Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
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The EU’s decision to grant Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine membership perspective signals a more strategic approach to enlargement. But an overhaul of the process is needed to enable staged accession and prevent a stalemate.
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism has sparked a debate about its negative spillover effects, particularly for developing and least developed countries. Reforming CBAM should be a priority for the EU not only for climate justice but also for geopolitical considerations.
A decade and a half of constant crises has gradually restructured the power dynamics in the EU institutions. The European Commission is now in the driver’s seat.
The prolonged conflict between Israel and Palestine is leading to democratic deterioration in both territories. The EU and its member states should root their responses in liberal democratic values.
Russia’s hybrid attacks have strengthened Ukraine’s social cohesion and public resolve. To further enhance Ukrainian resilience, the EU should share best practices, expand sanctions, and support the country’s democratic reforms.
There is a growing perception that the liberal world order is coming to an end. While the current multilateral system may be weakened by the return of geopolitics, economic interdependence and transnational ties will prevent a complete lapse into anarchy.
Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain have generally been more cautious about prioritizing democracy support policies over other issues such as migration. Their geographical location may help to explain the difference in their strategic interests compared to other EU countries.
European politics have been hobbled by a complex trilemma of the green transition, social justice, and democracy. Rather than approaching this puzzle in terms of trade-offs, European governments should employ open forms of democratic engagement to cultivate positive linkages.
In the last decade, nondemocratic regimes have received more development assistance than democratic countries. This reveals how donors struggle with autocratization despite a rhetorical commitment to democracy.
There have been many more democratic openings since 2011 than is commonly thought. In that time, the EU has accelerated its response to crises and conflicts but has failed to develop financial, diplomatic, and trade mechanisms that grasp democratic opportunities with the same conviction.