• Bulletin article by Daniel Keohane , 01 August 2003

    The EU has lost its military virginity. At the request of the UN, the EU sent 1,500 troops to Congo at the beginning of June 2003. The Congo mission is significant for two reasons: it is both the first autonomous EU mission - one that does not rely on NATO's help - and the EU's first military operation outside Europe.

  • Briefing note by Steven Everts, Heather Grabbe, 14 May 2003

    The EU urgently needs a security strategy. At present the notion of a credible European foreign policy provokes derisive laughter – and not just in Washington. What Europe lacks, even more than military capabilities, is a shared vision of today's security threats and adequate policy responses.

  • Briefing note by Daniel Keohane, 04 April 2003

    Europe has many lessons to learn from the Iraq crisis. Politically, Europe is divided between "old" (those countries that opposed the Iraq war) and "new" (those that supported the war). Europe’s lack of military muscle compared to the Americans was exposed by the short Iraq campaign.

  • Briefing note by Charles Grant, 07 February 2003

    The emergency EU summit on Iraq has produced a useful statement on what unites Europeans in their dealing with the Iraq crisis. After the very public squabbling of recent days and weeks, EU leaders pulled back from the brink and decided to underline the common ground between them.

  • Bulletin article by Steven Everts, 03 February 2003

    The EU member-states are deeply divided over Iraq. But on the other great issue of the Middle East the Israel-Palestine conflict they have an increasingly common perspective.

  • Bulletin article by David Hannay , 01 October 2002

    No one who has lived through the recent weeks of international crisis over Iraq can doubt that making a reality out of Europe's Common Foreign and Security Policy is both one of the highest priorities for the European Union and one of the most difficult tasks it faces.

  • Bulletin article by Daniel Keohane, 01 October 2002

    The EU's attempt to create a viable defence policy ­ born of Franco British parentage at Saint Malo four years ago ­ has, so far, made only limited progress.

  • Policy brief by Steven Everts, 03 May 2002

    If Europe’s leaders want the EU to play a meaningful role in global diplomacy, they must implement a series of fundamental reforms. At a minimum, they should abolish the rotating presidency, create a new Foreign Policy Council and give a right of initiative to the High Representative for foreign policy, currently Javier Solana.