#atlanticdebrief by Europe Center
What is a new vision for a transatlantic approach to the Western Balkans? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How should transatlantic policymakers realize a bolder agenda for Africa? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How can Washington and Brussels get coordination right for Ukraine? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How can US-EU leadership approach the green transition? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How can Washington and Brussels close the gap on trade policy? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How can the transatlantic alliance leverage the EU as a defense power? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How can US-EU defense cooperation be enhanced? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
How can policymakers navigate between data war and peace? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission
How can the US and EU build a better China and Indo-Pacific strategy? As Europe and the United States navigate leadership change and turnover on both sides of the Atlantic, the Europe Center's new report Transatlantic Horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond offers a productive vision for transatlantic relations with forward-looking policy recommendations for the next US administration and European Commission.
2025 will be a vital year for Poland. For the first six months of the year, Poland will hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. By May 2025, Poles will vote for the next President to succeed Andrzej Duda. Going into this critical year, what is Poland's future foreign policy vision? How has Poland's strategic outlook and role in Europe shifted after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine? How can the NATO alliance overcome friction on coordinating aid to Ukraine and defense spending? And what is the role of municipal governments in augmenting broader security objectives, such as protecting critical infrastructure or accelerating Europe's energy transition?
What can we expect from a potential Harris presidency when it comes to transatlantic relations? Would a Harris administration take a similar Atlanticist approach to US foreign policy as the Biden administration? And in what ways would a Harris administration differ from the Biden administration on transatlantic issues? How would a Harris administration approach balancing support for NATO with a need for Europe to take a more active role in transatlantic security?
What do the 2024 Paris Olympic Games mean for France? What is the overall impression of the Paris Olympics so far? What sort of values and principles does France want to showcase to the world by hosting? And how will France pass the torch to the United States for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?
Where does Europe stand on the green agenda? Are concerns over a wide spread "greenlash" in Europe exaggerated? Why did climate policy not play as much of a significant role in the last European Parliament elections compared to the elections in 2019? Under her next Commission mandate, will Commission President von der Leyen bring continuity on climate change policy in the EU?
Climate change cost estimates by 2049 will be close to $40 trillion per year for countries such as Germany and the United States. How is Germany managing both the scale of the climate problem and related economic costs? What is the German government doing to get citizens onboard to support climate change policies? What is the role of technological innovation in Germany when it comes to combatting climate change? And what is Germany doing to decarbonize its industrial sector? What role can a post-war Ukraine play in the green energy sector in Europe, and what are the possibilities for bilateral energy trade between Ukraine and Germany?
On July 18, former US President Donald Trump accepted his party's nomination as the Republican presidential nominee for the November election together with his running mate, J.D. Vance. Both politicians share an isolationist vision for US foreign policy that could have serious implications for European security.
On July 7, French voters headed to the polls in the second round of the French elections. The results showed the left and green party alliance winning the most votes, Macron's Ensemble Party coming in second, and Le Pen's far-right National Rally coming in a surprise third. No election contender was able to win a clear-cut majority, however. What does the result of the election mean for the political landscape in France and the ability of President Macron to govern?
On July 4, Britons head to the polls to elect a new parliament. If the polls are correct, this election could bring an end to 14 consecutive years of Conservative Party rule. The Labour Party is expected to win big, and the Liberal Democrats and Green Party are expected to make electoral gains. What is behind these electoral dynamics and trends? What are the key issues driving voter sentiment? What is the future of the UK's right-wing politics?
What are the key takeaways from the first round of the French parliamentary elections? Why was voter turnout so high? Will the left and center blocs be able to form tactical alliances in the upcoming runoff elections? What are the implications of a hung Parliament for France's foreign policy agenda? What would the dynamics between President Macron and National Rally look like?
What prompted President Macron's decision to resolve parliament and initiate snap elections? Would a cohabitation with a far-right Prime Minister be a likely scenario? How might the potential political change affect France's foreign policy, in particular regarding the support for Ukraine? What do these developments mean for Macron's support of European Commission President von der Leyen?
