Europe
Europe is described here in a geographical sense. It is not limited to the European Union, and includes, for example, the United Kingdom and the Balkans. It remains central to international relations.
Related Subjects
From Protest to Power? The AfD Ahead of the Eastern State Elections
The September state elections will test the AfD’s transition from protest force to potential governing power amid growing political fragmentation and dissatisfaction with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his coalition. While firmly established in eastern Germany, the AfD is also gaining ground in the west, raising questions about coalition-building and the future direction of German politics.
quoted by Assiah Hamed in The New Arab
"The US’s Trojan horse in Europe": Rheinmetall, the German defence giant with an insatiable appetite
Top secret. Land, sea, air and even space… Armin Papperger, the very powerful head of the German defence group, has grand ambitions—to the point of irritating France.
Europe Express: Macron and Merz move on from fighter jet heartbreak
The threat of a Le Pen presidency has provided an incentive for Paris and Berlin to come together.
Rethinking Global Imbalances
Today’s global imbalances, starting with China's massive trade surplus, are not simply the result of poor macroeconomic coordination. Rather, they reflect long-term strategic thinking and a departure from the bias toward openness on which the postwar trade order was built.
The Nuanced Relationship Between Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Public sentiment is something decision-makers must contend with, especially in democratic states. However, the extent to which public opinion shapes foreign policy varies. Three Council of Councils experts in France, India, and Nigeria reflect on how public opinion does—and sometimes does not—affect foreign policy decisions.
France and Germany seek to showcase military cooperation after FCAS collapse
President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz were to hold a joint defense council and the traditional French-German Council of Ministers on Friday in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Taking the Pulse: Enough with the Annual NATO Summits, Already?
Over the past ten years, NATO has held almost as many summits as it did during the entirety of the Cold War. Are they still useful, or is it time to stop holding annual meetings?
The Transfer Paradox. Rethinking Global Imbalances
Global imbalances have come back to the top of the policy agenda. Many analyses and reports have been produced over recent months. The standard prescription involves better coordination of macroeconomic policies, with three familiar recommendations: higher consumption in China, higher investment in Europe, and fiscal consolidation in the United States.
France-Germany: Overcoming Differences to Strengthen European Sovereignty
The Franco-German “reset” launched with Friedrich Merz’s appointment as Chancellor in May 2025 and given concrete form at the Franco-German Council of Ministers (FGCM) in Toulon in August 2025 was intended to address the structural challenges affecting the bilateral relationship. Yet it is clear that these ambitions have only been partially translated into concrete action. Since the beginning of 2026, Franco-German relations have entered a phase in which short-term challenges have combined with deeper divergences over priorities, policy approaches, and strategic culture.
How does France’s nuclear deterrent contribute to the defense of Europe?
France’s nuclear deterrent, serving first and foremost to defend France’s vital interests, also contributes to the defense of Europe. This contribution has been recognized within the North Atlantic Alliance since 1974, but remains little known. In a speech closely followed by France’s European partners and its adversaries alike, President Emmanuel Macron announced a new concept for French nuclear deterrence: “forward deterrence” (dissuasion avancée). This article aims to explain the origins of this concept, outline its main pillars, and describe the partnerships that are sought. It then discusses the relationship with the U.S. doctrine of “extended deterrence”, and finally offers some ethical considerations.
Democratic Anchor, Pragmatic Reach
Despite facing their own democratic challenges, including political fragmentation, rising populism, and electoral uncertainty, European countries retain valuable experience in democratic resilience.
Japan’s Defense Industry Goes Global: Ambitions and Challenges
Fragmented Europe: Dealing with China as a technology and innovation power
How is Europe navigating China’s ascension as a technological power? The latest report by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC) provides a nuanced account of a converging, yet still fragmented approach across 22 countries.
Germany in the Shadow of the United States, Russia, and China – Systemic Paradigm Shifts
Since reunification, Germany has built its prosperity on an international order based on free trade, multilateralism, and geopolitical stability. This model relied on three relationships considered complementary: U.S. military protection, Russian energy supplies, and economic integration with China. For several decades, Berlin viewed these interdependencies as factors contributing to peace, growth, and security.
