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.

Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

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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Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

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

Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

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

Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

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

Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

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

Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

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

NATOSource

Nov 20, 2011

Guttenberg: Europe plagued by “crisis of political leadership” not debt

By the Local (Germany)

From the Local (Germany): Karl-Theodor Guttenberg, Germany’s former defence minister who resigned in March after being found to have plagiarised his doctoral thesis, has returned to the political stage with a scathing attack on his former colleagues.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 15, 2011

The Strategic Influence Game 5: A German Europe or a European Germany?

By Julian Lindley-French

Germany has never found the leadership of Europe easy to attain or to execute. And yet Germany today finds itself the unrivalled leader of the European Union. Can Germany for once get leadership right? Only at the very 1871 beginning of modern Germany’s uneasy existence was Berlin led by a man who grasped both the […]

European Union Germany

New Atlanticist

Nov 14, 2011

Black Swans Attack

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

“All our governments are insolvent. “No level of taxation could make them solvent. “So we must cut the source of our insolvency.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Nov 10, 2011

A future for UK and NATO defense

By Jim Murphy, the Labour Party

Economy & Business European Union

NATOSource

Nov 9, 2011

EU President Warns of Asia-Pacific Militarization

By AFP

From AFP:  The Asia-Pacific region is showing signs of militarization that could lead to an arms race, EU President Herman Van Rompuy warned Nov. 9, calling for closer trade ties to defuse any political tensions.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Nov 9, 2011

NATO ambassadors visit Georgia and discuss alliance membership

By NATO

From NATO:  The NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC) at Ambassadorial level met in Tbilisi today with the participation of the Georgian Prime Minister.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 7, 2011

Solidarity: The Emptiest Word in Eurospeak

By Julian Lindley-French

If the mythical European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) contained as many Euros as empty Eurospeak the Eurozone crisis would have been solved in a trice. Indeed, the two most meaningless words in the grand lexicon of Eurospeak are ‘strategy’ and ‘solidarity’ and I have heard more than enough of both over the past two days […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Nov 6, 2011

What would a break-up of the European Union mean for NATO?

By Robert Haddick, Small Wars Journal

From Robert Haddick, Small Wars Journal:  Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the eurozone’s committee of finance ministers, says that plans are in place to handle Greece’s exit from the euro.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Nov 4, 2011

Europe’s Democracy Problem

By James Joyner

 For now at least, the Greek referendum that could have been the beginning of the end for the euro has been shelved. The panic that it provoked, however, says something about the tension between democracy and effectiveness that has marked the European project from its outset. 

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Nov 4, 2011

G20 Kicks the Cannes Down the Road

By Garrett Workman

As leaders of the world’s largest economic powers gather together at the G20 Summit this week on the French Riviera (complete with nude sunbathers turned antiglobalization protestors), the world’s attention has once again focused on Greece.  Little did I know back in June when I was decrying the futility of the latest Band Aid solution, […]

Economy & Business European Union
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Experts

Millennium fellow

Marcel Lewicki

Director of Partnerships and Development, Munich Security Conference

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Eastern Europe

Staff

Josh Lipsky

Chair, International Economics

GeoEconomics Center

China Digital Currencies

Fellow

Mark Linscott

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Trade and tariffs International Markets

Fellow

Oumou Ly

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Fellow

Sabeen Malik

Nonresident Fellow

Digital Forensic Research Lab

Digital Policy Economy & Business

Fellow

Laure Mandeville

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Economy & Business Elections
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Events

Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 2:45 am ET

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is an annual conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic.
Digital Policy Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia European Union