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.

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

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.

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The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

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

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

Report
May 20, 2025

The European Union Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: A reality test for EU enlargement

By
Valbona Zeneli, Richard Grieveson, Isabelle Ioannides, Dimitar Bechev

EU enlargement faces a test case in the Western Balkans. The current plan offers real benefits before accession, creating incentives for reform, but questions of enforceability and the relatively low amount of financial support threaten the success of the EU’s political influence in the region.

Economy & Business
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

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

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

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

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

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

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

Oct 8, 2009

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

By Benjamin Preisler

After the resounding Irish approval of the Lisbon Treaty, its ratification is almost assured … pending signatures of the euroskeptic Polish and Czech Presidents that is.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Oct 6, 2009

Rethinking Security in “Greater Europe”

By the European Council on Foreign Relations

From the European Council on Foreign Relations: Both the EU and NATO have exhausted their potential for “light” expansion. Both organizations have entered an area of open rivalry, where they will inevitably meet with opposition from Russia. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that not a single country in the former Soviet Union, including […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 30, 2009

OpEd by Leader of EU Report on Georgia Conflict

By the New York Times

From the New York Times: Like most catastrophic events, the war of August 2008 had several causes. The proximate cause was the shelling by Georgian forces of the capital of the secessionist province of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, on Aug. 7, 2008, which was followed by a disproportionate response of Russia. Another factor was the lack […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 30, 2009

Probe says Georgia started war amid Russian provocation

By AFP

From AFP: Georgia sparked a five-day war with Russia last year by attacking rebel South Ossetia, an investigating team said Wednesday, but it also accused Moscow of violating international law. In a report of some 1,150 pages handed to EU ambassadors Wednesday, the 19-member commission found that while Russia had ratcheted up tensions prior to […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Sep 30, 2009

EU: Georgia ‘Triggered’ Russia’s Illegal Invasion

By James Joyner

As widely anticipated, an EU report on last year’s Russian invasion of Georgia finds plenty of blame to go around, finding that Tblisi “triggered” the conflict but that Moscow violated international law by its invasion and with numerous atrocities thereafter.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 29, 2009

E.U. Report to Place Blame on Both Sides in Georgia War

By the New York Times

From the New York Times: After a lengthy inquiry, investigators commissioned by the European Union are expected to conclude that Georgia ignited last year’s war with Russia by attacking separatists in South Ossetia, rejecting the Georgian government’s explanation that the attack was defensive, according to an official familiar with the investigators’ work. But the report […]

European Union International Organizations

Event Recap

Sep 29, 2009

First Annual Members’ Conference – U.S.-EU Strategic Dialogue

By James Joyner

Summary of the breakout conversation “U.S.-EU Strategic Dialogue” at the 2009 Annual Members’ Conference. PARTICIPANTS: Mr. James Elles, Member of European Parliament; Atlantic Council Individual Member Hon. Marc Grossman,* Vice Chairman, The Cohen Group; Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Hon. Robert Hutchings,* Diplomat in Residence, Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 29, 2009

EU steps up Georgia patrols before war report

By the AP

From the AP: On the eve of a European Union report on who started the Russia-Georgia war, EU monitors have stepped up their patrols in Georgia to try to keep tensions from boiling over into violence, an official said Tuesday. The August 2008 war ended with Russian soldiers driving Georgia forces out of the separatist […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 29, 2009

The EU to use the Maritime Battlegroups more effectively

By thegovmonitor.com

From thegovmonitor.com: “Use the EU’s battlegroups more flexibly” It must become easier to put the EU’s battlegroups into action in crises. In addition, better cooperation between civilian and military actors is needed, to contribute to improved maritime surveillance and more effective peace support operations. This is what the Swedish Presidency emphasised at Monday’s meeting of […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Sep 25, 2009

Germany and Russia: likely bedfellows

By the Guardian

From the Guardian: Germany is Russia’s closest ally inside Europe. Berlin remains a pragmatic advocate for Russia within the EU and Nato – to the point of defending Moscow from attacks by the new EU members of eastern Europe. There are, of course, sound reasons for this: Germany is Russia’s biggest export and trading partner. […]

European Union International Organizations
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Experts

Fellow

Evi Fuelle

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Digital Policy Economy & Business

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
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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