This CIDOB analysis questions whether the EU has lost its sense of direction by trying to balance big external ambitions with slow internal reform. Europe talks about strategic autonomy, competitiveness and global influence, but its internal economic, regulatory and institutional weaknesses make these ambitions hard to realise. The text suggests a growing mismatch: the EU wants to shape the world, but it cannot fix the fundamentals at home. If this gap persists, Europe’s global role will weaken and its economy will stagnate.

This Bruegel working paper looks at the macroeconomic impact of ageing in the EU – and it reads like a warning sign for Europe’s future. As populations get older, growth slows, labour shortages rise, and pension spending climbs. The paper digs into how immigration policy and pension systems shape the damage.

This Heritage Foundation commentary makes a blunt, provocative claim – Western civilisation can only be saved if the European Union is abolished. The text portrays the EU not as a peace project, but as a political machine that weakens democracy, erodes national sovereignty, and blocks the reforms Europe needs to survive. Whether you agree or not, the message is designed to shock: Europe’s biggest threat is not Russia or China, but Brussels itself.

This IRIS analysis delivers a sharp warning Europe does not want to hear – the risk of EU fragmentation is no longer theoretical. Economic weakness, repeated crises, and rising political polarisation are building pressure inside the Union. The text argues Europe needs “productive resilience” – real industrial and economic capacity – to hold the EU together. Without it, Europe risks becoming a bloc held by rules and habit, not by strength, growth or shared confidence.

This AEI analysis argues Europe’s economic slowdown is not just Europe’s problem – it is a growing risk for the United States as well. A weaker Europe means weaker demand, less innovation, more political instability, and a less capable security partner. The author’s point is blunt: Europe is underperforming, falling behind the US in growth and productivity, and if this trend continues it will hurt American interests. Europe is supposed to be the US’s strongest ally. Right now, it looks like a drag.

This CER analysis argues Europe is learning three hard lessons about trade in a world run by power politics, not polite rules. The EU likes to see itself as a global trade giant, but the past year has exposed how vulnerable it really is. Washington can pressure Europe without fear, Beijing can undercut Europe with state-backed industry, and Brussels struggles to respond because it is divided and dependent. The message is grim: Europe’s trade model was built for yesterday’s world – and it is being punished for it.