Between June 6 and 9, EU voters head to the polls to elect 720 members of the European parliament, who will play a key role in shaping the EU's politics and policies for the next five years. What are the key issues driving voters in these European elections? What parties are expected to make the most gains and losses? And how will Europe's far-right parties perform? How might the results of these elections impact the future of the EU's policymaking agenda?
What is the outcome of the Portuguese national election? Are there signs pointing to a decrease in support for far-left parties in Portugal? What will be the first big test for the new government? What is the future of Portuguese foreign policy making particularly as it relates to transatlantic relations?
Are we witnessing a deepening confluence of domestic campaign and foreign policy messaging on both sides of the aisle in the United States? How do transatlantic relations play into these different factions within the Republican party that might be divided on US foreign policy? Have European institutions such as NATO and the EU become to some degree targets in the US presidential election?
What are the key dynamics and trends in the upcoming European elections? What's the future of the EU's legislative agenda? What are the main challenges for the EU as it pursues its long-term ambitions in the defense area? With the upcoming US elections, what can and should Europe be doing to fireproof the transatlantic relationship?
What are Poland's top priorities for its relationship with the EU? How can Poland urge Europe to step up its support for Ukraine? Why is the Weimar triangle important to the new Polish government and where is the relationship between France, Germany, and Poland headed? What are the key issues for Poland in the upcoming European elections in June? With the US elections on the horizon, what is Poland's role in securing transatlantic ties?
During the special European Council (EUCO) summit, EU27 leaders approved the €50 billion Ukraine funding package: the Ukraine Facility. How were EU leaders able to carry the deal over the finish line and convince Hungary's Viktor Orban who was threatening to tank the deal? How did the EU's decision send a strong signal to the United States? What is the future of the EU's defense initiatives and military aid to Ukraine, especially with the US elections on the horizon?
What are China's economic trends and how do they impact Europe and the United States? Can Europe convince China to stop dumping cheaper exports onto the European market? What was the outcome of the recent EU-China summit? Is the window for action for the EU closing? When it comes to the green transition, will China continue to dominate the green manufacturing market? What does this mean for both US and European green industries?
On December 14-15, EU27 leaders met for the final European Council (EUCO) meeting of the year. At the EUCO summit, the Council approved opening accession negotiations with Ukraine. What does this decision mean for Ukraine and the EU? In what ways does the EU's unanimity rule on foreign policy issues impact the EU's role as a geopolitical actor? Can we expect much next year on the EU's reform and enlargement debates with the European elections in early June?
The EU reached a political agreement on the AI Act, becoming the first in the world to set comprehensive rules on the regulation of AI technologies. With the political agreement in place, a final agreement will need to be ratified by the European Parliament and Council. What is the most important achievement of the EU's AI Act? What was the most difficult compromise in the trialogue negotiations? What impact will the regulation have on innovation in Europe? Where did the trialogues end up on key issues such as facial recognition and biometric surveillance? What influence will the regulation have on the global regulatory landscape? Will similar legislation be adopted elsewhere?
The EU reached a political agreement on the AI Act, becoming the first in the world to set comprehensive rules on the regulation of AI technologies. With the political agreement in place, a final agreement will need to be ratified by the European Parliament and Council. What is the most important achievement of the EU’s AI Act? What was the most difficult compromise in the trialogue negotiations? What impact will the regulation have on innovation in Europe? Where did the trialogues end up on key issues such as facial recognition and biometric surveillance? What influence will the regulation ha...
The United Kingdom's landmark Online Safety Act (OSA)—imposing obligations on user-to-user online services and search engines—received royal assent last month. What is the OSA designed to achieve? What are the types of companies in scope and how does the UK communications regulator, Ofcom, plan to ensure that platforms and search engines comply? How will Ofcom address issues of encryption, age assurance and right to privacy? And how will Ofcom work with other regulators in the UK and around the globe around these common issues?
The UK's Online Safety Bill was approved by the UK Parliament on Tuesday—a landmark piece of legislation in the UK's digital and tech policymaking post-Brexit. Who is impacted by the legislation and does it cover the entire Internet or just certain types of services? How will the legislation be enforced and what is the impact on smaller platforms? Concerns have been raised that the bill could cause real problems for some services including encrypted messaging apps. Is Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, up to the challenge?
