Op-ed Categories

The EU-Kazakhstan Memorandum of Understanding: Effectiveness versus Opportunities

The European Union (EU) and Kazakhstan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 7 November 2022 to establish strategic partnerships specifically focused on sustainable raw materials, batteries, and renewable hydrogen value chains. The MoU, although not binding, has the potential to encourage public and private investment in the exploration, extraction and process of critical raw materials (CRM) in Kazakhstan and to promote the reduction of trade barriers between the parties. As the agreement has entered its first year, understanding the extent to which the commitments have been fulfilled can provide more efficient processes in the future.

Forging Partnerships for the Future: Exploring EU-Japan Dialogue on Education, Culture and Youth

The third EU-Japan dialogue on Education, Culture and Sports held in Tokyo on 3 April 2024 follows the previous meetings held in Budapest in 2018 and by videoconference in 2021 during the pandemic. It demonstrates a continued commitment to cooperation and addressing challenges in the EU-Japan partnership. In response to the issues posed by the pandemic, the dialogues have particularly explored innovative strategies for higher education, including digital education and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). These digital transformations offer promising avenues for the strengthening of sports diplomacy, fostering collaboration and deepening cultural exchanges.

Charting EU-India Relations Amid the 2024 Elections

On 19 April 2024, India began its seven-phase Lok Sabha (lower house) election. Spanning over 44 days, surpassing the 2019 Indian general election, this term stands as the largest-ever held election in history. Given the 2024 elections in both the EU and India, the future of EU-India relations must address the security challenges of the subcontinent by maintaining clear priorities, including enhancing regional cooperation in South Asia, improving EU-India economic collaboration, and aligning development and job growth objectives with the EU and India’s climate goals.

The Power of the Siberia 2 pipeline: China, Russia, and Mongolia at the nexus of energy geopolitics

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has radically shifted global energy geopolitics, forcing Europe to abandon cheap oil and gas coming from that direction and leaving Russia without one of its most important sources of revenue. Seeking new markets as a result, the Russian state has pivoted to selling its oil and gas to China, fulfilling a longstanding request from the energy-hungry Middle Kingdom, and promising both opportunity and risk to Mongolia.

Opportunities for Japan in the EU

Japan is looking abroad, also to the EU. But can Europe deliver? If Japan chooses to seize the opportunity, Europe can be a fertile ground for Japan’s home-grown strategies. The EU has long looked to expand its reach to the East, thereby even breaking with its multilateral ideals when trading with new partners. The extended reach of EU-Japan cooperation signals the willingness of both parties to create a stronger bond, and an opportunity for Japan to get closer to gain stronger security guarantees, closer relationships with external partners and more expansive trade.

Navigating the Indo-Pacific Tides: Key Takeaways from the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum 2024

Amidst the complex currents of geopolitics, economic interdependence, and global challenges, the Third EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum convened in Brussels on 1-2, February 2024, hosted by Josep Borrell Fontelles, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission. Now in its third year, the forum holds significant weight as a cornerstone of the EU’s overarching strategy for Indo-Pacific cooperation, originally conceived in 2021. As the EU and the Indo-Pacific region increasingly intertwine across security, economy, and society, the imperative for a unified and well-coordinated response to common challenges as well as opportunities becomes ever more apparent.

Japan and the European Chips Act

Japan is investing heavily to become a major producer of high-end electronic components, while the EU is looking to secure resilient supply chains. This might be the perfect opportunity for the EU and Japan to strengthen their ties and form a closer bond, truly realizing their respective and joint potential.

Elections in Taiwan: What’s at Stake for the European Union?

On 13 January 2024, the Taiwanese Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) secured the island’s presidency with 40% of the vote, simultaneously losing its majority in the concurrent elections for the Legislative Yuan, its parliament. The historic election, coming at the end point of a bitterly contested 3-way race between the DPP, its historical rival Kuomintang (KMT), and the novel Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), was marked by political polarisation, the proliferation of fake news, and Chinese attempts to influence the election towards the relatively China-friendly KMT. While the world worries about escalation in the Taiwan strait, a crucial gateway for commerce for both China and the European Union (EU), the reactions to the DPP’s win suggest that the next 4 years of DPP governance may herald few seismic changes in Taiwan’s relationship with China, the United States, and the EU.

Navigating the Green Transition: The EU and Vietnam’s Partnership for a Decarbonised Future

In the aftermath of COP28 in Dubai, the début of Vietnam’s Resource Mobilisation Plan (RMP) by its Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính signifies a notable milestone in advancing the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The timing of the launch also highlights the progress made one year after the collaborative agreement was formed between Vietnam and the International Partners Group (IPG), co-led by the EU and the UK, during the December 2022 EU-ASEAN summit in Brussels.