Europe’s car sector drives jobs, R&D, and exports, but is losing ground fast to international competitors. A coordinated Buy-European EV policy can help to boost demand at home argue @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, @nilsredeker.bsky.social & @sandertordoir.bsky.social. bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

One year after the Niinistö report, “preparedness” risks being just another checklist exercise. Unless the EU adds value to complement NATO, reflects national realities, & boosts societal resilience, it won't deliver, argue @heqs.bsky.social & @gbuldioski.bsky.social: bst-europe.eu/security-pol...

New analysis with @cdgeiser.bsky.social: The EU’s current drive to cut red tape at all costs is weakening Europe. Last week’s failed vote on the Sustainability Omnibus in the European Parliament was the culmination of extreme pressure, poorly designed proposals and political polarisation. Thread:

Europe’s car industry faces a triple challenge: China’s subsidised export surge, US tariffs/IRA rollback, & weak EU demand. @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, @nilsredeker.bsky.social, & @sandertordoir.bsky.social argue for a coordinated "Buy-European" EV eco-bonus ➡️ bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

The car crisis tops today’s EU summit but leaders keep staring at the wrong problem The issue isn’t the 2035 engine ban - it’s demand falling off a cliff today With @sandertordoir.bsky.social and @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social, we show why flipping regs won’t help - and what the EU can do instead.

Europe’s car industry is in rough waters with sinking demand for European EVs, & the response cannot wait. In a new joint paper @sandertordoir.bsky.social , @nilsredeker.bsky.social & @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social , propose "Buy-European" EV demand support coordinated across the Single Market. 1/4

Ahead of the European Council meeting this week, the EU hopes to move ahead with the 19th Russia sanctions package, which now is only held up by Slovakia. @miriamkosmehl.bsky.social explained here how the package was prepared and what it should focus on: bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

A new pact for the Mediterranean with the aim of promoting growth, security, and stability around the Mediterranean The EU adopted the “Pact for the Mediterranean,” a new format for cooperation with Europe's southern neighbors in the Middle East and North Africa, a strategic center #Mena.

Our latest BSt Europe Newsletter is packed! 💡 Twice a month, our Europe experts share key insights from economic power to digital sovereignty, democracy, global affairs, and more. Here’s what’s inside this edition 👇

How can lasting #peace emerge in the #MiddleEast? Our expert Christian Hanelt joins the #FAZ #Podcast for Germany and #WDR5 to discuss the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit and what Europe can contribute. Now it’s time to share the load between Ukraine and the Middle East.

The EU’s Omnibus packages promise simpler rules, but simplification isn’t deregulation. To cut red tape without eroding standards, the Commission must be clearer on its goals, base reforms on evidence, & build political consensus, argues @cdgeiser.bsky.social here⬇️ bst-europe.eu/competitiven...

Europe’s neighbourhood is strongly interconnected. Our new #GEOII shows the EU remains the most connected power—but China is catching up fast, and Russia still wields energy leverage. Explore the trends here: geoii.eu

This week, negotiations on the first Omnibus simplification package stalled in the European Parliament - highlighting the difficulties in the Commission’s current agenda. In a new Policy Brief, I argue the Commission’s approach needs recalibration: bst-europe.eu/de/wettberwe...

The EU’s “Omnibus” agenda aims to cut red tape & boost competitiveness. But rushed design & blurred goals risk weakening standards. This new policy brief by @cdgeiser.bsky.social sets out 4 principles for the agenda: clarity, evidence, sound design & consensus. bst-europe.eu/competitiven...

Want to learn more about the new Geoeconomic Interconnectvitiy Index? No better way than to join the launch webinar this week. Details below 👇

Everyone talks about #geoeconomics, we’re mapping it: Together with colleagues @bst-europe.bsky.social @wiiw.ac.at, ECIPE, we created the Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index, measuring the EU's trade, finance and policy footprint in its neighbourhood, compared to China, Russia & US. Main findings 🧵

🚨 Launch: The Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index (GEOII) Created by @etiennehoera.d-64.social & Stefani Weiss along with @wiiw.ac.at & ECIPE, it maps how the EU, China, Russia & the US are embedded in Europe’s neighbourhood from 2010–2023. Explore findings & graphics here: geoii.eu

Despite new momentum in EU–UK ties, economic security remains a missing pillar. Shared trade risks & China exposure mean both sides should take practical steps toward a stronger framework, argue @jbenford-berlin.bsky.social & @antonspisak.bsky.social here: bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...