What's the best way to think about European identity and the EU? How do concepts of civic and ethnic nationalism play out in Europe today? As far-right parties increasingly reject Euroscepticism, how might the political landscape in the EU change? What could this mean for next year's European elections?
To what extent are we witnessing the rise of the far-right in Europe? What is driving European voters to support far-right candidates? As we gear up for the European Parliament elections next year, what do these political shifts mean for the European project as a whole?
What is the European Economic Security Strategy and what are its key priorities? Where does the EU and United States align and converge when it comes to approaches to "de-risking"? Is Europe's economic relationship with China starting to shift?
What do the results of Spain's snap election mean for Spanish politics and Spain's EU Council presidency? What explains the performance of Spain's main political parties and the discrepancy in pre-election polls? Are the results of the election reflective of a divided Spanish society?
What is the role of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and why is it important? What are the ITU's priorities on key issues relating to critical and emerging technologies? How does the ITU engage multi-stakeholder partnerships on these issues and what ways is the organization working closely with transatlantic partners and allies?
What's behind the EU's push to regulate AI? What will the legislation require of companies who develop AI systems? With the trialogues underway, what are some of the key issues that will dominate interinstitutional negotiations? How did the introduction of ChatGPT change the way the European Parliament was looking at regulating AI? And what's the relationship between regulation and innovation when it comes to AI technologies?
What were the main outcomes from the recent European Council summit? Why are European Council summits important? How did EU leaders come together to address the latest European issues from Russia's war in Ukraine, de-risking from China, and migration?
What were the main takeaways from the second round of the Greek parliamentary elections? What were the key political cleavages driving Greek voters? What are the implications of these elections on the future of democracy in Greece? And how will the new government seek to work with Europe and the United States as Greece continues to tackle challenges from climate change to migration?
What is the state of the US-Polish relationship today? What are the challenges and opportunities present in the bilateral relationship? In what ways has the Polish view towards defense and security shifted over the past 30 years? What role can Poland play in the reconstruction of Ukraine?
How has Poland's support for Ukrainian refugees helped Ukraine's war effort? What's the situation on the ground in Kyiv?
How does the convergence of geopolitics, hard security, and technology—accelerated by Russia's illegal war in Ukraine and China's challenges to the rules-based international order—impact Denmark and Europe's economic policies and outlook? From Denmark's point of view, does Europe have the right industrial policy response, including the loosening of state aid rules at the EU level? What are Denmark's priorities to address potential "fragmentation" in the EU's single market? How is Demark working to support Ukraine's fight against Russia and Ukraine's future reconstruction?
As the 2024 presidential election season starts, will Europe and transatlantic relations become campaign issues? How have partisan positions on the United States' role in Europe and transatlantic relations evolved? And how have US domestic policies had unintended foreign policy consequences, such as with the Inflation Reduction Act?
What is the view from Ireland's Sinn Fein party on the state of the Good Friday Agreement, as 2023 marks twenty-five years since its signing? Is the Windsor Framework satisfactory to settle the dispute over the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland? Where does the future hold for the relationship between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland? How does Ireland perceive Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a historically neutral country, and what is the role for countries like Ireland to play in the war?
What is the view from Warsaw on support for Ukraine and Europe's new security environment? What did President Biden's visit to Kyiv and Warsaw mean practically and symbolically for US and transatlantic support against Russia's war? Is a geopolitical power shift in Europe trending towards NATO and the EU's eastern flank? How influential is Poland in convincing allies to commit to greater security assurances for Ukraine?
What are Sweden's main policy priorities during its EU Council Presidency? How will Sweden, as one of Europe's more free trading nations, navigate the turn to industrial policy in Europe and lead the charge in boosting European competitiveness? What ways is the European Union changing to adapt to an uncertain geopolitical and economic future? How influential is the EU Council Presidency and how will Sweden lead in Europe on issues, including Ukraine, the green transition, trade, security and democracy?
How does France view its own role in Europe on Ukraine? Has President Macron's position as an alleged "mediator" with Russia changed since the beginning of the invasion? What is public opinion in France on the government's response to Russia's war? And how is France responding to talk of a pending geopolitical shift to Europe's East?
