Foreign policy

Articles


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Brazil’s foreign policy at a crossroads

Published: 29 September 2026
Analysis
Itamaraty, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is believed to be one of the most professional diplomatic bodies within Latin America, especially significant considering its relative autonomy from the executive. Nevertheless, the next Brazilian presidential elections could have a dramatic effect on its diplomacy and foreign policy. In recent years, Brazil has embraced multipolarity, but a conservative president could easily transform the international projection of this South American giant. 
Alberto Maresca
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3 Questions on Iceland's EU referendum result to Kikka Sigurðardóttir

Published: 1 September 2026
3 Questions
Iceland has voted against reopening EU accession negotiations on 29 August 2026. Kikka Sigurðardóttir, Leader of the Icelandic Greens Græningjar, explains what really drove the 52.8% referendum result: fishing rights, rural identity, and a simple lack of urgency. She also looks at what deepening ties with Brussels could still mean for Iceland, and how the country should position itself as the US grows less predictable and Arctic tensions rise.
Kikka Sigurðardóttir, Anika Bruck
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The G20 and AU–EU relations amidst global fragmentation: Interview with Paula Assubuji

Published: 3 December 2025
Interview
Did Africa’s first G20 presidency deliver on its promise of solidarity, equality and sustainability? Our Head of Programme for EU and International Politics, Dr. Katharina Emschermann, spoke with Paula Assubuji, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's office in Cape Town, about what the Johannesburg G20 and the AU-EU summit in Luanda reveal about power, inequality and the state of multilateral cooperation.
Paula Assubuji, Dr. Katharina Emschermann

More articles about Foreign policy (52)



Publications


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A safety belt for the EU’s capacity to act

Published: 13 October 2026
Policy paper
How can the EU safeguard its foreign policy capacity to act despite national vetoes? In his new IEP Policy Paper in cooperation with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Daniel Hegedüs explores how qualified majority voting could enable enhanced cooperation among member states without Treaty amendment.
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Rethinking Arctic governance

Published: 26 May 2026
Policy paper
The Arctic is at a geopolitical crossroads. Russia's war on Ukraine has paralysed the Arctic Council, Trump's ambitions over Greenland are fracturing transatlantic trust, and the climate crisis risks being pushed off the political agenda. As the region's governance vacuum deepens, the EU faces a pivotal choice: seize the moment or be sidelined. This policy paper sets out how the EU can build a credible, legitimate role in a rapidly shifting Arctic.
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Budgeting for security?

Published: 27 May 2025
Discussion paper
The ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 proposal has limited fiscal impact and is unable to address the persistent lack of coordination among Member States, as it does not adequately incentivise joint procurement. Instead, the authors suggest to future-proof the EU's fiscal rules and develop an EU grants-mechanism tied to strategic cooperation, greater parliamentary oversight, and a broader concept of security that includes climate and democratic resilience.
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Cable diplomacy: Securing influence, data and global rules

Published: 27 May 2025
Böll EU Brief
Subsea data cables are the digital lifelines of our modern world. Yet, external factors frequently expose vulnerabilities in the network and its supporting infrastructure. While around 150 cable faults occur globally each year, states suspect a growing number of cable faults to be linked to hybrid or malicious activity. Recognising that many states around the world face similar risks, the EU Action Plan on Cable Security proposes to establish “an advanced cable diplomacy”. But cable diplomacy is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Technological sensitivities, dual-use aspects and geopolitical considerations demand a tailored approach. Where and how should the EU build effective cable diplomacy partnerships?
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Towards a common European China strategy? (2025 update)

Published: 30 January 2025
Study
The majority of EU Member States do not have any formal China strategy papers. Some EU Member States and specific government ministries have adopted internal China strategies and guidelines that have not been officially released to the public. Commonly referred to as ‘China strategies’, these documents outline national positions on China, rather than concrete strategies for managing bilateral relations. Jacob Mardell mapped out the state of play of these strategies in EU27, UK and Switzerland.
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Strengthening the EU's global capacity to act

Published: 7 November 2024
Policy Paper
The EU's reactions to the current challenges in the areas of security and trade policy highlight that a resolute and coherent common European foreign policy depends on the political will of Member States and their willingness to overcome their differences. The aim must be for Europeans to jointly consider their international commitment across different policy areas and act accordingly in a strategic manner. But the institutional reforms of the past have not provided the necessary push forward. In this sense, the recommendations for action in this paper are to be understood primarily as a call to Member States to make better use of the existing scope for action within the EU treaties.
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Towards a common European China strategy?

Published: 24 October 2023
Study
The majority of EU Member States do not have any formal China strategy papers. Some EU Member States and specific government ministries have adopted internal China strategies and guidelines that have not been officially released to the public. Commonly referred to as ‘China strategies’, these documents outline national positions on China, rather than concrete strategies for managing bilateral relations. Jacob Mardell mapped out the state of play of these strategies in EU27, UK and Switzerland.

EU statecraft in the age of permacrisis: Investing on new uses of soft power and public diplomacy

Published: 16 October 2023
Study
The purpose of this working paper is twofold. First, to suggest and examine how the EU can enhance its security and its global role, without diverting its focus to the remilitarization of European politics. Second, to examine how, in the age of permacrisis, deliberative and discursive processes should be at the heart of EU public diplomacy.

More publications about Foreign policy (12)





More pages about Foreign policy


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Böll EU Brief 05/2025 | Phalanx of defence pacts?

Published: 23 October 2025
Böll EU Brief
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.  
Roderick Kefferpütz, Anika Bruck
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Böll EU Brief 03/2025 | Cable diplomacy: Securing influence, data and global rules

Published: 27 May 2025
Böll EU Brief
Subsea data cables are the digital lifelines of our modern world. Yet, external factors frequently expose vulnerabilities in the network and its supporting infrastructure. While around 150 cable faults occur globally each year, states suspect a growing number of cable faults to be linked to hybrid or malicious activity. Recognising that many states around the world face similar risks, the EU Action Plan on Cable Security proposes to establish “an advanced cable diplomacy”. But cable diplomacy is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Technological sensitivities, dual-use aspects and geopolitical considerations demand a tailored approach. Where and how should the EU build effective cable diplomacy partnerships?
Jonas Franken

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