How to Make European e-SAF Production under RefuelEU Aviation Fly?
Three and a half years before the scheduled entry into force of the European regulation ReFuelEU Aviation (RFEUA), which requires aviation fuel suppliers at Union airports to offer a sustainable synthetic alternative (e-SAF), no sizeable commercial production unit (greater than 10,000 tons per year) is active within Europe yet, nor has it even passed the Final Investment Decision (FID). Is a major step in the European Union (EU) plans for decarbonizing air transport at risk of not happening, or at least being postponed for several years? Is Europe losing its bet to create a market for e-SAF? Under what conditions can this bet still be won? Could sovereignty and energy security preoccupations unlock necessary public support and help to overcome economic, financial, logistical or administrative obstacles?
Replay - Geopolitical Stakes of the New Moon Race
As the United States, China, and India solidify their lunar ambitions, Europe is still seeking to define its stance: should it be a reliable partner or an autonomous strategic player? This conference examines the stakes of this new race to the Moon and Europe’s interest in asserting itself as a lunar power through partnerships, industrial ambitions, and whether its participation in the new lunar race serves as a lever for strategic autonomy and internal cohesion, or an illustration of its dependence.
France and EU Enlargement: From Strategic Hesitation to a Geopolitical Shift
Paris has come a long way in its approach to enlarging the European Union. However, French support remains fragile, due in part to a lack of public support.
The European Biomethane Sector at a Critical Juncture: Stronger Policy Alignment Will Matter
The European biomethane sector is at a critical juncture.
Framework Nation: A European Challenge and French Ambition
First appearing in the early 2000s, the framework nation concept follows several distinct rationales, whether it refers to a country assuming the leadership of a military operation, directing a multinational capability project, or commanding a permanent force structure. In every case, the country that takes on this role fully intends to derive from it additional politico-military influence.
Japan’s Defense Industry Goes Global: Ambitions and Challenges
Germany in the Shadow of the United States, Russia, and China – Systemic Paradigm Shifts
Since reunification, Germany has built its prosperity on an international order based on free trade, multilateralism, and geopolitical stability. This model relied on three relationships considered complementary: U.S. military protection, Russian energy supplies, and economic integration with China. For several decades, Berlin viewed these interdependencies as factors contributing to peace, growth, and security.
Fragmented Europe: Dealing with China as a technology and innovation power
How is Europe navigating China’s ascension as a technological power? The latest report by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC) provides a nuanced account of a converging, yet still fragmented approach across 22 countries.
The G7 Leaders’ Summit in France: An Unexpected Success
Overall, it was a successful summit for President Macron. However, caution is warranted regarding the 2026 G7’s lasting legacy, as the unpredictability of the U.S. president could affect the durability of commitments made.
How to Make European e-SAF Production under RefuelEU Aviation Fly?
Three and a half years before the scheduled entry into force of the European regulation ReFuelEU Aviation (RFEUA), which requires aviation fuel suppliers at Union airports to offer a sustainable synthetic alternative (e-SAF), no sizeable commercial production unit (greater than 10,000 tons per year) is active within Europe yet, nor has it even passed the Final Investment Decision (FID). Is a major step in the European Union (EU) plans for decarbonizing air transport at risk of not happening, or at least being postponed for several years? Is Europe losing its bet to create a market for e-SAF? Under what conditions can this bet still be won? Could sovereignty and energy security preoccupations unlock necessary public support and help to overcome economic, financial, logistical or administrative obstacles?
France and EU Enlargement: From Strategic Hesitation to a Geopolitical Shift
Paris has come a long way in its approach to enlarging the European Union. However, French support remains fragile, due in part to a lack of public support.
Framework Nation: A European Challenge and French Ambition
First appearing in the early 2000s, the framework nation concept follows several distinct rationales, whether it refers to a country assuming the leadership of a military operation, directing a multinational capability project, or commanding a permanent force structure. In every case, the country that takes on this role fully intends to derive from it additional politico-military influence.
