bring foreign policy benefits. If only Europe could get its act together.
A prime minister unshackled
09 May 2017
Checks on prime ministerial power are weak in Britain – and Theresa May’s massive parliamentary majority after the general election will weaken them further. In the context of Brexit, this is dangerous.
How will Germany respond to Emmanuel Macron?
08 May 2017
Germany is divided on how to respond to Macron: some are wary of a new bargain to revive the Franco-German alliance, others are enthusiastic.
The British and their exceptionalism
03 May 2017
Few countries have allowed their sense of exceptionalism to damage their interests in the way Britain is doing. British overconfidence is unjustified and will come at a heavy price.
Brexiting Swiss-style: The best possible UK-EU trade deal
24 April 2017
The softest form of hard Brexit that is plausible – given the red lines of the 27 and Britain – is something like Switzerland's deal with the EU.
No entry: What Trump’s migration policies mean for the EU
10 April 2017
Trump's 'Muslim ban' does not apply to EU citizens. But his migration and security policies may have unexpected effects in Europe.
Is the EU's single market leading to convergence or divergence?
04 April 2017
The single market's 'agglomeration effects' – the tendency of wealthier areas to attract capital and skills – seem as strong as the 'catch-up effects' of poorer members importing capital and expertise.
Bulletin Issue 113 - April/May 2017
20 March 2017
- The meaning of Macron, Charles Grant
- Can Martin Schulz beat Angela Merkel?, Christian Odendahl
- Playing defence, Sophia Besch
The meaning of Macron
20 March 2017
The surge of support for Emmanuel Macron in France shows that liberal, pro-EU centrists may yet have a future in European politics. This would be good for the EU.
Can Martin Schulz beat Angela Merkel?
20 March 2017
A chancellor Schulz would be good news for the eurozone economy. But he would not differ much from Merkel on Brexit.
Playing defence
20 March 2017
The UK’s contributions to European defence will play a role in Brexit negotiations. But both sides should keep the long-term objective of close co-operation in mind.
Berlin to the rescue? A closer look at Germany's position on Brexit
17 March 2017
Brexiters hope that Berlin will adopt an accommodating stance in the forthcoming negotiations because of Germany's economic and security interests. Such hopes are misplaced.