Joop Hazenberg is an independent EU Watcher based in Brussels, providing articles, commentaries and consultation work on EU integration. He was the founder and Chairman of Prospect, a Dutch think tank. Joop has previously served as a Policy Advisor on European affairs at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Political editor at Dagblad De Pers and Private Secretary to Jozias van Aartsen, group chairman of the Liberal party VVD in the Dutch Second Chamber. He is widely published on topics such as Dutch politics, foreign relations, Netherlands-European Union relationship etc. and is also the author of four books including The Powerless State. Mr Hazenberg's main themes he advises on are: European integration and the eurocrisis, Dutch politics and European competitiveness.