The EU's global strategy [What Think Tanks are thinking]

The European Council decided last year that the EU needs a new, comprehensive global strategy to face the growing challenges of globalisation, shifts in economic and political power and  expanding zones of conflict and instability. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, is to present such a strategy during the European Council meeting in June 2016. Phenomena such as the digital revolution, climate change, competition for resources, growing inequality and aging populations will require smart policies and tough decisions if the EU is to avoid a decline of its global leverage. Some useful analysis of the challenges and choices facing the Union were presented in a 2015 report by the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), an inter-institutional project, entitled 'Global Trends to 2030: Can the EU meet the challenges ahead?' This note offers links to recent commentaries and reports from major international think tanks on the EU's global strategy and related issues.