Policy Briefs

Forging Sustainable Transport Connectivity: Enhancing EU-Central Asia Transportation Through the Trans-Caspian Corridor

The EU-Central Asia Investors Forum 2024 is the latest significant development in the EU’s commitment to improve connectivity in Central Asia. Most notably this includes the development of competitive intermodal transport, logistics networks, and to encourage sustainable development initiatives throughout the region. Bringing together high-level leaders and stakeholders from the EU, Central Asian states, the Caucasus, Türkiye, and other international partners, the Forum served as a platform to discuss future prospects for investment and collaboration in various connectivity sectors including digital, energy, and transports. These future investments and collaborations aim to pave the path for innovative methods and strategic partnerships.

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Towards the Green Energy Transition: Investigating the Potential for EU-China Collaboration in the Hydrogen Sector

In the quest to achieve the EU’s ambitious 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target, renewable hydrogen has emerged as a critical element in the green energy transition. Although hydrogen is promising as a clean-burning fuel and energy carrier, its energy-intensive production and high costs pose a challenge for large-scale implementation. China and the EU are key players in the global hydrogen landscape but still primarily rely on fossil-fuel heavy methods of production. As both have released a number of strategic objectives as part of their respective hydrogen strategies, the renewable hydrogen sector is set to change over the next couple of years. The EU’s ambitious targets and China’s strategic goals for the renewable hydrogen sector create an opportunity for collaborative efforts. This EIAS policy brief will explore the chances and challenges for EU-China collaboration in the renewable hydrogen sector, emphasising the fields of fuel-cell technology, electrolyser manufacturing, and renewable energy production and trade.

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The German Automotive FDI in China: EVs, Innovation and Competitiveness

German carmakers Volkswagen (VW), BMW and Mercedes-Benz are increasing their presence and Foreign Direct Investments in China, which is showing new investment patterns. The Chinese Electrical Vehicle (EV) expertise and technology, together with the country’s large market, could help the European automotive industry to retain global competitiveness and further its electrification process. In this context, the EU should place the European automotive industry’s interests at the centre of its green transition. Apart from the growing political scepticism and potential competition, economic collaboration with Chinese companies and the need for a broader understanding of the Chinese market as well as related strategies will become increasingly important in the long term.

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EU Security in Southeast Asia: Insights into the 2023 Shangri-La Dialogue

2-4 June 2023 saw the Shangri-La hotel in Singapore host its nineteenth Shangri-La Dialogue, having been held annually since 2002, besides its two-year pause due to the pandemic (2020 and 2021). The Dialogue is an inter-governmental security conference that has manifested to become one of the most important independent forums for the exchange of views through talks and bi-lateral agreements by international policy decision-makers.

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Towards the Middle Income Status in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the United Nations’ least developed country (LDC) status. The country’s remarkable growth is worthy of a closer analysis regarding the drivers and rationale behind national policies and attracting foreign investments.

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Thailand’s Recent Election Results: A “Thai-breaker” or “Thai-Maker” for its Future Relationship with the EU?

On 14 May 2023, Thailand saw almost 40 million people head to the polls to vote in its first national election post-COVID, the largest turnout of any Thai election thus far. This election can be considered as one of the most significant political events in Thailand since the pro-democracy movement of the mid-1970s. Over 70 parties competed within the election, with over half of the votes going to two opposition parties: Move Forward and Pheu Thai. However, Thailand has found itself in a political stalemate as it still awaits the final outcome of the May election.

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EU Energy Security and Kazakhstan’s Position on the Middle Corridor

Before the 24th of February 2022, freight through the New Eurasian Land Bridge (NELB) or so-called ‘Northern Corridor’ —with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine as its most critical components— showed great promise. However, the war in Ukraine and the related Western sanctions against Russia and Belarus have created significant shifts in global geo-economics and supply chains. This has heavily affected various sectors such as global energy markets, transportation, and logistics, alongside infrastructural connectivity initiatives.

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