Forum · Issue 4 · 2026
Energy Security and Green Transformation Under Geopolitical Shock
The Russian war against Ukraine and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have highlighted Europe’s vulnerability to imported energy. Decreasing dependency on fossil fuel suppliers is not only essential to economic and energy security but also could accelerate the transition towards low-carbon systems. This Forum examines the targeted policy measures, government initiatives and fiscal responses required to bridge strategic autonomy and decarbonisation within European-level frameworks.
Forum · Issue 3 · 2026
From Signature to Standstill: The Future of the EU–Mercosur Agreement
The provisional application of the Interim Trade Agreement since 1 May 2026 has delivered tangible progress in EU–Mercosur economic integration. Although the agreement was formally signed on 17 January 2026, the European Parliament’s decision to refer it to the European Court of Justice for legal checks effectively freezes the ratification process. This Forum asks what this impasse means for EU–Mercosur relations and EU trade policy.
Forum · Issue 2 · 2026
Stablecoins, the Digital Euro and the Future of Monetary Sovereignty in Europe
Stablecoins are moving from the margins of crypto markets towards the core of global finance, raising fundamental questions about who controls money, how it circulates and what role public institutions should play. This Forum brings together four perspectives on their technological promise, strategic implications and policy risks. The contributions examine whether Europe risks ceding monetary influence to dollar-based digital infrastructures and what policy choices are needed to ensure that innovation strengthens rather than undermines the resilience and credibility of the euro.
Forum · Issue 1 · 2026
US Policy Shifts and the Changing Global Economic Landscape: What Implications for Europe?
The global financial order is under increasing strain as the United States retreats from its traditional hegemonic role and the dominance of the US dollar faces mounting challenges. On 1 December 2025, during the Centre for European Policy Studies-Intereconomics annual joint conference in Brussels, the current geopolitical and geoeconomic upheaval came into sharp focus. This Forum, featuring contributions from conference participants, considers urgent questions about Europe’s strategic autonomy and resilience, the evolving role of the euro and the EU’s position in a rapidly changing global order.
Forum · Issue 6 · 2025
Frontiers of Growth: Europe’s Struggle for Resilience, Sustainability and Social Justice
Growth has never been more critical for Europe. The instability caused by US President Trump’s unpredictability has called the transatlantic partnership into question, shifted geopolitical alliances and rattled world markets. All this at a time when Europe is falling behind in the tech race and has an ongoing conflict in its own neighbourhood. What kind of growth does Europe need? How do the priorities regarding technological advancement, defence and green transition factor in? What should policymakers be focusing on in order to enable this growth?
Forum · Issue 5 · 2025
Policy Innovation for a New World Order
Long-held economic and political certainties are eroding and the shape of the emerging world order is still vague. This Forum brings together articles that imagine a new world order, one that looks diff erent from the current system shaped by decades of belief in free markets and globalisation. What might a forward-looking industrial policy look like – one that does not just react to crises? What kind of climate policy truly brings people on board? How could globalisation be more inclusive and avoid trade wars or the abuse of power by tech giants? The contributors to this Forum, who took part in the Forum New Economy’s 2025 Berlin Summit, continue the dialogue on how to win back the future.
Natural Resources
What the Strait of Hormuz Tells Europe
Julian Hinz examines how the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz – despite Europe's modest direct exposure – has revealed deep vulnerabilities in fertiliser, jet fuel and petrochemical supply chains, and what this means for Europe's critical-inputs policy playbook.
Quote of the Month
"The rise in energy prices in 2022 and 2026 have done what no policy document could: they have made the cost of inaction immediate and tangible. The window of opportunity is open. It will not stay open indefinitely."
Andreas Fischer
Europe’s Twin Imperative: Securing Energy Supply While Advancing Climate Goals
Figure of the Month
EU27 energy imports by country of origin in 2024, share (%) of trade in value
The US accounted for 17.3% of total EU energy import value in 2024. This included €42 billion in oil, €19 billion in LNG (representing 45.3% of the EU’s total LNG imports) and €4 billion in coal. Norway was the second-largest supplier, while Russia maintained a significant share despite ongoing sanctions.