The UK may have escaped the EU but it never escaped us! @eupinions.bsky.social continued asking EU and UK citizens about Europe & their lives for 10 years. My favorite insight: Brexit didn't lead to the psychological divide you might have expected after 2016. Short🧵 bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...

Some thoughts on what UK change in government could mean for the EU relationship. Bottom line is that the UK's strategic dilemma hasn't changed and pressure to rethink red lines ahead of 2029 will rise. But plenty of pragmatic cooperation possible in the meantime. bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...

EU-UK Summit postponed following Starmer's resignation. This is good news as it gives both sides time to catch their breath. Though it would take a rather huge - and politically impossible - breath to "reset the reset" in a big way by the autumn! www.politico.eu/article/eu-u...

More detail on the impacts of Brexit on different sectors of the British economy — from our latest study with @johnspringford.bsky.social:

I‘d be surprised if Burnham can offer something more definitive on UK’s vision so quickly. Not least as there isn‘t much available between the current reset and rejoin that would genuinely restructure the relationship. Small(ish) steps most likely while EU waits for UK to consider its options…

Second EU-UK Summit set for 22 July, it seems www.gov.uk/government/n...

Our new paper on EU-UK – jointly w/ Fabian Zuleeg of @epc-official.bsky.social @dschwarzer.bsky.social and @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social - looks towards the next summit and beyond. Short thread. www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/publicati...

Some thoughts about what the UK's leadership, um, thing means for current relations with the EU tl;dr which uncertainty does the EU worry about more? 1/

Out today: latest report by @katyhayward.bsky.social and me on the views of voters in Northern Ireland on Brexit, the Windsor Framework and UK-EU Relations. Some key findings 👇 Full report available via @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social at: www.qub.ac.uk/sites/post-b...

A bold strategy would have been to ease up on free movement as of now, thus allowing for deeper integration into the single market in ways acceptable to the EU. And, going forward, announce a fundamental evidence-based reassessment of EU policy ahead of the next manifesto. Instead: Youth mobility.

Wie modernisieren wir Deutschland? Darüber haben wir im Haus der Bertelsmann Stiftung diskutiert – mit Vizekanzler und Finanzminister Lars Klingbeil, unserer Vorständin Daniela Schwarzer und Gästen aus Wirtschaft und Zivilgesellschaft. Im Zentrum: Reformen, Investitionen und Zusammenarbeit. (neu)

Full blast from Labour’s London mayor. But @stellacreasy.bsky.social & Movement for Europe line—ease up on free movement—feels like a more realistic step forward. Nudging UK out of a pure demandeur role as it seeks more sectoral deals genuinely changes the balance www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

UK mood shift on EU continues. But more sector deals will happen only if clearly in the EU‘s interest if free movement remains off the table. On current UK terms deeper integration would require fresh EU thinking on variable geometry-not impossible but also not a quick fix www.ft.com/content/c7eb...

The Industrial Accelerator Act is out. On public procurement in strategic sectors, it tries to square the circle: keep trusted partners in and China out. A few thoughts on the Commission’s approach in the proposal and the problem of China's transnational footprint:

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves just previewed a three point growth strategy - with 'Stronger post Brexit trade relations with the EU' as No.1 goal. Though for that to be meaningful, a much broader discussion on changing the UK's stance towards getting closer to the EU will be necessary.

New UK parliamentary report wants gov to go further with EU but within political red lines, while EU partnership is ranked „alongside US and Commonwealth“. The intro alone is testament to how tight the UK’s room for manoeuvre is. Deserves thorough reading. publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cm...

Soft power is hard thing to acquire, yet oh so easy to squander. These are the new friends of the mightiest power on the planet.

"With, without or against Washington" - timely and comprehensive analysis from many viewpoints from @swp-berlin.org on Europeans relations to the US, directly and in other world regions or cross-cutting issues:

Good analysis of the UK's first proper Trump shock. I'd add that Bx is watching the UK's strategic headache carefully, hoping for shifts on red lines, while the UK will hope for more EU flexibility. Both are highly problematic. Note that big economic resilience issues aren't even on the agenda yet.

Is 2026 the year that an EU alliance strategy takes shape? This & more from our christal gazing exercise on competitiveness & MFF, Ukraine, EU-UK, China and US. @lucasguttenberg.bsky.social @corajungbluth.bsky.social @annaheckhausen.bsky.social @etiennehoera.d-64.social bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...

"But the problem is that, while the UK might be changing its outlook on the relationship, the EU is not." ✍️ Following the strong rhetoric used by Starmer in his interview with @bbclaurak.bsky.social, @jreland.bsky.social explains why it isn't quite that simple 🔗 ukandeu.ac.uk/new-year-sam...

A country of almost 30 million, with a powerful if hated security apparatus with links to organised crime and access to lots of cocaine... what could possibly go wrong?

Toppling a dictator has its appeal. But a de facto US–China G2—Russia in or out—in which great powers dominate their perceived backyards is profoundly destabilizing, and a strategic nightmare for Europe.

