Research

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A French lesson for Europe?

A French lesson for Europe? A guide to the referenda on the EU constitutional treaty

Daniel Keohane
01 April 2005
On 29 May 2005 France will hold the second of ten national referenda on the EU constitutional treaty. The 25 EU governments have until November 2006 to ratify the treaty.
What new transatlantic institutions? file thumbnail

What new transatlantic institutions?

Charles Grant, Mark Leonard
01 April 2005
Earlier this year, Gerhard Schröder caused a stir with a speech to the Munich Security Conference. When he said that NATO was no longer the forum for top level strategic discussions between Europeans and Americans he was stating the obvious.
Clumsy politics on services

Clumsy politics on services

John Monks
01 April 2005
It may be too early to read the last rites for the EU's proposed services directive. But even the strongest supporters of the directive, which seeks to liberalise services ranging from estate agents to employment firms, must now see that the prospects for its introduction are bleak.
The EU's common fisheries policy: The case for reform, not abolition

The EU's common fisheries policy: The case for reform, not abolition

Aurore Wanlin
01 April 2005
During the British general election campaign, political parties have found the EU's common fisheries policy (CFP) a temptingly soft target.
One year after enlargement

One year after enlargement

Katinka Barysch
01 April 2005
When the EU took in ten more countries in May 2004, many people across Europe feared that an enlargement of that size would wreak havoc in the European economy and bring EU decision-making to a halt.
Bulletin issue 41

Issue 41 - 2005

Charles Grant, Katinka Barysch, Mark Leonard, John Monks
25 March 2005