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Europe

Description

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.

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EU flag waving in front of European Parliament building. Brussels, Belgium
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Publications
Date de publication
September 2025

Ramses 2026. A New Chessboard

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Ramses 2026 forthcoming
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Accroche

A world chessboard chopped up by the vertigo of power...

Korea-EU Direct Investment Links: The Neglected Facet of a Tight Partnership

Date de publication
06 January 2022
Accroche

Despite their difference in size, Korea and the EU have developed over time a strong and deep relation through direct investment flows. Germany dominates the relationship, but there remains ample room for the other EU member-states to further develop their relations with Korea.

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Strengthening Sovereignty in the Era of Global Value Chains

Date de publication
14 December 2021
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How to reduce the vulnerabilities induced by these global value chains to be more independent, while taking into account the reality of these productive processes which precisely generate interdependencies?

Paul HERAULT
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European Economic Governance: Past Errors and Future Promises

Date de publication
14 December 2021
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The eurozone crisis marked a real failure of European Union (EU) policy, which led to mediocre economic performance and the erosion of its political legitimacy among the populations of member states.

Vivien SCHMIDT

Trade

Date de publication
13 December 2021
Accroche

Françoise Nicolas contributed the chapter on trade, providing more insights into the opportunities and challenges South Korea and the EU need to address to revive the rules-based multilateral trading system.

Françoise NICOLAS Sohyun Zoe Lee

Preparing for 2050: From “Foresight” to “Grand Strategy”

Date de publication
10 December 2021
Accroche

China and the United States both have a “grand strategy”: Beijing aspires to be the world’s leading power in 2049, while Washington plans to remain primus inter pares.

Martin BRIENS Thomas GOMART

The Direction of France’s Foreign Policy over the Next Thirty Years

Date de publication
10 December 2021
Accroche

A foreign policy points to a united society that manages its relationships with its surroundings while defending its own interests. 

Foreign Policy: France at a Turning Point?

Date de publication
10 December 2021
Accroche

An exceptional issue of Politique étrangère

Confronted with a world in which the fundamentals are being redefined, France’s foreign policy is under scrutiny. In which geographies should France assert its presence? To which major challenges should France be responding in order to survive in tomorrow’s world? What kind of relationship to that world should France be establishing, as thirty years of Western intervention have ended in catastrophic failure in Afghanistan?

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European Defense: Acting in Time

Date de publication
10 December 2021
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This seems like a fitting moment to strengthen European cooperation on defense. 

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Philanthropy and Migration in Europe: What Role for Foundations?

Date de publication
29 October 2021
Accroche

The 2015 “crisis” accelerated and/or intensified the involvement of foundations (in particular those from the private sector) in the field of migration. The crisis not only created a sense of urgency, but also generated a movement of public empathy that foundations were willing to accompany and amplify. It was also seen as a challenge to Europe and its humanist values, which foundations sought to defend in accordance with their own beliefs in inclusive societies.

Emeric ROGIER
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Strategic Calculation: High-Performance Computing and Quantum Computing in Europe’s Quest for Technological Power

Date de publication
06 October 2021
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Computing power plays a key role in enabling machine learning, for scientific research, and in the military domain. Therefore, the race for computing power has become a key element of the US-China technological competition, and it is also a strategic priority for Europe.

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THE EU's MAJOR ELECTRICITY AND GAS UTILITIES SINCE MARKET LIBERALIZATION

The EU's Major Electricity and Gas Utilities since Market Liberalization

Date de publication
27 July 2010
Accroche

A major change has taken place in the company structure of the European electricity and gas markets. Twenty years ago, national or regional monopolies dominated the markets and there was strictly no competition between utilities. But since the liberalization of EU energy markets began in the 1990s, companies like E.ON, GDF Suez, EDF, Enel, and RWE have become European giants with activities in a large number of Member States. 

Christian SCHÜLKE

Russian Gas Diplomacy

Date de publication
25 June 2010
Accroche

Thank goodness our early warning systems during the cold war were not structured so we could see the flash at the same time we heard the warning. On Monday, the Russians notified the Europeans under an “Early Warning” agreement negotiated after the last Ukrainian gas cutoff that they had already cut gas flows to Belarus by 15% and that would increase cuts to 85% by the end of the week. Not very good news for the Belarusians who enjoy the most gasified economy in the world - everything there runs on gas.

Moldova: A Status Quo of EU Institutional Relations

Date de publication
09 April 2010
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The barbed wire at the Prut River, on the Republic of Moldova’s (Moldova) border with Romania and, thus, with Europe will be removed by March 2010. This way, the last soviet “wall” will be torn. Maybe this symbolic action will open the door to the European Union (EU).

Florentina HARBO

The Future of the European Monetary Fund: Any Prospects?

Date de publication
30 March 2010
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The European summit last week has resulted in a compromise short-term agreement for aid to Greece.

Devon WEIDEMANN

EU 2020: Can we afford another failed Lisbon Strategy? Shortcomings and future perspectives

Date de publication
01 March 2010
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On 3rd of March, the European Commission will publish its final proposal for the new EU 2020 strategy, which will replace the Lisbon Agenda. A few days ahead, we may ask: were lessons drawn from past mistakes? Does the current commission draft look different?

Getting Carbon Out: Tougher Than it Looks. An Assessment of EU, US & Chinese Pledges

Date de publication
14 February 2010
Accroche

This paper intends to examine the emissions trajectories of the three largest emitters, China, the US and the European Union through the optics of indicators and assess the feasibility of their targets for 2020.

President Obama Snubs Europe: The US Perspective on the EU

Date de publication
11 February 2010
Accroche

Introduction

With the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty completed the EU is undergoing profound institutional changes. How does the US perceive the EU and these changes?

To analyze American perceptions of the EU it is first necessary to distinguish between the general American public and the American political elite.

Devon WEIDEMANN

Ukraine - A Transit Country in Deadlock? Four Scenarios

Date de publication
06 December 2009
Accroche

Should we consider Ukraine a transit country in deadlock, and reduce its energy role just to that of a transit country? Definitely not, because Ukraine is at once a large gas consumer and producer, and possesses massive storage capacity. But the economic and political situation of the country is alarming, even without considering the possibility of another gas crisis Without such a crisis, however, the event of Ukrainian bankruptcy would attract less broad international attention simply because it would not have direct impact on European gas consumers.

Susanne NIES
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AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT ? ELECTRICITY INTERCONNECTIONS FOR EUROPE

Support independent French research

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 2024, Ifri will support more than 70 French and foreign companies and organizations.

Ramses Conference, 2024
Related centers and programs
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The Pariser Platz (Paris Square) on the east side of the Brandenburg Gate at Berlin, Germany
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
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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.

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France, Austria Flags, European Union
Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (ÖFZ)
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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.

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EU flag waving in front of European Parliament building. Brussels, Belgium
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