European Council on Foreign Relations
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| European Council on Foreign Relations | |
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| Abbreviation | ECFR |
| Organisation | Think tank |
| Formation | 2007 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Offices | Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Sofia |
| Director | Mark Leonard |
| www.ecfr.eu | |
The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) is the first pan-European think tank.[1] Launched in October 2007, its objective is to conduct research and promote informed debate across Europe on the development of coherent and effective European values based foreign policy.
ECFR's founding members include former European prime ministers, business leaders, public intellectuals and activists. It has offices in seven European capitals – Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Warsaw and Sofia – and is led by its Director, Mark Leonard and CEO Dick Oosting. ECFR’s Council brings together over 140 prominent and influential Europeans from 27 countries.
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[edit] Awards and recognition
ECFR was named "Best New Think Tank in the World" for 2009 and 2010 by the University of Pennsylvania in its annual Global "Go-To Think-Tanks" report.[2][3] In November 2010, ECFR was named “Best British-based think tank dealing with non-British affairs” at Prospect Magazine’s Think Tank of the Year Award.[4]
In 2011, the academic responsible for compiling the University of Pennsylvania rankings, Dr James G. McGann, wrote in a book on global think tanks: “The fact that ECFR attempts to pursue policy advice and research through a pan-European focus means that it is free from the national restrictions of operating with one particular state framework in mind. In this sense, it is able to prescribe solutions and recommendations that benefit Europe as a whole and perhaps to a much greater extent than if they had done so with only, for example, the interests of Germany or France in mind. A framework that incorporates all the various workings and desires of each of the affected actors is far more likely to be successful from a long-term standpoint than one that attempts to resolve a regional or global issue by pushing for a solution that only benefits or alleviates the concerns of an individual state.”[5]
[edit] The Council
ECFR’s Council currently has over 160 members,[6] each serving a renewable three-year term. The membership includes four former presidents of European nations, 12 former prime ministers, seven current and 17 former foreign ministers, five former EU commissioners, three former NATO secretaries general, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, eight senior UN officials, 33 current or former heads of civil society organisations, 22 current or retired professors, nine current or former heads of banks and 15 current or retired journalists. The Council meets once a year as a full body. In addition, groups of council members form various geographical and thematic task forces, which provide ECFR staff with advice and feedback on policy ideas and assist with ECFR’s activities within their own countries. The Council is chaired by Martii Ahtisaari, Joschka Fischer and Mabel van Oranje. ECFR’s board members are: Martti Ahtisaari, Emma Bonino, Joschka Fischer, Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev, Andrew Puddephatt, Aleksander Smolar, Javier Solana and Mabel van Oranje.
[edit] Programmes, publications and events
The think tank’s research is broadly divided into three programmes. These are China, Wider Europe and Rule of Law, Democracy and Human Rights.[7] As of early 2011, ECFR is developing Middle East and North Africa programme. ECFR’s fellows regularly also publish policy papers and articles on subjects that fall outside of these parameters, for example on the euro crisis. ECFR also has a major ongoing project entitled Germany in Europe. ECFR publishes individual policy reports, briefs and memos, which are downloadable for free from the think tank’s website. It also has three regular publications, the annual European Foreign Policy Scorecard, started in 2011;[8][9] China Analysis (quarterly) and the annual review of the EU and human rights at the UN. ECFR’s six national offices hold regular events, including seminars, ginger groups and publication launches, including ECFR London’s invitation-only ‘Black Coffee Mornings,’ at which guest speakers have included Louise Arbour, Joseph Nye and George Robertson.[10]
[edit] China
This programme explores how the EU could pursue more effective strategies in its relations with China on global issues like energy and climate change; development and human rights; nuclear proliferation and global governance. The programme publishes China Analysis, a quarterly analytical survey of foreign policy news and debate within China, in conjunction with Asia Centre.
[edit] Wider Europe
The Wider Europe programme examines the EU’s relationships with its eastern neighbours, including Russia and Turkey. It examines what can be done to use the prospect of EU membership and economic, military and political cooperation to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law, resolve frozen conflicts and lessen the threat of energy dependence.
[edit] Rule of Law, Democracy and Human Rights
The purpose of this programme is to look at how the EU and its member states can best promote the values of democracy, human rights and justice across the spectrum of Europe's engagement with the world. A central part of the programme’s work is aimed at elaborating a strategy for supporting human rights and democracy in a world where the West no longer enjoys the power and influence that it once did. The programme publishes an annual review of the EU and human rights at the UN.
[edit] Middle East and North Africa
ECFR’s Middle East and North Africa programme is currently under formation. Its central purpose is to look at how Europe can most constructively respond to the revolutions and protests that began in the MENA region in early 2011. To date, ECFR has published three policy memos – one on each of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia – under the umbrella of the MENA programme, which are based on research visits to these countries. It has also published a briefing on Libya.
