Centre for European Policy Studies

Centre for European Policy Studies

The Centre for European Policy Studies is a Brussels-based independent think tank established in 1983 that conducts research on European Union policy, international relations, and transnational issues affecting EU Member States. It convenes experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from European Commission, European Parliament, European Council, and national capitals to inform debates on regulation, finance, and integration. Its work engages institutions such as the OECD, World Bank, NATO, United Nations, and academic centres across London School of Economics, College of Europe, and Université libre de Bruxelles.

History

Founded in 1983 during a period of expansion for European Communities think tanks, the organisation emerged alongside contemporaries such as Bruegel, Chatham House, Centre for European Reform, Bertelsmann Stiftung, and Fondation Robert Schuman. Early activities intersected with debates around the Single European Act, the Maastricht Treaty, and the enlargement rounds that admitted Spain, Portugal, Greece, and later Central Europe entrants. Over decades the institute produced work relevant to milestones including the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Treaty of Nice, the Treaty of Lisbon, and the 2004 and 2007 enlargements involving Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, and Bulgaria. Key collaborations and exchanges connected staff with institutions such as European Investment Bank, European Central Bank, International Monetary Fund, Council of Europe, and national research councils in France, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands.

Organisation and Governance

The governance structure aligns with common practices found at think tanks like German Marshall Fund, Atlantic Council, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. A Board of Directors drawn from representatives of EU capitals, academic institutions such as Hertie School, Sciences Po, and corporate members provides oversight. Executive leadership and research directors coordinate with fellows and visiting scholars from universities including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Heidelberg University, and KU Leuven. Advisory panels feature former officials from DG ECFIN, former European Central Bank staff, and diplomats posted to Permanent Representations and national ministries in Berlin, Paris, Rome, and Madrid.

Research Programmes and Policy Areas

Programmes mirror policy portfolios used across European Commission Directorates-General and partner think tanks, covering areas such as single market regulation, digital policy, trade, fiscal frameworks, and external action. Research streams have addressed topics linked to the Banking Union, the Schengen Area, Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Green Deal, and the Digital Services Act. Projects engage experts on relations with United States, China, Russia, Turkey, and neighbourhood states like Ukraine, Moldova, and Western Balkans. Comparative work references institutions such as the European Court of Justice, European Court of Auditors, European Economic and Social Committee, and national counterparts in Sweden, Poland, Greece, and Portugal.

Publications and Events

The institute issues policy briefs, working papers, books, and opinion pieces akin to outputs from RAND Corporation, IPEX, and Kings College London centres. Regular series include commentary on fiscal policy, migration, competition law, and industrial strategy, drawing citations to rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union, reports by the European Central Bank, analyses by the International Monetary Fund, and assessments from the World Trade Organization. It hosts conferences, seminars, and roundtables which attract commissioners from European Commission, members of European Parliament, ambassadors from United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as scholars from Princeton University, Sciences Po, and Harvard Kennedy School.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources combine membership fees, project grants, and contracts similar to funding models of Bertelsmann Stiftung and Friends of Europe. Partners have included EU institutions, national ministries in Belgium and Germany, philanthropic foundations such as Open Society Foundations, and supranational lenders including the European Investment Bank and World Bank. Research grants have come from competitive calls by Horizon 2020, the DG Research, and collaborative agreements with universities like Vrije Universiteit Brussel and think tanks such as Bruegel and Centre of International Governance Innovation.

Category:Think tanks based in Belgium Category:Organisations established in 1983