Commentaries
For a big picture strategic review: simplicity and realism
In this first of a five-part series on the place of defence in the future EU Global Strategy, Jolyon Howorth makes the case for a more realistic strategic review based on […]
Publications
Facing the fourth foreign fighters wave. What drives Europeans to Syria, and to Islamic state? Insights from the Belgian case
Thousands of young Europeans have gone to fight in the Levant, the fourth wave of jihadi foreign fighters since the 1980s. Their decision is rooted in a ‘no future’ subculture […]
Commentaries
A Belgian contribution to an operation in Libya?
Participating in a potential peacekeeping or capacity-building operation in Libya will put extra pressure on Belgium’s defence budget – and on its forces. An opportunity perhaps to re-think the presence […]
Commentaries
Green Diplomacy Network – what is in a name?
Despite the great potential in combining national and community resources, the external representation of the European Union often remains fragmented. The Green Diplomacy Network has come to embody a unique […]
Commentaries
Germany’s new Ostpolitik finds ways to engage with Russia
Ostpolitik was considered synonymous with West Germany’s foreign policy during the Cold War. This foreign policy doctrine was developed by Chancellor Willy Brandt to give more strategic options and flexibility […]
The EU–China Bilateral Investment Agreement: Between high hopes and real challenges
In 2012, negotiations over an EU–China bilateral investment agreement were launched to fully tap into the potential of bilateral investments.