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.
Shifting geopolitical dynamics and new challenges make it imperative for the EU to enhance its efforts to build resilience in its Eastern neighbourhood. The EU can do that by pursuing a more strategic approach in three countries in the region – Moldova, Georgia and Armenia.
Despite two decades of progress, Somalia remains fragile. Funding for the newly established African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia is yet to materialise, while fragmented donor engagement jeopardises state-building efforts. To avert a security vacuum, the EU...
The Lukashenka regime in Belarus remains a brutal and repressive dictatorship. Moreover, Moscow’s increased foothold in Belarus presents growing security challenges for the EU, and a frozen conflict in Ukraine could further exacerbate those risks. How can the EU navigate this...
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a tool but not a silver bullet in the fight against climate change. The EU should harness CCS technology to become the world’s carbon banking hub and setter of the global CO2 price.
The EU must redefine energy security by moving beyond a narrow focus on supply and adopting a holistic system-wide approach. Reliance on fossil fuels makes Europe vulnerable to external pressures and costly imports, while a shift to renewables would enhance security, lower costs...
The latest actions of the Trump 2.0 administration have heightened fears about a dwindling US commitment to Europe. But US abandonment could manifest in different ways – as a bargaining chip or as a policy goal. To prepare for all possible scenarios, the EU and its Member States...
Russia’s intensified involvement in West Africa, particularly in the Central Sahel, is reshaping the region’s strategic landscape and undermining Western influence. By closely monitoring media-based proxy measures of Russian engagement, EU policymakers can better detect early...
The Indo-Pacific is rapidly emerging as the world’s geopolitical and economic centre of gravity. To regain relevance, amid concerns about its long-term commitment to the region, and Southeast Asia in particular, Europe needs to recalibrate its approach and step up its engagement.
The EU needs to assume ‘strategic responsibility’ in defence, and there is now growing political support for higher EU-level defence spending. This Brief examines how the EU can develop and fund capabilities of common interest at the European level – capabilities that individual...
The Gulf of Guinea’s resources, economic potential and strategic location make it a vital area for maritime security. While piracy has declined, threats like illegal fishing, trafficking and terrorism persist. This Brief presents three scenarios with recommendations for the EU to...