Remarkably cautious EU response.

A defining moment for Europe. If it endorses/fails to condemn this flagrant breach of international law, it will have surrendered its core justification for opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Remarkable. But positions were ultimately too far apart - for now. www.spiegel.de/ausland/gros...

🇩🇪🤝🇬🇧 From cyber security to global stability, collaboration is key. Yesterday, Foreign Minister Wadephul and Foreign Secretary Cooper met in Berlin for a Strategic Dialogue. This is the #KensingtonTreaty in action: a historic commitment shaping a stronger, safer Europe through trust and teamwork.

New HoL report on the EU-UK out, just as the post-Summit honeymoon ends and the waters are getting choppy (and UK domestic politics even choppier). Cautiously welcomes the direction of travel in what will be a long-term process. My own thought right now is that the UK's strategic choices are

Friday's setback - no EU mandate on ETS - means there may be no agreement before CBAM taxes kick-in in January. But this file is still one of the least political and thus do-able, compared to youth mobility, SAFE and even SPS. Reminder that progress on the Common Understanding will not be linear.

Framing UK–EU ETS alignment as a ‘stealth tax’ misses the point. Linking carbon markets isn’t Brussels control - it’s smart climate economics: cuts costs, boosts investment, avoids trade friction & gives UK firms certainty. Climate policy ≠ punishment. www.thetimes.com/uk/transport...

Strong interview by @dsorennie.bsky.social on Europe's survival in a world of strongmen. Frank on China ("key enabler in Ukraine") and likewise (!) on EU member states (without unity EU's growing toolkit has little worth). The partnership-strategy invites more probing-e.g. what's in it for others?

Does the rise of populism have economic roots, and more protectionist and anti-immigration policies help? Quick thread on my latest piece here buff.ly/O2SoUok

Germany stands for the multilateral system and international law - in the spirit of respect, justice & peace. That's why we are running for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2027-28. Today we celebrate 80 years of the United Nations - Happy Birthday! #BetterTogether

A deeply reported piece on Maga-meddling in the UK. What remains unexplored are the real levels of popular support for the various strands of the UK hard-right. Research in Germany points to worringly high levels of support for authoritarianism-what's the UK equivalent? Sth for a follow-up piece?

Our new divergence is tracker out: auditing the extent to which UK/EU rules and regs have aligned/diverged since June. It highlights the increasingly awkward position which the UK occupies: of wanting to act like the EU on most regulatory issues, but without being part of the club.

A few thoughts on the EU’s Defence Readiness 2030 Roadmap The aim of the Roadmap is essentially trying to inject more resources and coherence into Europe’s defence ramp up defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-i...

🔟 Finally there is a question of attention. The Roadmap is the latest of a long series of EU defence documents, which are quickly forgotten. The priority should be tangible progress on readiness

My new piece for @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social on EU-UK co-operation on China policy. Tl;dr: if you say a country is a systemic rival, or that competing with it may have huge consequences for your citizens, you need more serious policy responses than either the EU or UK have offered so far.

His Majesty King Charles III has announced that he will host German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender for a State Visit from 3-5 December. It will be an incredible moment for 🇬🇧🇩🇪 relations and the first State Visit by a German President in 27 years.

Germany, the United Kingdom and France stand united - E3 leaders‘ statement 👇

Heute, am 7. Oktober gedenken wir der Opfer des menschenverachtenden Terrorangriffs der Hamas in Israel vor zwei Jahren. Nichts und niemand kann diese monströsen Gewalttaten gegen Zivilisten rechtfertigen. Die israelischen Geiseln müssen umgehend freigelassen werden.

Amazing to celebrate the landmark 35th anniversary of German Unity with so many British friends tonight. Today, Germany and the UK work together to secure a lasting peace in Europe – a Europe that is united, free, and democratic.

Almost done. Our Fall 2025 issue “Defending Europe‘s Economic Security“ will be out on Tuesday, marking IPQ‘s fifth anniversary — w/ Luuk van Middelaar, Hans Kribbe @jbenford-berlin.bsky.social @lucyaash.bsky.social @helenalegarda.bsky.social @rebeccawire.bsky.social @anandmenon.bsky.social et al.

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...

"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...

Germany and #UK sign the UK-German #FriendshipTreaty today. @aussenminister.diplo.de​ is traveling to London with Chancellor Merz and will also hold talks with Foreign Secretary David Lammy. 🇩🇪🤝🇬🇧 #StayTuned

🇬🇧🇩🇪 A new UK–Germany friendship treaty is on the way – but what will make it last? In @politicshome.bsky.social, @nvondarza.bsky.social and Ed Turner argue: real depth requires more than ministerial fora – it needs direct links between parliamentarians. 🔗 buff.ly/D6XqLvw

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

We’re live in Berlin with a full house! Daniela Schwarzer and Lucas Guttenberg kick off a spirited discussion on whether coalitions of the willing can save Europe. Follow here for more updates and insights ⬇️

My latest column for @wpr.bsky.social www.worldpoliticsreview.com/europe-major...