The European Biomethane Sector at a Critical Juncture: Stronger Policy Alignment Will Matter
The European biomethane sector is at a critical juncture.
Strategic Shift in NATO’s Support for Ukraine. A Study of NSATU and PURL Initiatives
Under construction: Europe’s economic repositioning in a fragmented international order
„Under Destruction“– this was this year’s motto at the Munich Security Conference. A motto that applies both to security and economy in an increasingly fragile international system. In 2024, Mario Draghi’s report on the EU’s competitiveness rang the alarm bell: Europe is slipping behind the US and China, European companies struggle with Brussels' bureaucracy, and the internal market is too fragmented. However, two years later only about 15 % of his recommendations were implemented: the wake-up call was not heard.
A New Path for Europe
The construction of the European Union is historically inseparable from the emergence, at the end of World War II, of an Atlantic world dominated by the United States. Successive enlargements and the revision of U.S. policy are undermining the concepts upon which the European Union has been built since the fall of the USSR. It is undoubtedly time to return to a path of more diverse groupings, corresponding to the levels of commitment and the interests of the states of the Old Continent.
Overwhelmed: Germany’s Israel Policy after October 7th
Few countries have been as profoundly affected by the attacks of October 7th and the subsequent Gaza war as Germany. This is not merely a political controversy. It reflects a deeper structural problem: German-Israel policy has long rested on two guiding principles—a particular historical responsibility toward Israel derived from the Holocaust, and a firm commitment to universalist norms, above all international law and human rights.
What Do Companies Fear? The New Geography of Geopolitical Risk
Geopolitical risk has established itself, within the space of a few years, as a central variable in corporate strategy.
Europe’s Power Grid Challenge: A Make-or-Break for Accelerating Electrification
In April 2023, The Economist published an article pointing to the vast amounts of electricity infrastructure needed to reach energy transition goals.
French Forward Deterrence: What Is in It for the Baltic States?
For what may be its most significant stress test since the end of the Cold War, European deterrence is under strain. Russia’s war against Ukraine has demonstrated Moscow’s willingness to use force and its ability to combine conventional operations with nuclear signalling, coercive rhetoric, and hybrid actions. At the same time, the gradual deterioration of transatlantic relations has revived concerns about the reliability of extended deterrence.
Reviving the German Economy: Balancing Economic, Social, and Defense Priorities
Germany is facing fundamental challenges to its economic and social model and is seeking a new course. The German post-war model was hugely successful, leading to economic strength and prosperity over many decades, but now it is steadily faltering. The previously latent fear of deindustrialization is becoming more concrete, particularly due to the weakening of a key sector: the automotive industry.
Escalation within Continuity: Spain’s Foreign Policy towards Israel and Palestine after October 7th
Over the past two years, Spain has emerged as one of the most vocal countries in supporting the Palestinian cause. While Madrid initially aligned with the prevailing European position, recognizing Israel’s right to self-defense after the 7 October attacks, it soon distinguished itself from most European Union (EU) Member States by questioning and later condemning Israel’s conduct of war in Gaza.
The Geopolitical Maturation of the European Political Community
After Albania and Denmark in 2025, it will be Armenia’s turn to host the next summit of the European Political Community (EPC). As Yerevan gets ready to welcome the leaders of more than 40 European countries, the location of the summit in the heart of the South Caucasus draws attention to the geopolitical significance of the format, launched in Prague in 2022.
China’s EV Rise and the Strategic Challenge for Japan’s Automotive Industry
China’s rapid expansion in electric vehicle production is reshaping global automotive competition for both European and Japanese automakers. Japan —a pioneer in hybrid vehicles— is struggling to translate this leadership into battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as Chinese manufacturers rapidly scale production and exports. At the same time, China’s dominance in battery manufacturing and critical mineral processing exposes upstream vulnerabilities for Japan’s automotive industry. Together, these developments create a dual challenge: intensifying downstream competition in electric vehicle (EV) markets and continued dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains.
Entry into force of the EU-Mercosur agreement: last act of an endless drama for Germany?
