European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
what think tanks are thinking
U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal [What Think Tanks are thinking]
President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that the United States was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement, ignoring calls from other signatories to preserve the 2015 deal, which lifted sanctions on Teheran in return for measures scaling back its nuclear ambitions. Continue reading
The Visegrad Group and the rule of law [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Political developments in the Visegrád Group countries have raised concern over the commitment of some of their leaders and senior politicians to European Union values, notably the rule of law. The Visegrád Group is an informal alliance of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, all of which joined the EU in 2004. Continue reading
Western Balkans [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union’s planned enlargement into the Western Balkans has recently drawn increased attention. In February 2018, the European Commission released its new enlargement strategy, giving a credible accession perspective to the region. The latest impetus came last month, when the Commission proposed opening entry talks with Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Continue reading
Cyber-security [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Cyber-security can be defined as the protection of computer systems and mobile devices from theft and damage to their hardware, software or information, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. Cyber-crime and cyber-attacks have become a growing threat to governments, businesses and individuals as digital technologies advance. Continue reading
The Future of Europe [What Think Tanks are thinking]
This note offers links to commentaries, studies and reports from major international think tanks on the state of the EU and possible reforms. Brexit-related publications can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think Tanks are thinking.’ Earlier papers on the general state of the EU are available in another edition in this series, published in September 2017. More reports on euro zone reforms are also gathered in another item of the series from December 2017. Continue reading
China [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The National People’s Congress has recently confirmed Xi Jinping as China’s President, along with several appointments of his allies to top state jobs. It has also approved amendments to China’s Constitution which, in particular, abolish the limit of two five-year terms for the office of the President, prompting concerns that the country is moving towards a more autocratic system. Continue reading
Trump, trade and tariffs [What Think Tanks are thinking]
U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, raising fears of a trade war with other countries. He has argued that the levies, of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium, are needed to protect U.S. national security. Continue reading
The long-term EU budget [What Think Tanks are thinking]
European Union leaders agreed at their informal meeting on 23 February that the EU should spend more after 2020 on curbing illegal migration, on defence and security, and on the Erasmus+ student-exchange programme. Continue reading
Migration [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union’s southern borders remain under pressure from irregular migrants escaping poverty and war in the Middle East and Africa. The 2016 agreement between the EU and Turkey significantly slowed the influx to Europe through Greece of people escaping the war in Syria. Continue reading
Resurgent Russia [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Russia is increasingly assertive in foreign and security policy, posing a challenge to the post-Cold War, rules-based international order. Following the annexation of Crimea, conflict with Ukraine and intervention in Syria, Russia stands accused of seeking to influence electoral outcomes in the United States and some European countries. Vladimir Putin looks set to be re-elected as Russian President later this month. Continue reading
President Trump’s record to date [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Donald Trump has made a number of highly controversial decisions during his first 13 months as US President – whether on foreign trade, climate change, migration, taxation or health care. Continue reading
The Platform Economy [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The digital revolution is reshaping the world, changing people’s habits in communication, work, leisure and politics. A major part of this revolution is the expansion of the economy based on digital platforms that match demand and supply for labour without an intermediation of traditional corporations. Continue reading
The EU’s next long-term budget [What Think Tanks are thinking]
European Union Member States and institutions are preparing to embark on negotiations on the EU’s next long-term budget, or Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), that will cover five or seven years, starting in January 2021. Continue reading
The Brexit process [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The EU’s Heads of State or Government gave the green light in December 2017 to the second phase of negotiations on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU. They agreed that ‘sufficient progress’ had been made in talks on issues in the first phase. Continue reading
The European Union: A year of hope [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The self-confidence of the European Union improved markedly during this last year after the ‘annus horibilis’ of 2016 when the EU faced a ‘poly-crisis’ of a shaky euro-zone economy, the Brexit vote, the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, migration pressures, growing Russian assertiveness and apparent foreign-policy drift. Continue reading
European defence [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union is moving closer to developing integrated European defence after 23 of its 28 Member States agreed in November on joint military investment in equipment, research and develop¬ment through Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), an enhanced-cooperation mechanism enshrined in the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. Continue reading
Euro-area reform [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The heads of state and government of the countries sharing the euro currency will hold a summit on 15 December 2017 to discuss ways to improve the functioning of the euro area. Continue reading
The EU’s Eastern Partnership [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union and its Eastern Partnership neighbours hold their fifth summit on 24 November 2017, to take stock of the eight-year-old cooperation programme and map ways to strengthen political and economic ties. Continue reading
The EU and Africa [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) will hold their fifth summit on 29-30 November 2017 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with the aim of strengthening political and economic relations between the two continents. Continue reading
COP 23: Climate change talks [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Representatives of nearly 200 countries started 11 days of talks on 6 November in Bonn, Germany, on how to further implement the 2015 Paris Agreement on tackling climate change. The United Nations’ climate meeting, COP 23, is part of global efforts to cut emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Continue reading
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