[edit] Germany in Europe
ECFR’s Germany in Europe project is intended to promote a broad discussion, in Germany and beyond, about the German role in Europe. It is intended to generate ideas about how to reintegrate Germany into the process of developing a globally assertive and responsible Europe. The project is supported by Stiftung Mercator.
[edit] The European Foreign Policy Scorecard
ECFR’s European Foreign Policy Scorecard 2010 was published in March 2011, and is the first in an annual series, representing the first systematic attempt to assess European foreign policy performance. The Scorecard grades Europe’s ability to project its influence abroad across 80 policy issues, grouped into six chapters – relations with China, relations with the US, relations with Russia, relations with Wider Europe, multilateral issues and crisis management. The Scorecard was published as a hard copy report and in online form, housed within ECFR’s main website.
[edit] Funding
ECFR is a private not-for-profit organisation that relies on donations.[11] It was established with the support of Open Society Foundations, Communitas Foundation and Fundación Para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE). Its partners and funders are foundations, corporations, governments and individuals.
[edit] Communications
ECFR publishes several comment and analysis pieces per week on foreign policy issues on its website. The site also houses a blog, ‘Whose World Order?’, on which ECFR staff and experts write about the organisation’s work, international affairs and Europe’s place in the world. ECFR also publishes regular podcasts in English and occasional podcasts in French, German, Italian and Spanish.[12] ECFR’s Madrid office has its own Spanish-language blog. ECFR has a Facebook page and Twitter feed, which is @ECFRheadlines.
[edit] Board and Council Members
The Council on Foreign Relations meets twice a year to discuss how to advance its objectives through innovative projects with a pan-European focus. The current board of the Council is: Martti Ahtisaari (co-chair), Emma Bonino, Joschka Fischer (co-chair), Karin Forseke, Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev, Andrew Puddephatt, Aleksander Smolar, Javier Solana and Mabel van Oranje (co-chair).
What Council Members have said about ECFR:
"The European Council on Foreign Relations is essential in creating channels for open debate in Europe. ECFR promotes the need for Europe to become an important, unified, courageous, innovative and coherent actor. I regard ECFR as pivotal in promoting this vision in a globalising world." Martti Ahtisaari[13]
"The time has come for Europe to speak with one voice on key issues in our turbulent neighbourhood and an increasingly multi-polar world. ECFR helps us work out what we should say and how we can most effectively say it." Timothy Garton Ash[14]
"The European Union has been a powerful example for integration, prolonged peace, and prosperity in a complex international environment. The international system of the 21st century needs a strong and united EU and ECFR makes an important contribution to this end." Joschka Fischer[15]
The Council has over one hundred members, including former prime ministers, presidents, European commissioners, current and former parliamentarians and ministers, public intellectuals, business leaders, activists and cultural figures from the EU member states and candidate countries.
List of Council Members (correct as of July 2011)[16]
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[edit] See also
- List of think tanks
- List of think tanks in the United Kingdom
- Common Foreign and Security Policy
- Enlargement of the European Union
- European Neighbourhood Policy
[edit] External links
- European Council on Foreign Relations
- FRIDE - Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior
- Asia Centre, Centre d'études Asie
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
[edit] References
- ^ ECFR About
- ^ McGann, James. "The Global "Go-To Think Tanks" Report 2009". University of Pennsylvania. http://repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/2/. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ McGann, James. "The Global "Go-To Think Tanks" Report 2010". University of Pennsylvania. http://www.gotothinktank.com/wp-content/uploads/2010GlobalGoToReport_ThinkTankIndex_UNEDITION_15_.pdf. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ ""Think Tank of the Year Awards—the winners" in Prospect Magazine". Prospect Magazine. http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2010/11/think-tank-of-the-year-awards-the-winners/. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ McGann, Sabatini (2011). Global Think Tanks: Policy Networks and Governance. UK: Routledge.
- ^ "ECFR Council page". http://www.ecfr.eu/content/council/. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "ECFR Programmes page". http://www.ecfr.eu/content/entry/programmes/. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "Brookings' web page". http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2011/0330_european_scorecard_vaisse.aspx. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ El País. 5 April 2011. http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/UE/fracasa/relacion/Turquia/elpepuint/20110405elpepuint_7/Tes. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "ECFR News page". http://ecfr.eu/content/archives/news.
- ^ "ECFR About page". http://ecfr.eu/content/entry/support. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "ECFR multimedia". http://ecfr.eu/content/entry/multimedia/. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ Ahtisaari, M. Council Member quotes "What Council Members have said about ECFR", ECFR website. Retrieved 2010-07-01
- ^ Garton Ash, T. Council Member quotes "What Council Members have said about ECFR", ECFR website. Retrieved 2010-07-01
- ^ Fischer,J. Council Member quotes "What Council Members have said about ECFR", ECFR website. Retrieved 2010-07-01
- ^ "ECFR Council page". http://www.ecfr.eu/content/council/.
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