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Briefs

Raising awareness of both existing and emerging foreign and security policy challenges facing the European Union, EUISS Briefs provide key information in a concise, focused format.

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    27June 2014
    The Arab War(s) on Terror
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    As Islamic extremists continue their advance across Iraq, this Brief takes stock of terrorism-related developments in the Middle East and North Africa. What factors explain the escalation in terror attacks? And what steps – legal or otherwise – are governments taking to counter the ‘jihadi highway’ that now spans the region?

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    20June 2014
    Visions of North-East Asia – China, Japan, Korea and the EU
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    With the need for security and stability in North-East Asia rarely having been more pressing than now, this Brief explores those initiatives – such as the NAPCI – that seek to overcome (or just manage and contain) regional divisions. Can the EU help close the "Pandora’s box" before it is too late?

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    13June 2014
    Energising TTIP: diversification through trade?
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    Trade has often been touted as an area where Washington and European capitals – with a little help from Brussels – could create common ground. While regulatory challenges abound, what role does energy play in the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership?

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    06June 2014
    Somalia’s federal agenda: from fragility to fragmentation?
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    This Brief looks at the emerging functional federal structures of a country long considered a quintessential ‘failed state’. Why is it that lasting peace and stability remain elusive? And how can the international community best assist the Federal Government of Somalia translate recent security gains into political and developmental progress?

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    28May 2014
    Ukraine: four crises, one country
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    This Brief assesses the array of challenges facing Ukraine as it attempts to maintain territorial unity and reform its oligarchic economy. Despite the turmoil that has plagued the country in recent months, can its new president, Petro Poroshenko, now embark on a mission to save the state?

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    16May 2014
    China’s way: the new Silk Road
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    This Brief examines China’s attempts to recreate the ancient trade route and the rationale(s) behind the project. Is it simply a move to counter Russian influence or does Beijing also have real and tangible interests to defend in Central Asia?

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    16May 2014
    Breaking new ground: EU-US cooperation in crisis management
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    With EU and US cooperation in crisis management going from strength to strength – particularly on the African continent – this Brief provides an overview of the successes to date, and displays how the evolution of the Union’s CSDP is allowing for a stronger transatlantic partnership in the realm of international security.

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    16April 2014
    One size to fit all? Setting standards for European defence
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    At present, the European defence market is fragmented and characterised by a plethora of national standards. But with the need for defence standardisation becoming increasingly critical in an era marked by declining defence expenditure, what steps can be taken to ensure success?

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    28March 2014
    China’s energy demands: are they reshaping the world?
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    Following the rise of China’s economy and subsequent discussions on the efficient use of resources, this Brief examines how China is seeking to manage its growing import dependency through diversification. With the EU and China becoming the world’s two most important energy importers, what effect will this have on the global energy markets?

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    21March 2014
    The Eurasian Customs Union: the economics and the politics
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    This Brief examines the attempts by the Kremlin to establish a rival to the European Union in the post-Soviet sphere. But given Russia’s overwhelming dominance, do other post-Soviet states wholeheartedly share Moscow’s vision? And what can the EU do to ensure that the country adheres to the rules of the WTO and respects its neighbours’ political sovereignty?

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