Our new newsletter is out! This issue covers EU–UK economic security in a shifting global order, reactions to von der Leyen’s #SOTEU speech, and more. Read it here➡️ www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/bst-europ... Subscribe via our website ➡️ bst-europe.eu

For EU-UK ties, economic security is still missing. Both sides share trade vulnerabilities & reliance on certain trade partners, which offers a foundation for cooperation, write @jbenford-berlin.bsky.social & @antonspisak.bsky.social in a new policy brief. Read here: bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...

Our reaction to von der Leyen’s #SOTEU 2025 address yesterday. A serious speech with bold appeals & many initiatives. But is there the unity & coherence of initiatives to accomplish the agenda? A thread on the main points from each of our experts. Full article ➡️ bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th... 1/9

Economic Security is central to the EU’s external strategy - see SOTEU today - but cooperation with the UK remains nascent. Political and structural reasons are behind this but @antonspisak.bsky.social and I think there are grounds for deeper cooperation: www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/our-proje...

Some thoughts on trade in #SOTEU: Aftermath of the EU-US trade deal is the biggest theme (also keeping in mind upcoming votes). VDL: EU got the 'best deal', better than 'competitors' (JP, KOR, UK?). Alternative would have been trade war 'chaos'.

🧵With Russia stepping up attacks on Ukraine's civilians & critical infrastructure, and US Pres Trump now pointing to a "second phase" of sanctions against Russia, my thoughts on the upcoming 19th EU sanctions package remain relevant.

Our Europe newsletter is out today! @dschwarzer.bsky.social shares her thoughts on current events and our colleagues' latest work. Read it here➡️ www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/bst-europ... Want to see it in your inbox next time? Subscribe via the homepage of our website ➡️ bst-europe.eu

As the EU prepares the next Russia sanctions package, @miriamkosmehl.bsky.social explains what could be an effective focus: oil trade and the shadow fleet; banks, dual-use goods and financial flows; and tackling circumvention through third countries. Read more here➡️ bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

Enjoyed speaking with DW News this morning about Texas Rs’ and California Ds’ competing redistricting bills, the potential ripple effects in other critical states, and the broader implications as we head into next year’s midterm elections. Link to view here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2m3...

Gaming and democracy - what's the connection? Our colleagues have taken a look at gamers' attitudes toward politics, democracy, institutions and more with intriguing results. The new study is also available in English, so take a look!

Here we go again. EU just isn't dealing with a good-faith actor on the other side. The lack of interest in anything stable, permanent or predictable doesn't fit into EU's mental model. Ultimately it's about incentives - if there's no negative consequence, US is always going to come back for more.

The @ec.europa.eu's budget proposal for 2028-2034 includes a shift toward national envelopes for regional development & cohesion. This policy brief by @schwabvonpostel.eu & Andrey Demidov offers a view on how the partnership principle could work in this proposed setup: bst-europe.eu/investment-b...

Yesterday, many EU members applied for €100+ billion from the SAFE instrument for defense. But NATO’s new spending goal (which impacts most EU members) isn’t just for military gear—it includes 1.5% for civil preparedness too. How can Europe boost resilience & security? bst-europe.eu/security-pol...

15% tariffs, breaches of WTO rules, more tech dependency – the US deal is a far cry from what the EU wanted. This was not a one-off accident, but exposes longstanding structural weaknesses in EU trade policy that will affect any future negotiation. My analysis🧵 bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

Sunday’s EU-US trade deal wasn’t an accident - structural aspects limit EU trade policy. Member states are quick to shift blame, but strategic dependencies and national interests, among other reasons, make better deals unlikely, writes @etiennehoera.d-64.social bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

China, Russia & the EU are vying for influence in the Southern Caucasus & Central Asia. Will the region be divided or choose its own path? At April’s EU–Central Asia Summit, EUCO’s Costa hailed a “new dimension” in ties, so how can the EU proceed? And what do SCCA’s present connections look like?

