Research

Russia, the EU and the common neighbourhood

Russia, the EU and the common neighbourhood

Dmitri Trenin
02 September 2005
Throughout the 1990s, Russia tended to underestimate the impact of the EU's forthcoming eastward enlargement. Compared with NATO's expansion into post-Communist territory, EU enlargement looked like the lesser evil.
Germany's foreign policy

Germany's foreign policy: What lessons can be learned from the Schröder years?

02 September 2005
The German general election on September 18th 2005 is of massive interest to people all over the world. Because Germany is a large and influential EU member, its foreign policy matters not only to other European countries, but also those further afield, such as the Americans, the Russians and the Chinese.
Why Europe should embrace Turkey

Why Europe should embrace Turkey

Katinka Barysch, Steven Everts, Heather Grabbe
01 September 2005
A majority of voters in the EU, and many politicians, oppose Turkish accession. The essays in this report examine the fears concerning Turkey's membership and argue that many of them are misplaced.
The EU budget: A way forward

The EU budget: A way forward

John Peet is Europe editor of The Economist.
01 September 2005
Many of the bitterest arguments in the European Union have been about money. That is partly because the budget is inherently a zero-sum game: more for one country means less for others.
Consumers and EU competition policy

Consumers and EU competition policy

Alasdair Murray
01 September 2005
An effective competition policy is vital to the long-term health of the European economy. Competition increases the incentives for firms to reduce costs, cut prices and improve the quality of their products.
Crunch time on Iran: Five ways out of a nuclear crisis

Crunch time on Iran: Five ways out of a nuclear crisis

Mark Leonard
01 August 2005
For the last few weeks Iran has been openly flirting with the idea of developing nuclear weapons. The European Union, under the leadership of Britain, France and Germany, has been trying to stop it.
Liberal versus social Europe

Liberal versus social Europe

Katinka Barysch
01 August 2005
Europe is in the grip of a fundamental debate about its economic future, or at least that is what some politicians and many journalists would have us believe.
A bad European dream

A bad European dream

Daniel Keohane
01 August 2005
On a grey Thursday morning in June 2006, Lee Barker, a 29-year-old Midlands businessman, was packing his bags to go to Germany.
Europe’s social dilemma

Europe’s social dilemma

Alasdair Murray
01 August 2005
Of all the items on the agenda of the British EU presidency, perhaps the least expected is a debate on ‘social Europe’. Tired of being crudely caricatured as ‘neoliberal’, Tony Blair has invited EU leaders to an informal summit in October to discuss the future of Europe’s social model.
Bulletin issue 43

Issue 43 - 2005

Katinka Barysch, Daniel Keohane, Alasdair Murray
29 July 2005
The economics of Turkish accession

The economics of Turkish accession

Katinka Barysch
01 July 2005
Countries that want to join the EU need to comply with four accession criteria: One is political, one is related to EU law and two concern economics.
Unshackling services is the key to Europe's economic future

Unshackling services is the key to Europe's economic future

Digby Jones
03 June 2005
In the last edition of the CER Bulletin, John Monks, secretary-general of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), wrote an interesting and engaging - but in my view incorrect - article on the Commission's draft directive for opening up EU services markets.
When the dust settles

When the dust settles

Alasdair Murray
03 June 2005
The French and Dutch rejections of the constitutional treaty throw into stark relief the divisions between two groups of EU countries. On one side are countries - including Britain, Ireland, the Nordic three plus the majority of the new member-states - who (crudely put) favour a more economically liberal and diverse European Union.
The June European Council: Fear and loathing in Brussels?

The June European Council: Fear and loathing in Brussels?

Hugo Brady
01 June 2005
The French and Dutch No votes on the EU constitutional treaty have rocked Europe's political establishment. The EU's heads of government will debate the future of the document at their summit – and the equally fractious issue of the EU's budget – in Brussels on 16 June 2005.
Europe beyond the referendums file thumbnail

Europe beyond the referendums

01 June 2005
The French and Dutch have not only stopped the passage of the constitutional treaty, but also, quite probably, the wave of European integration that began 20 years ago with Jacques Delors, the single market and the Single European Act.
Bulletin issue 42

Issue 42 - 2005

Charles Grant, Digby Jones, Alasdair Murray
27 May 2005
The EU and counter-terrorism

The EU and counter-terrorism

Daniel Keohane
06 May 2005
Ever since terrorist bombs killed nearly 200 people in Madrid in March 2004, EU politicians have argued for greater European co-operation in fighting terrorism.
Embracing the dragon

Embracing the dragon: The EU's partnership with China

02 May 2005
The EU is now China's biggest trading partner. European companies are ploughing billions of euro into the booming Chinese market. The EU offers Beijing help in areas such as fighting pollution and writing better laws.
Don't forget the Dutch referendum

Don't forget the Dutch referendum

Daniel Keohane
02 May 2005
Three days after the French vote on the EU constitutional treaty on 29 May 2005 the Netherlands will hold its referendum. Current opinion polls predict that the Dutch will reject the treaty.
What happens if France votes No?

What happens if France votes No?

02 May 2005
In just over two weeks France will hold a referendum on the EU constitutional treaty. The outcome of the 29 May 2005 referendum remains on a knife-edge with the latest polls suggesting the country is split down the middle.