Research

A terrible border is reborn? Ireland and a no-deal Brexit

Daniel Keohane
25 September 2020
If the UK fails to reach a trade deal with the EU, and does not implement the special arrangements for Northern Ireland agreed in the Withdrawal Agreement, Ireland faces the prospect of a hard land border being reborn.

A Brexit deal may yet emerge from the current confusion

22 September 2020
Despite the brouhaha over the Internal Market Bill, both the British government and the EU still want to clinch a deal, and that remains a plausible outcome.

Europe, the US and China: A love-hate triangle?

Sophia Besch, Ian Bond, Leonard Schuette
21 September 2020
The EU risks being caught between an increasingly hostile US and China. It must manage relations with both in order to protect the rules-based global order.

Is development aid a victim of the EU budget deal?

Khrystyna Parandii
15 September 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the Commission’s plans to reform its development policy. But though the EU will provide less external assistance than planned, its administration can be improved.
Five reasons why even a basic EU-UK trade deal is better than nothing

Five reasons why even a basic EU-UK trade deal is better than nothing

Sam Lowe
18 August 2020
A deal would avoid tariffs, unlock supplementary benefits, allow for EU and UK customs co-operation, ensure the Northern Ireland protocol is implemented sustainably
Lukashenka fights for survival

Lukashenka fights for survival

13 August 2020
There was never any doubt who would ‘win’ Belarus’s presidential election. But the country is undergoing profound changes – which pose dilemmas for both Russia and the EU.
Can the EU and Turkey avoid more confrontation?

Can the EU and Turkey avoid more confrontation?

10 August 2020
Tensions between Europe and Turkey are rising. The EU should forge a firm common stance with London and Washington, while keeping the door open for better relations.

Is the US or Europe more resilient to COVID-19?

John Springford, Simon Tilford
04 August 2020
COVID-19 has exposed the lack of risk-sharing between US citizens. But Europeans should not be complacent: a permanent and more automatic fiscal union may be needed to secure 'the European way of life'.

Bulletin issue 133 - August/September 2020

Sophia Besch, Christian Odendahl, Luigi Scazzieri, John Springford
27 July 2020

Will Germany rethink defence, too?

Sophia Besch, Christian Odendahl
27 July 2020
COVID-19 has forced Germany to rethink its economic orthodoxy. A similar rethink of its defence and security outlook will take time. 

What future for a 'geopolitical' Europe?

27 July 2020
Ursula von der Leyen wants her Commission to be ‘geopolitical’. COVID-19 is likely to make this harder, while also underlining its importance.

To V or not to V

27 July 2020
The debate over the shape of the economic recovery continues. But recent medical advances should tilt governments towards continued support for workers and companies, because the pandemic may be over sooner than they had feared.

Turkey and the UK: New best friends?

Sam Lowe, Luigi Scazzieri
24 July 2020
Turkey and the UK want to maintain a close relationship after the Brexit transition ends. But concluding a trade deal will not be easy, and relations could sour if tensions increase between Turkey and the EU or US.  

EU efforts to level the playing field are not risk-free

Sam Lowe
16 July 2020
The EU believes other countries are taking advantage of its relative economic openness. However, unilateral action to level the playing field risks provoking retaliation and the EU will need to tread carefully.

Rethinking the EU's approach towards its southern neighbours

10 July 2020
COVID-19 will exacerbate the failures of EU policy towards its southern neighbours. Europe needs to rethink its approach, taking on more responsibility for security and making its neighbours a more ambitious offer.

Something is stirring in Belarus

07 July 2020
As Belarus’s presidential election approaches on August 9th, opposition to Alyaksandr Lukashenka is growing. The EU needs a strategy for the country.

Trump sounds the retreat: Can European defence advance?

26 June 2020
Donald Trump may not succeed in withdrawing US troops from Germany this year, but Europeans cannot assume that the Americans will stay forever.

EU-UK negotiations: No need to panic (yet)

Sam Lowe
12 June 2020
A deal between the EU and UK remains possible. But neither side is likely to compromise on its current negotiating position until later in the year, when the cost of failure will become significantly more tangible.

Hand-wringing for Hong Kong: What else can the EU do?

11 June 2020
The EU should not be indifferent to what is happening in Hong Kong. China’s willingness to violate Hong Kong’s autonomy is part of a pattern of increasingly confrontational behaviour.