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Eoin Drea

Atoning for Past Mistakes is not a Monetary Policy Strategy

The current European Central Bank (ECB) inflation strategy is predicated on the belief that current inflation levels (5% in the Eurozone) are a temporary occurrence.  A transitionary phase underpinned by what ECB Chief Economist Phillip Lane recently called a “pandemic cycle of inflation”. This narrative assumes that supply side shortages and energy price fluctuations will […]

18 January 2022

Tomi Huhtanen

Putin is Unlikely to Attack Ukraine – but Europe’s Complacency Would be Detrimental

The United States and Russia initiated a discussion on 10 January on European security and the Ukraine conflict, after Moscow demanded NATO commit to halting its expansion. Putin has already achieved an important goal: Russia has a principal seat at the negotiating table as Europe’s security architecture is being negotiated, without any other Europeans. For […]

10 January 2022

Dimitar Lilkov

The EU-US Trade & Technology Council: Red Light & Green Light

After years of political tensions, representatives from the United States and the European Union are trying to mend the transatlantic partnership and leverage it to address major global challenges. The inaugural joint meeting between the EU and the US on the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) took place in September 2021 and raised the bar of […]

20 December 2021

André P. Debattista

Prospects for the Conference on the Future of Europe

After its launch in May 2021, the Conference on the Future of Europe now finds itself needing somewhat of a boost. Intended as a participatory process to address the “collective future” of the European Union, the Conference wants to create a conversation on the Union’s future, backed by a tacit commitment that the European Commission, […]

16 December 2021

Irene Paolinelli

The Future of European Tourism

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism has been one of the most affected sectors at both the European and the global level. According to the recent annual Economic Trends Report conducted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism is the sector that saw the biggest economic collapse last year. In Europe, […]

07 December 2021

Dimitar Lilkov

COP26 in Glasgow: A Climate Cup Half Full for the International Community

A touching speech by a teenage activist. An ambitious pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A breakthrough agreement by world leaders to rein in rising global temperatures. These are not the key takeaways from the recent COP26 in Glasgow, but a mishmash of the last 30 years of global summits and pledges on climate change. […]

25 November 2021

Eoin Drea

Europe’s Monetary Policy Will Lead to a Populist Surge

For the European Central Bank (ECB), the inflation outlook seems quite clear. The factors underpinning current price rises – energy, supply bottlenecks and the temporary cut in German VAT rates – will all moderate, or end, in 2022. No further action is needed. Although prices are currently rising at a 4.1% annualised rate in the […]

23 November 2021

Stefano Riela

The APEC Summit and the Global Reflection of Pacific Issues

The excitement of in-person diplomacy ahead of the G20 summit in Rome (30-31 October) may put geopolitical tensions, epitomised by the US–China clash, on hold. However, a few days later (8 November), things may be different at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. In order to understand the reasons for this guess, let us make […]

26 October 2021

Constantine Arvanitopoulos

Transatlantic Relations After AUKUS

AUKUS was an agreement high on symbolism but low on substance. It symbolised the continuity of the “Pivot to Asia” policy through three successive Presidencies, from Obama, to Trump, to Biden. In terms of strategic substance, however, it did not add much to existent collective security arrangements. The US and Australia were already formally bound […]

21 October 2021

Maria Spyraki

In Putin’s Embrace or in Chaos?

It took the recent energy crisis for the European Union’s dependency on imported fossil fuels to make the headlines. Naturally, as long as the share of fossil fuels remains high in the energy mix of member states, the EU will continue to depend on external providers. The shock reactions within European markets and the European […]

19 October 2021

Oxana Schmies

Nord Stream 2 – No European Green Light

What does the completion of Nord Stream 2 signify for Europe? When will the pipeline become operational? What opportunities does it bring for the Kremlin’s geopolitical intentions? Destabilising Europe’s security remains Vladimir Putin’s central goal and the main concern of the pipeline’s opponents. Nord Stream 2 has yet to reveal its dangerous potential and the […]

12 October 2021

André P. Debattista

The Quest for a European ‘Soul’?

The State of the Union Address remains the most important annual statement by the European Commission. Yet, despite being broadcast on all the national television stations of Europe, it fails to generate the same level of enthusiasm (and newspaper column inches) as its equivalent speeches in the United States and Russia. Its theme – “Strengthening […]

05 October 2021

Panos Tasiopoulos

Eleftheria Katsi

Theo Larue

Sous le Ciel de Paris – A Promising Agreement is Born

Greek-French relations have deep roots. They were not always smooth and easy. However, the ties between both countries are based on a mutual cultural and historical appreciation. In modern times, this appreciation was shown on the tumultuous night of 24 July 1974, following the fall of the military junta, when the iconic Greek statesman, Konstantinos […]

01 October 2021

Álvaro de la Cruz

Why Sport Should be Europe’s Biggest Pride

The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games ended a few weeks ago with the EU as the world’s greatest sporting power once again, even post-Brexit. 24 out of 27 member states obtained medals in the Olympics, for a total of 288 – more than the USA, China, and Japan combined (the top 3). 85 […]

01 October 2021

Dimitar Lilkov

The Inherent Flaws in the EU’s Green Ambitions are Already Showing

In the last six months, energy prices have skyrocketed across the continent. European governments are already announcing multi-billon euro emergency measures in order to soften the blow for citizens. One of the reasons for the price surge is the growing demand for gas from industries and for power generation across the EU, as our economies […]

29 September 2021

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