More on the EU-China summit: It‘s unsurprising that there wasn‘t a breakthrough, main contentious issues like overcapacity are structural and the result of 🇨🇳 policy choices, highly costly to change even if 🇨🇳 wanted to. 🇪🇺 created new trade instruments precisely because of that, more measures likely.

Listen to @etiennehoera.d-64.social explain the dynamics between the EU and China around yesterday's summit. Check out the interview (in German) below⬇️ www.ndr.de/nachrichten/...

Mit @deutschewelle.bsky.social habe ich über den EU-China Gipfel am 24. Juli 2025 gesprochen. FAZIT: viele Konfliktlinien in den Beziehungen, wenige Erwartungen. youtu.be/5NM_-LaVkjo?... @bst-europe.bsky.social

Ahead of tomorrow’s EU-China summit, the EU faces a tough balancing act between economic interests and geopolitical concerns. What should Brussels do and what should it avoid? This new piece by @corajungbluth.bsky.social lays out the dos and don’ts: bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

From July 9th to August 1st, the tariff deadline has moved but the threat remains. The EU can consider adopting a strategy of flexible, credible retaliation, underpinned by internal burden-sharing, write @etiennehoera.d-64.social & @aleichthammer.bsky.social here 👇 bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

What to expect from this week's EU-China summit? @corajungbluth.bsky.social explains with some dos and don'ts for EU interlocutors here: bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

"German sentiment sits with the UK, but the strategy always stays with the EU”. My thoughts in @economist.com on the - otherwise highly welcome and well-crafted - Anglo-German Friendship Treaty announced today. Thanks to @sambeal.bsky.social www.economist.com/britain/2025...

The Commission proposal for the next long-term EU budget aka MFF just dropped. Its overall volume increases very moderately, but the proposal contains sweeping changes to the way the EU spends money and to budget's priorities. Here is my first quick take:

Trump's tariff letter to the EU threatens 30% from 1 August. How should the EU respond? This piece by @etiennehoera.d-64.social & @aleichthammer.bsky.social explores some ideas for a strategy. Read more: bst-europe.eu/economy-secu...

The Socialists in the EP have leveraged a no-confidence vote put up by the far right to effectively gut a major part of the reform of the EU budget. Stunning development that further imperils the prospect for a major MFF reform. I had hopes that this time would be different. But I was naive. Thread:

1/ The leak for the European Competitiveness Fund has just been made public. Here's a breakdown of the main elements of the proposal. As expected, the COM proposes consolidating several of its directly managed programmes. The draft points to 12/14 programmes merged under a single legal framework

Wir haben eine tolle neue Stelle in Berlin offen für alle EU-Budget-Wonks und insbesondere für alle, die es noch werden wollen. Bewerbung direkt im Link, bei Interesse gerne DM an mich und please spread the word!

Right now at Les Rencontres Économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, one of Europe’s key economic forums 💥 #Frauenpower 👉 How do we restore faith in facts & institutions — and shape a more peaceful society? 💬 Listen to the debate with @dschwarzer.bsky.social www.lesrencontreseconomiques.fr/en/#watch=am...

The EU, its Southern Neighbourhood, & the Gulf Coast Countries can turn shared interests into progress in clean energy, marine protection, secure trade & peace efforts, among others. Read more from Christian Hanelt and Nico Zillekens here: bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...

New piece by @aleichthammer.bsky.social and me in @ipq.bsky.social: EU‘s cautious approach in the 🇺🇸🇪🇺 trade war has been useful, but has run its course as the 9 July deadline approaches. EU should prepare for flexible retaliation. 🧵 ip-quarterly.com/en/red-lines...

A real pleasure to welcome the UK Minister for EU Relations, Nick Thomas-Symonds, to a roundtable with stakeholders in Berlin last week. A detailed and forward-looking discussion of the new Strategic Partnership. More can be done but this is a rare positive development in a gloomy int'l environment