This Brief is the first of a triptych on the ways the international community has responded to the new developments to preserve and strengthen the norm against CW use. It first offers a short historical overview of chemical warfare, followed by a review of resurgent use of toxic agents. It next ...
In light of rising tensions between Washington and the EU over defence markets, this Brief looks at the asymmetry between US and European defence markets. It examines the web of regulations and laws which effectively provides the US government with the discretionary power to control its defence ...
Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, big data, 5G and biotechnology are paving the way towards defence modernisation in a growing number of states, particularly in the US, Russia and China. While AI technologies and their impact have been on the radar...
Digital technologies can vastly improve the operational readiness and effectiveness of Europe’s armed forces. As this Brief shows, however, the EU needs to better understand the risks and opportunities involved in the digitalisation of defence and it needs to financially invest in its technologi...
China is rapidly consolidating its expertise in building smart/safe cities, with the Covid-19 crisis significantly accelerating this trend. The crisis has also seen China step up its activism in the global promotion, donation and export of some of its smart city technologies with dual-use capabi...
In recent years, Japan has sought to rekindle diplomatic, political and economic ties with eastern Europe. This Brief examines how Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 may have motivated this charm offensive, prompted by Tokyo’s fears that such aggression could potentially be replicated in the ...
Sudan’s ongoing transition demonstrates the potential of strategic non-violence to bring about societal change. The civil resistance movement in Sudan has proved remarkably resilient, owing to its highly organised nature, investment in coalition-building and capacity to adapt tactics to circumst...
Russia is mounting a remarkable political comeback in sub-Saharan Africa through a ‘low costs, high returns and visibility’ approach. Can a coherent strategy be discerned behind this push? How is sub-Saharan Africa reacting to Russia’s overtures and what does it mean for the EU?...
China has sought to demonstrate that its authoritarian political system has been more efficient at dealing with the coronavirus crisis than Western liberal democratic systems. This Brief examines the validity of this hypothesis, and concludes that pre-dispositional factors – notably the demograp...
Foresight is to decision-making what reconnaissance is to warfare: without it, we stumble ahead rather than follow a strategic vision. This is particularly true in today’s complex and high-speed world. As a result, foresight activities are on the rise not just in EU institutions but also in EU m...