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.

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

Report
Mar 3, 2025

The art of the transatlantic deal

The transatlantic relationship is shifting with US president Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Nevertheless, discreet deals across the US-EU trade, energy, and defense sectors are possible.

Read More

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

New Atlanticist
Apr 8, 2025

Europeans are responding to Trump by rallying around the EU flag

By
Anna Wieslander and Louise Blomqvist

The Trump administration’s stances toward Europe have led to increased support for the European Union among the bloc’s citizens.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

Issue Brief
Mar 5, 2025

The EU must become a strategic player in defense—alongside NATO

By
Justina Budginaite-Froehly

The European Union and NATO need renewed alignment on defense to meet the new geopolitical moment. Refocused cooperation would provide a critically needed burden sharing to eliminate vulnerabilities and prepare Europe to withstand new realities.

Defense Industry
Europe & Eurasia

Featured events

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


Online Event
Thu, March 20, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

The future of EU defense

Following the release of the European Union’s whitepaper on the future of European defense, an expert panel unpacks what role the EU should play in transatlantic security.

Europe & Eurasia
European Union
NATO
Security & Defense


Online Event
Thu, February 27, 2025 • 9:30 am ET

How should Europe step up for Ukraine?

With developments unfolding quickly, the Atlantic Council hosts an expert panel discussion on what Europe can and should do in order to support Ukraine.

Europe & Eurasia
European Union
Politics & Diplomacy
Security & Defense


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

The US-EU Trade and Technology Council has been a success. Now build on that success.

by L. Daniel Mullaney

A trade agreement foundation would go a long way toward ensuring US-EU engagement across different administrations and commissions.

In-depth Research & reports

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

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

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

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

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

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

May 28, 2010

Those Damned Sceptical Germans

By Charlemagne, the Economist

From Charlemagne, the Economist: Once again, Europe has a German problem. In its handling of the euro crisis, Germany’s government stands accused of weakness, indecision and populism. Pro-European Germans say that Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that theirs has become just another normal European country. They add ominously that this risks flirting with Euroscepticism, even nationalism. […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 28, 2010

EU Bail-Out Scheme Alters Bloc Treaties, says France

By the Financial Times

From the Financial Times: The eurozone’s €440bn debt guarantee scheme is tantamount to the adoption of a Nato-style mutual defence clause and marks an ‘unprecedented’ change to the bloc’s treaties, according to France’s Europe minister. In a Financial Times interview, Pierre Lellouche laid bare the French government’s conviction that the emergency stabilisation scheme agreed this […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 27, 2010

Clinton: “We Do Have to Expect More From NATO”

By Secretary Hillary Clinton, the State Department

From Secretary Hillary Clinton, the State Department:  We have to do a better job of reforming NATO institutions and requiring them to be more cost-conscious and effective in order to maximize the impact of every dollar

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 27, 2010

Outgoing EU Military Chief Dismisses Drive for Single HQ

By Expatica France

From Expatica France: The outgoing British head of the European Union’s military staff on Thursday said a French-led drive for a single EU military command centre was unworkable. "There is not a one-sized feasible solution, neither from the point of view of politics nor from the pratical, military one," Lieutenant-General David Leakey told reporters as […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

May 27, 2010

George Magnus Interview: Can the EU Remain Cohesive?

By Jason Harmala

In his latest New Atlanticist Podcast, Atlantic Council senior fellow Sarwar Kashmeri speaks with George Magnus, Senior Economic Advisor at UBS Investment Bank and author of the book The Age of Aging, on the cohesiveness of the European Union and the Eurozone’s outlook following the recent Greek and monetary crises.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 25, 2010

NATO-EU Cooperation Talks Show Little Sign of Progress

By Europolitics

From Europolitics: The dispute between Turkey and Cyprus has hamstrung relations between the two organisations since Cyprus joined the EU in 2004. Ankara restricts cooperation at a number of levels, claiming that it wants to prevent sensitive military operations being passed on to the Greek Cypriot authorities. Cyprus has responded by blocking Turkish participation in […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 25, 2010

Rasmussen and Ashton Discuss Bosnia and EU-NATO Cooperation

By NATO

From NATO:  On 25 May, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, met with Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. They met both bilaterally and at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council and the EU Political and Security Committee. The main topic of discussion was […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 25, 2010

Assessing “NATO 2020”

By Emiliano Alessandri, Brookings Institution

From Emiliano Alessandri, Brookings Institution: The report is comprehensive and detailed. Its recommendations, however, do not always match the measure of vision and boldness that many think is needed to invigorate NATO and renew its sense of purpose. Visionary or provocative proposals floated in recent months in expert and political circles, such as opening NATO’s door […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

May 24, 2010

Euro Fall Spells Trouble for the Balkan EU Perspective

By Borut Grgic

The Euro crisis is far from over despite – or perhaps because of – the decision by the ECB to set-up a 750 billion euro emergency fund to protect the euro-zone countries from going bankrupt.  The economic outlook is grim, which is likely to have some profound political consequences, not least on EU’s enlargement policy.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

May 21, 2010

Turkey’s Zero-Problems Foreign Policy

By Ahmet Davutoğlu, Foreign Policy

From Ahmet Davutoğlu, Foreign Policy:  During the Cold War, Turkey was a "wing country" under NATO’s strategic framework, resting on the geographic perimeter of the Western alliance. NATO’s strategic concept, however, has evolved in the post-Cold War era — and so has Turkey’s calculation of its strategic environment. Turkey’s presence in Afghanistan is a clear […]

European Union International Organizations
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Experts

Fellow

Achilles Tsirgis

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business European Union

Fellow

Helena Fee Rasch

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Staff

Lize de Kruijf

Project Assistant, Economic Statecraft Initiative

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Dutch Economic Sanctions

Fellow

Jeppe Kofod

Distinguished Fellow

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Agon Maliqi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Albanian Bosnian

European Leadership Accelerator Participant

Lukasz Lisicki

Policy Assistant to the Director-General for Energy, European Commission

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Europe Energy & Environment
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Events

Flagship Event Tue, September 30, 2025 • 9:00 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