Where does Germany stand as both a geopolitical and military actor in Europe? How instrumental was Germany's role in the tank debate to convince the United States to send its Abrams? Are Germany's efforts on military support for Ukraine minimized by the government's poor communication strategy? What does the German public think about Germany's new role as a more forward leaning actor?
What is the future of Ukraine's relationship with the European Union? How much integration between the EU and Ukraine can we expect in the coming months to years? Is membership in the EU in the near, medium, or even long-term future for Ukraine, and what will have to happen in order to achieve that?
Where is Europe headed on industrial policy? Could the loosening of state aid rules risk fragmentation of the EU's single market? How can the European Union manage the risks associated with decoupling from China? What plans does the European Union have in place to diversify its chips industry?
What is the state of Germany's Zeitenwende? What will the government shake up with the new German defense minister, Boris Pistorius, mean for German foreign and defense policy? How will Germany's support for Ukraine continue to evolve? What are Germany's plans for European cooperation on defense issues?
What are some of the Europe Center's key takeaways for Europe and transatlantic relations in 2022? Looking back at this year, what were some of our favorite debrief episodes and speakers? As the Euro-Atlantic faces crises on multiple fronts, what predictions can we make for 2023?
What were the key takeaways from the year-end European Council summit? What were the main wins and roadblocks as the Union heads into the new year? Should the EU be worried about countries like Hungary and Poland continuing to leverage their veto power and exert pressure on European decision-making? What are the potential impacts of the Qatar corruption scandal in the European Parliament to public trust in European institutions and European unity as a whole? What plans are developing in the EU to boost competitiveness and address the US Inflation Reduction Act? What impact will this have on transatlantic trade relations and cooperation in general?
As French President Emmanuel Macron heads to the United States for a state visit, what is the state of US-French relations? A year after the AUKUS agreement and subsequent diplomatic fallout, how important is the state visit—President Biden's first—for US-French relations? How will the United States and France stay united in their efforts against Russia's illegal war in Ukraine while managing differences in approach towards an increasingly assertive China? How much can we anticipate the US Inflation Reduction Act will impact not only US-French and US-European trade relations but also cooperation more broadly?
What are the driving forces pushing cooperation in transatlantic trade and tech, and what are the issues pulling cooperation further apart? What can we expect from the upcoming third meeting of the US-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in December? Established to support greater coordination of approaches in the global trade and technology space, will the TTC translate coordination into action? What will the impact of trade irritants and accusations of protectionism from both Brussels and Washington be on cooperation in the digital space? What role does European digital sovereignty play in this dynamic? What is the view of digital sovereignty in EU member states?
How does Europe view China in the wake of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party? Are European countries reevaluating their relationships with China? How is the conversation evolving in countries like Germany which is reckoning with the consequences of its dependence on Russia? What will Europe's political and business relationship with China be in the future?
How will Germany's evolution in its foreign and security policy following Russia's invasion of Ukraine be received by Germany's Central and Eastern European neighbors? Can Germany improve its relationships with its European allies in the east, and can Central and Eastern Europeans count on German leadership in Europe? As Russia's war in Ukraine continues, can Germany grow into a leadership role in Europe?
What is the current state of Germany's China policy ahead of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's trip to Beijing next month? What can we expect from the German Foreign Ministry's new China strategy, and how might China's leverage on Germany's economic policy impact its development? How far is the Chancellery willing to take a stance on China in light of Germany's strategic dependencies?
What is the current scene in Europe on the struggle between European integration and Euroscepticism? What do Italy and Sweden's elections mean for European unity and cooperation, particularly in the face of Russian aggression? Should Europe be expecting a resurgence of populism or the far-right in Europe?
On Wednesday, September 14, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her 2022 State of the European Union to share her view of the EU's year and plot out the year ahead. How does the President of the European Commission see the state of the European Union amid a historic year?
How have tensions over the last few years shaped Europe's view of the US-European relationship? In the midst of historic unity between Europe and the United States, uncertainty still remains a key worry across Europe about the future of transatlantic relations.