At the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 20, 2026, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated that "geopolitical shocks can and must serve as opportunity for Europe".
Nuke-talk is heating up among Europeans in Munich
Multiple European countries are publicly backing talks on a homegrown nuclear deterrent to complement American atomic weapons following an erosion of trust in a Donald Trump-led U.S.
Germany and France now publicly display their disagreements over Macron's proposals
Friedrich Merz's government has criticized the idea of a joint European loan and the push for European preference in goods purchases advocated by Emmanuel Macron. These disagreements come on top of tensions over the Mercosur trade deal and how to use frozen Russian assets.
Build and Maintain Air-Sea Superiority in a Contested Operational Environment – CNP 26
An exceptional opening roundtable at the 2026 Paris Naval Conference, bringing together the Chiefs of Naval Staff of the French, U.S., British, Italian and Dutch navies.
Greenland and transatlantic security: How Berlin, Warsaw and Paris could become more effective
European NATO countries are backing a presence in Greenland in response to Trump’s claim on the island. But the US president is escalating the conflict with threats of new tariffs. In an interview with Table.Briefings, experts call for institutional reforms – if Europe wants to become more capable of acting.
'Russia holds a decisive edge in terms of manpower, firepower and mobilization capacity'
Three researchers at the French Institute of International Relations, Dimitri Minic, Tatiana Kastouéva-Jean and Paul Maurice, are urging Europe to intensify its power dynamic with Moscow. The French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) published a report on Tuesday, November 4, that highlights Europe's vulnerabilities in the event of a high-intensity conflict with Russia.
French-German future combat aircraft project on the brink of collapse
Eight years after Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel launched the SCAF, this symbol of European sovereignty in defense is on the verge of collapse. At issue are the demands of the project's main contractor, Dassault Aviation, which Berlin considers excessive, as well as political and strategic differences between France and Germany.
European safety guarantees for Ukraine: The torch burns between Paris and Rome
Last week, France summoned the Italian ambassador in a dispute that reveals the differences between Europeans over the security guarantees they would be prepared to provide to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement.
U.S. tariffs take center stage but China and the EU are quietly clashing
The U.S. tariff saga has stolen global spotlight from trade tensions between China and the European Union, which are now heating up.
Thomas Gomart, director of the French Institute of International Relations: 'Trump reasserts the US' strategic centrality'
By bombing Iran alongside Israel, Donald Trump has performed a show of force aimed at China and Russia, explains the director of the French Institute of International Relations in an interview.
Europe is trying to woo Southeast Asia — but it won’t win it over the U.S. or China
European leaders are looking to Southeast Asia with renewed interest amid Washington’s aggressive tariff agenda, but experts warn that the state of regional trade ties makes it challenging to disrupt the U.S. or China’s hold.
Macron’s Southeast Asia trip: What is behind the French president’s ‘third way’ proposal?
In a recent Southeast Asia tour, Macron pitched ‘strategic autonomy’ as a means for nations to avoid choosing sides in the US-China rivalry, offering France and Europe as alternative partners
quoted by Leila Abboud in the Financial Times
The 'Macron Doctrine' goes to Asia: Autonomy with partners, steady on China
The French president calls for a 'third way' in the Indo-Pacific
Macron calls for Europe and Asia to unite and resist ‘spheres of coercion’
French President Emmanuel Macron used a keynote speech Friday at Asia’s top regional security conference to call on European and Indo-Pacific nations to pursue "strategic autonomy" — avoiding picking sides between China and the United States — and instead forge “coalitions of action” while standing up to “spheres of coercion.”
Emmanuel Macron touts France as ‘reliable’ partner for south-east Asia
French President Emmanuel Macron has begun a six-day visit to Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore in which he will tout France and Europe as trade and security partners of choice for a region buffeted by tensions between China and the US.
What Is Dividing the West?
Once united by shared values and strategic interests, the West is increasingly fractured along ideological lines. Just as illiberal politicians have spent years building an international reactionary movement, their liberal counterparts must foster transatlantic dialogue to forge a common democratic vision.
