Industrial policy

Europe’s defence map is being redrawn. Our new Böll EU Brief tracks over 160 defence partnerships signed since 2014 among EU countries, the UK and Ukraine – most of them after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Bilateralism boosts trust, interoperability and procurement speed, but also risks duplication and fragmentation. To turn this patchwork into strategy, the EU and NATO should map and integrate these deals into joint planning, strengthen the European Defence Agency’s role, and use bilaterals to offset declining US support.  

The Clean Industrial Deal is the flagship project of the European Commission for the legislative term 2024-2029. Aiming to decarbonise and grow European industries, it covers a wide range of political projects, from renewable energies to state aid, and from international partnerships to the circular economy. Does this mark a new step towards a green economy in Europe? What aspects of the Clean Industrial Deal need particular attention to foster a green transformation? With this web dossier, we want to investigate this political megaproject, develop insights and share critical commentary.

In a pivotal week for transatlantic trade relations, the new EU Böll Brief “Trading partners? Europe's options against Trump’s tariffs“ analyses the potential consequences of rising US tariffs on European trade and explores strategic responses available to the EU, highlighting the economic risks of a tariff war for each individual EU Member State and outlining alternative strategies for the EU to safeguard its economic interests.

The European Commission unveiled on 26 February the Clean Industrial Deal, a competitiveness-driven approach to decarbonisation, aimed at securing the EU as an attractive location for manufacturing, including for energy intensive industries, and promoting clean tech and new circular business models. Check out our content on industrial policy!

This publication series aims at contributing to the emergence of a transformative economic thinking, integrating environmental, social, and economic dimensions, after the wreckage of neoliberal economic thought that clearly has reached its date of expiry. It is the product of a collaboration of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, the ZOE Institute for Future-Fit Economies, and Finanzwende Recherche.