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.

Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

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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Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

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

Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

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.

Read More

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

Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

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

Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

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

Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

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

New Atlanticist

Feb 5, 2019

Exit interview: EU’s envoy to Washington on navigating challenges in the transatlantic relationship

By Ashish Kumar Sen and David A. Wemer

David O’Sullivan, the European Union’s ambassador to the United States, wraps up his time in Washington at the end of February. The last two years of his tenure have been challenging ones for the transatlantic relationship. That challenge mainly comes from US President Donald J. Trump who once described the EU as a “foe.” In […]

European Union International Organizations

IranSource

Jan 31, 2019

Facing Reality: Europe’s Special Purpose Vehicle Will Not Challenge US Sanctions

By Brian O'Toole

The European Union on January 31 formally announced its long-awaited special purpose vehicle (SPV) for trade with Iran, called the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX).  Predictably, the SPV won’t seek to challenge US sanctions by attempting to conduct sanctionable trade with Iran as had been originally floated, and will instead focus on non-sanctionable trade, including […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jan 30, 2019

Can Theresa May change Brussels’ mind?

By David A. Wemer

The reaction in Europe to May’s latest attempts to achieve revision of the Withdrawal Agreement "was one of exasperation," Bart Oosterveld said.

European Union United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 29, 2019

A new way forward for Brexit?

By David A. Wemer

The vote on the “Brady Amendment” was seen as a victory for May who dramatically shifted her support from her own withdrawal deal toward renegotiation in order to achieve some consensus within her Conservative Party for a passable deal.

European Union United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 24, 2019

Fixing the European Union’s Brexit strategy

By Frances G. Burwell

The EU, by sequencing first the exit accord and only later the building of the future relationship, has constructed a deal which is unacceptable in the UK.

European Union Trade and tariffs

New Atlanticist

Jan 22, 2019

With Wess Mitchell’s resignation, the State Department is losing a committed Atlanticist

By Ashish Kumar Sen

As assistant secretary, Mitchell’s responsibilities have included diplomatic relations with countries in Europe and Eurasia, and with NATO, the European Union, and the OSCE.

Central Europe Eastern Europe

New Atlanticist

Jan 21, 2019

Yet another crisis day in Britain’s Brexit saga

By John M. Roberts

May doesn’t have to just deal with Parliament, she also has to address the practicalities of her Brexit plan.

European Union United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 18, 2019

EU lawmaker on troubled transatlantic ties: ‘We need to have contingency plans in place’

By Teri Schultz

Dutch member of the European Parliament Marietje Schaake is a true-blue transatlanticist but even she is losing faith.

European Union NATO

New Atlanticist

Jan 16, 2019

May survives confidence vote, but now must deliver a new Brexit plan

By David A. Wemer

After surviving the no-confidence vote, May told Parliament that she believes it is her duty to deliver Brexit to the British people.

European Union United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 16, 2019

Lessons in leadership: Theresa May and Brexit

By Nicholas Dungan

From the beginning, May and most others in Britain—not only in politics but even, perhaps especially, in the media—completely misjudged the nature of the withdrawal process with the EU.

European Union United Kingdom
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Experts

Fellow

Paul Adamson

Senior Advisor

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Anca Agachi

Nonresident Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Africa Conflict

Staff

Nika Aleksejeva

Resident Fellow, Baltics

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarus Disinformation

Millennium fellow

Luis Alvarado

Senior Climate Advisor at the Mission Possible Partnership, World Economic Forum

Millennium Leadership Program

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

Fellow

Mark Boris Andrijanič

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Economy & Business

Fellow

Gérard Araud

Distinguished Fellow

Europe Center

English Europe & Eurasia
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