European Union

The European Union, founded in 1957, is a union of 27 member states that has significantly evolved since the end of the East-West conflict in 1990. It plays a significant role in global politics and the economy. The Heinrich Böll Foundation is deeply committed to the future of the European project and the role of the European Union in the world. You can find more about the work of our EU & North America department and our country offices on this page.

Here you will find current articles, publications, and thematic focuses on the European Union.

Recent Articles on the European Union

Waves hit a wide sandy beach with many loungers under thatched roofs, trees and mountains in the background.

Montenegro’s Choice Between Multiplying Deals or Setting Regional Standards

Analysis

Montenegro stands at a crossroads: will it normalise exceptional, deal-driven investment practices, or set regional standards for transparent and rule-based development? The EU has a critical opportunity to guide this process.

Iliriana Gjoni

hbs Bildbeschreiber sagte:Ursula von der Leyen speaks at the Climate Summit 2025 podium, surrounded by seated delegates from various countries.

From Brussels to Belém: Can the EU Demand Ambition While Retreating at Home?

Analysis

At COP30, Europe’s climate leadership is at risk. Recent steps back on the Green Deal and new offset rules make it harder for the EU to convince others to be more ambitious.

Thousands of mirrors stand in rows in a desert landscape, with low mountains in the background under a lightly clouded sky.

A Shared Green Future: Why the EU and China Need Each Other in the Energy Transition

Analysis

Diversification strategies in green technology must be technology-specific rather than uniformly applied. Balancing openness with resilience will allow the EU to mitigate supply risks while leveraging China’s scale and innovation capacity.

Belinda Schäpe

Aerial view of a curved building under construction with solar panels and a grid-like roof structure.

China and the EU: Partnering and Competing in the Global Net Zero Transition

Analysis

To strenghten their joint leadership in global decarbonization, the EU and China should counter growing fragmentation by aligning clean tech supply chains, harmonizing standards, and advancing triangular cooperation with the Global South.

Prof. Yu Hongyuan

Wind turbines stand on a hilly, green landscape under a cloudy sky, stretching into the distance.

Green Technology: Compete, De-Risk, Decarbonize - On Europe’s Terms

Analysis

China’s industrial strategy follows a playbook of state-backed scaling, limited consolidation, and outbound expansion. To stay competitive, secure supply chains, and advance decarbonization, the EU should adopt a sector-specific approach to clean tech.

Dr. Aya Adachi

All Articles on the European Union

Thematic Focuses on the European Union

Selbstverständlich Europäisch - Blaue Ballons mit EU Sternchen

Actually European: Long-term study on Germany's role in the EU

Mehrere Icons sind in einem Kreis angeordnet, um der EU Flagge ähnlich zu sehen

European Union: How Can Reform and Enlargement Succeed?

Boell.Thema 1/2024: Europe – a Promise

All Thematic Focuses on the European Union

Publications on the European Union

itelseite einer Publikation mit Logos von Carnegie Europe und Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Titel auf Englisch: Rules or Deals? The EU’s Challenge in Regulating Corrosive Capital in the Western Balkans

Rules or Deals? The EU’s Challenge in Regulating Corrosive Capital in the Western Balkans

Policy Paper

The United Arab Emirates has become a major investor in the Western Balkans. With enlargement back on the agenda, the EU must ensure that foreign capital meets rather than undermines its governance standards.

Iliriana Gjoni, Iva Čukić, Alba Cela, Aleksandër Trajçe

Budgeting for Security?

Discussion Paper

As Europe rethinks its security strategy in light of global shifts, a new initiative aims to ramp up defense efforts. This paper warns the plan lacks real coordination incentives and calls for deeper reforms that tie funding to shared priorities like democratic resilience and climate security.

Georg McCutcheon, Anton Möller

Global Circular Economy

Study

A circular economy can help mitigate the negative effects of our resource consumption and reduce the massive dependence on raw materials from other countries. The study sets out what needs to be considered in order to achieve a just transition towards a circular economy.

Luisa Denter

All Publications on the European Union

European Union

Recent Articles on the European Union

Montenegro’s Choice Between Multiplying Deals or Setting Regional Standards

From Brussels to Belém: Can the EU Demand Ambition While Retreating at Home?

A Shared Green Future: Why the EU and China Need Each Other in the Energy Transition

China and the EU: Partnering and Competing in the Global Net Zero Transition

Green Technology: Compete, De-Risk, Decarbonize - On Europe’s Terms

Thematic Focuses on the European Union

Actually European: Long-term study on Germany's role in the EU

European Union: How Can Reform and Enlargement Succeed?

Boell.Thema 1/2024: Europe – a Promise

Publications on the European Union

Rules or Deals? The EU’s Challenge in Regulating Corrosive Capital in the Western Balkans

Budgeting for Security?

Global Circular Economy

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