Category: Timely Commentary & Analysis

The ‘principle of solidarity’: OPAL, Nord Stream, and the shadow over Gazprom

By Alan Riley

The OPAL judgment in Case T-883/16 "Republic of Poland v. European Commission" from the EU General Court will undermine Gazprom’s market dominance in Central and Eastern Europe.

Impact of the European Court of Justice’s Opal decision

By Daniel D. Stein

The recent decision by the European Court of Justice to limit Gazprom’s use of Opal, an onshore pipeline in Germany, has wide-reaching implications for Gazprom’s use of both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, as well as Gazprom’s reliance on Ukraine for gas transit to Europe.

Germany’s social democrats look for a new face, but their problems are much deeper

By Michael John Williams

A change at the top may not be enough to reverse SPD’s decline, as the party has failed to respond to structural changes within German society that have eroded support for the social democrats.

How governments can use cyber tools irresponsibly to preserve power

By Safa Shahwan

The Kazakh case serves as an example of irresponsible cyber statecraft, when governments use cyberspace and technological tools to achieve specific political goals, placing the rights of citizens, as well as their political legitimacy, on the line.

Securing Northern Europe

On September 20, 2019, the Atlantic Council Northern Europe organized a seminar highlighting the launch of a new issue brief titled ‘Securing Northern Europe: Toward A Comprehensive Approach’. Director for Northern Europe Anna Wieslander and Project Assistant Elin Schiffer presented the report for an audience consisting of invited members of parliament, civil servants, foreign diplomats […]

Toward digital power over states

By Thomas A. Campbell

Rapid advances in digital technologies amplify the potential for data acquisition from and influence over other states. One state aggressively pursuing digital advantage globally is China, especially in its leveraging of artificial intelligence (AI).

A digital agenda for the new European Commission: issues and opportunities

By Jörn Fleck and Alex Baker

Under the outgoing European Commission of President Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Union has emerged as the regulatory superpower of the global digital economy. Early signs indicate Brussels will continue to leverage the power of the single market and its regulatory approach when a new Commission takes office in November 2019.

Youth climate activists aren’t just striking, they’re taking policy action

By Julia Pyper

Millions of young people around the world took to the streets for the Global Climate Strike to demand that governments take bolder action to address the climate crisis. But youth activists are not just skipping school to protest, they are also taking concrete steps to influence the policymaking process.