Taking the Pulse: Should the EU Suspend its Association Agreement With Israel?
Israeli leaders are clearly stating their intention to forcibly displace Gazans out of the Strip, a policy which amounts to ethnic cleansing. To uphold its commitment to human rights, should the EU suspend its association agreement with Israel?
How Will the Trump Presidency Change EU-China Relations?
Over the past few years, European countries have started to line up with the United States on China policy. But now, as Donald Trump destroys the trust European countries had in America, China is stepping up, promising stability and consistency.
China-EU ties reach half century: 4 things to know
Will Trump 2.0 push the two combative sides to find common ground?
New rare earth plant shows strength of Japan-France cooperation
France and Japan broke new ground in March in a shared quest to bolster resilience in critical mineral supply chains amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.
How do maritime companies cooperate with the navies? An interview with Simon Bergulf, MÆRSK
On the sidelines of the Paris Naval Conference 2025, on February 4, 2025, organized by Ifri and the French Navy (Marine nationale), Simon BERGULF, Group Representative Europe Public and Regulatory Affairs, Head of Energy transition and Operations, Maersk, shares insights on how maritime companies collaborate with the navies to secure maritime economy.
Naval Power and Maritime Economy: Rear Admiral Søren Kjeldsen, Chief of the Royal Danish Navy
On the sidelines of the Paris Naval Conference 2025, on February 4, 2025, organized by Ifri and the French Navy (Marine nationale), Rear Admiral Søren Kjeldsen, Chief of the Royal Danish Navy, shares insights on the crucial role that naval power plays in support of maritime economy.
Naval Power and Maritime Economy: an interview with Admiral Nicolas Vaujour (Chief of Staff of the French Navy)
On the sidelines of the Paris Naval Conference 2025, on February 4, 2025, organized by Ifri and the French Navy (Marine nationale), Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of Staff of the French Navy share insights on the crucial role that naval power plays in support of maritime economy.
How do maritime companies cooperate with the navies? An interview with Evan FUERY, EQUINOR
On the sidelines of the Paris Naval Conference 2025, on February 4, 2025, organized by Ifri and the French Navy (Marine nationale), Evan FUERY, Senior Vice-President for Corporate Security and Crisis Management, EQUINOR, shares insights on how maritime companies collaborate with the navies to secure maritime economy.
Naval Power and Maritime Economy: Rear Admiral Olivier Berdal, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy
On the sidelines of the Paris Naval Conference 2025, on February 4, 2025, organized by Ifri and the French Navy (Marine nationale), Rear Admiral Olivier Berdal, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy, shares insights on the crucial role that naval power plays in support of maritime economy.
Naval Power and Maritime Economy: an interview with Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord, Royal Navy
On the sidelines of the Paris Naval Conference 2025, on February 4, 2025, organized by Ifri and the French Navy (Marine nationale), Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord, Royal Navy, shares insights on the crucial role that naval power plays in support of maritime economy.
Replay - Paris Naval Conference 2025: Naval Power in support of Maritime Economy
Replay of the third edition of the Paris Naval Conference (CNP), bringing together high-level speakers from the military, industry and academia, for the aim of addressing the issues of securing the maritime economy for the world's navies.
Replay - Affirming European security in times of uncertainty: Poland’s priorities for its Presidency
Poland will assume the presidency of the Council of the EU throughout the first semester of 2025, when geopolitical tensions are likely to peak. Watch the replay of the videoconference "Affirming European security in times of uncertainty. Poland’s priorities of its presidency of the Council".
Replay - The Future European Space Law: a New Model of Development?
Replay of the conference from Ifri's Space Program, December 16, 2024.
WPC 2024 - Multi-vector Foreign Policies? (Plenary Session)
Friday, December 13, 2024 - 17th edition of the World Policy Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Plenary session 2: Multi-vector Foreign Policies?
Global Financial Shifts: The Impact of Dollar Sanctions and Frozen Russian Assets
An interview with Brad Setser, Whitney Shepardson Senior Fellow (Council on Foreign Relations) led at Ifri on September 24, 2024.
