Region Spotlight

The only union of its kind

The European Union

Growing from its start as the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Union today has twenty-seven member states and is the only democratic, intergovernmental, supranational organization in the world. It has risen as a key actor and norm-setter in areas as diverse as trade, energy security, digital policy, and defense. In an era of great power competition, the United States has a national interest in the EU reinvigorating faith in the European project among Europeans and the rest of the world.

Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

New Atlanticist Jul 28, 2025

Trump and von der Leyen made a deal. But the US and EU are drifting apart on trade.

Many elements of the Turnberry deal still need to be finalized, and the difficult process could drive the two sides even further apart.

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Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

Fast Thinking Jul 27, 2025

How big a deal is the new US-EU trade announcement?

By Atlantic Council

Our experts unpack the framework for a trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday in Scotland.

Economy & Business European Union
Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

New Atlanticist Aug 27, 2025

The US-EU face-off over pharma is on pause—for now

By Emma Nix

Both Europe and the United States would benefit from working together to secure affordable and accessible pharmaceutical supply chains.
Economy & Business European Union

Featured events

Online Event Thu, July 31, 2025 • 11:00 am ET

Unpacking the new US-EU trade deal

Experts discuss the new agreement announced on Sunday and what it means for transatlantic trade going forward.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Trade and tariffs
Online Event Fri, July 11, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

What comes next for transatlantic trade

Experts discuss the next steps in the US-EU trade negotiations following the conclusion of the ninety-day tariff pause.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union Trade and tariffs
Public Event Thu, April 3, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

Europe’s Teresa Ribera on the EU’s clean transition and US-EU relations

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president of the European Commission, shares her vision for the EU, the bloc’s competitiveness, and the US-EU relationship.

Digital Policy Economy & Business Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

The Transatlantic Digital Marketplace Initiative

The Europe Center’s Transatlantic Digital Marketplace Initiative seeks to foster greater understanding on digital policy between the United States and Europe and build tangible cooperation in this critical area of the transatlantic relationship.

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New Atlanticist

Talking past each other: Why the US-EU dispute over ‘free speech’ is set to escalate

by Kenneth Propp

Republican-led US lawmakers and the White House are likely just getting started in critiquing the European Union’s Digital Services Act.

In-depth Research & reports

Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

Report Oct 7, 2024

Transatlantic horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond

By Atlantic Council experts

With new leadership on both sides of the Atlantic, this report outlines an agenda for common action for the next US administration and European Commission.
Digital Policy Economy & Business
Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

Issue Brief May 29, 2024

Who’s a national security risk? The changing transatlantic geopolitics of data transfers

By Kenneth Propp

The geopolitics of data transfers is changing. How will Washington’s new focus on data transfers affect Europe and the transatlantic relationship?
Cybersecurity Digital Policy
Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

Issue Brief Oct 18, 2023

Designing a US-EU industrial and trade policy 

By Erik Brattberg, Frances Burwell, Jörn Fleck, Charles Lichfield, Zach Meyers, James Batchik, and Emma Nix

Both sides of the Atlantic are confronting the geopolitical necessity of adapting trade and industrial policies to be fit for purpose in an increasingly competitive world. To avoid competition between Washington and Brussels, policymakers must recognize each side’s priorities and commit to further cooperation to bridge the transatlantic economic relationship, not widen it.
Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Program

The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Content

UkraineAlert

May 9, 2020

Time for Europe to stop fighting over World War II

By Nataliya Popovych and Volodymyr Sheiko

As the world marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Second World War, the conflict continues to loom large in the global imagination but there is no consensus about the conflict in Europe, creating challenges for the future of European integration.

Europe & Eurasia European Union

EnergySource

May 8, 2020

The COVID-19 crisis and US and EU emissions in the new decade: Opportunities for a clean energy recovery

By Robert F. Ichord, Jr.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sudden decline in global electricity demand of up to 20-25 percent in some countries, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects global electricity demand for 2020 will fall by 5-10 percent, contributing to an 8 percent overall drop in energy sector CO2 emissions. This piece updates evaluates the performance of the US and EU power sectors in 2019 within the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

May 7, 2020

The coronavirus crisis highlights the need to diversify risk sharing in Europe

By Sona Muzikarova

Capital markets have been one of Europe’s policy ‘slow-burn’ issues. The coronavirus crisis rearing its ugly head over Europe, along with Brussels’ slow coming together in formulating a shared rescue package, have reignited the need to balance public and private risk sharing and to diversify funding for European businesses.

Coronavirus European Union

New Atlanticist

May 6, 2020

German court decision complicates ECB coronavirus efforts

By Ole Moehr

“This is time for solidarity and boldness in the European response to this unprecedented crisis. Unfortunately, the [German] Court's decision endangers the ability of the Bundesbank to participate in the ECB's program in the long run. Besides, it undermines the authority of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and could provide a worrying precedent for states asserting their sovereignty with illiberal measures against the rule of law in Europe,” Benjamin Haddad says.

Coronavirus European Union

UkraineAlert

May 4, 2020

A serious but flawed look at peace in the Donbas

By John E. Herbst

The conflict in the Donbas cannot be solved by Ukraine and Russia alone, but the West must not unconditionally accept a "Russian consensus" to achieve it.

Conflict Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist

May 4, 2020

Critical ruling for European Central Bank to turn spotlight back to policymakers

By Bart Oosterveld

So far, the ECB has committed to asset purchases roughly in accordance with each member state’s contribution to the European economy. This has led to market speculation that suggests the German court will add that as a restriction on the Bundesbank’s participation, though there is no precedent for such a restriction in prior rulings.

Coronavirus European Union

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2020

Pandemic response should not equal isolationism, Swedish FM argues

By David A. Wemer

International cooperation will be crucial not only to “fight the pandemic” of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but also “to get us back on track afterwards,” Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ann Linde said on April 29. She stressed that while leaders remain focused on containing outbreaks in their own countries, they must avoid the temptation to shun the benefits international trade and cooperation can bring as a much-needed economic recovery begins.

Coronavirus European Union

New Atlanticist

Apr 27, 2020

Financial markets pressure likely to force additional European action soon

By Bart Oosterveld

Markets are likely to test the resolve of policymakers to preserve the monetary union in the upcoming months, and the risk of a series of funding shocks remains elevated.

Coronavirus European Union

New Atlanticist

Apr 24, 2020

USMCA needs TTIP

By Marc L. Busch

Upgrading NAFTA was a long time coming, but things are different than they were in 1994 because Canada and Mexico have bilateral trade agreements with the European Union, and the United States doesn’t. The United States needs TTIP to make the most of USMCA.

European Union Mexico

New Atlanticist

Apr 23, 2020

Why the Netherlands opposed unconditional European coronavirus aid

By Elmar Hellendoorn

Southern European calls for northern solidarity should be backed up with a quest for greater empathy in countries like the Netherlands. As long as the Dutch public remain largely unaware of the plight of southern Europe—as well as ignorant of the geopolitical consequences of too much fiscal rigidity—the current clash may only be a prelude to a much larger battle.

Coronavirus European Union
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Experts

Fellow

Andrea Rigoni

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Evi Fuelle

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Fellow

Richard Hurowitz

Nonresident senior fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Nik Foster

Nonresident Fellow

Global China Hub

China Energy & Environment

Fellow

Samuel Denney

Nonresident Fellow

Transatlantic Security Initiative

English Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Andrei Covatariu

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global Energy Center

Eastern Europe Energy & Environment
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