Dollar-based financial sanctions have been increasing, particularly since the beginning of the century. Is this phenomenon likely to significantly alter the international role of the dollar?
There is a lot of controversy about the in which way frozen assets from Russia’s central bank should be treated, regarding both the assets themselves and the associated revenues. What consequences do you foresee for the international financial system?
Toward a New European Security Order? Foreign Policy Shifts in Response to Russia’s War on Ukraine (webinar)
This online discussion takes stock of how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed national foreign and security policies and how these shifts affect Europe’s security architecture.
The EU, Africa, and the Issue of Climate Change: What Prospects for Cooperation? Video with Olumide Abimbola
An interview with Olumide Abimbola, founder and director of the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI).
U.S. Foreign Policy in the Age of Trump
Despite a very particular style, the Trump administration's foreign policy continues on many points the American withdrawal from World affairs which had started under Barack Obama. The main trends of thought of American foreign policy show this evolution, with the resurgence of non-interventionist and even nationalist ideas amongs DC think-tankers.
Building Bridges Conversation Series - Ireland & the Netherlands
This new episode of the Building Bridges Conversation Series is part of the "Building Bridges" project, which aims to foster debate on the future of the European Union and offer top quality analyses on how each member state perceives the EU. In this video, Vivien Pertusot, coordinator of the project, discusses with Marie Cross from the Institute of International and European Affairs (Ireland) and Adriaan Schout from Clingendael (the Netherlands).
Building Bridges Conversation Series - Luxembourg & Spain
This new episode of the Building Bridges Conversation Series is part of the "Building Bridges" project, which aims to foster debate on the future of the European Union and offer top quality analyses on how each member state perceives the EU. In this video, Vivien Pertusot, coordinator of the project, discusses with Guido Lessing from the Centre d’études et de recherches européennes (Luxembourg) and Charles Powell from Real Instituto Elcano (Spain).
Building Bridges Conversation Series - Slovakia & Poland
This first episode of the Building Bridges Conversation Series is part of the "Building Bridges" project, which aims to foster debate on the future of the European Union and offer top quality analyses on how each member state perceives the EU. In this video, Vivien Pertusot, coordinator of the project discusses with Ana Benje from Comenius University (Slovakia) and Nathan Dufour from PISM (Poland).
Ifri, a foundation recognized as being of public utility, relies largely on private donors – companies and individuals – to guarantee its sustainability and intellectual independence. Through their funding, donors help maintain the Institute's position among the world's leading think tanks. By benefiting from an internationally recognized network and expertise, donors refine their understanding of geopolitical risk and its consequences on global politics and the economy. In 2026, Ifri partners with over 90 French and international companies and organizations.
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
The Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (ÖFZ/CFA) is a Franco-Austrian intergovernmental organization, initiated in 1976 by Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, in order to develop economic relations between Western and Eastern Europe, contributing to the creation of a Europe of peace.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ÖFZ/CFA refocused its action on the problems following the enlargement of the European Union, and integrated the following countries in its field of activities : Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, the Baltic countries, Romania and Bulgaria. ÖFZ/CFA's vocation, as a space for reflection and exchange, is in fact reinforced by the need to support the new member countries of the Union in their integration process. Since 2004, the ÖFZ/CFA has also turned towards the Union's new neighbors, in particular towards the countries of the Western Balkans, which perceive their future from a European perspective.
The ÖFZ/CFA strives to place all of its exchanges in a global perspective concerning the future of our continent. Today it centers its activities around three directions: the Franco-Austrian bilateral dialogue, the future of the European Union, the future recomposition of the continent.
Reports of all events organized by the ÖFZ/CFA are available on its website (http://oefz.at). The ÖFZ/CFA's budget is provided by the French and Austrian foreign ministries. Depending on the themes addressed, the ÖFZ/CFA calls on European public and private institutions to help finance its meetings. The CFA's orientations benefit from the recommendations of an Orientation Council, approved by a Board of Directors, which elects from among its members a president and a secretary general.