The European Union and Strategic Competition research programme focuses on the EU and its global and regional role in the context of increased strategic competition. The Programme Director is Juha Jokela.
The main research themes are
- EU’s external action in times of strategic competition
- EU’s role and regional dynamics in its neighbourhoods
- Major development paths of European integration
- Politics and policies of major European states and Finland’s EU policy.
EU’s global role and external action is studied broadly, covering the EU’s multiple sources and forms of influence as well as the role of the different EU institutions in external affairs. Alongside research on EU’s foreign, security and defence policies, it covers EU’s energy policies and global partnerships. Interfaces between the EU’s internal and external security, such as EU’s borders as well as preparedness are related to this research field. The programme also focuses on EU’s role in its neighbourhood(s) marked by increased instability, wars, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. Moreover, it serves as the home for institute’s area expertise regarding the Middle East and Africa.
Another strand of FIIA’s EU research concerns major development trajectories (including federalisation and differentiation) of the European integration. Questions regarding state of democracy and EU’s decision-making capacity constitute an important theme in different fields of FIIA’s EU research. By conducting research on European policies of major EU and European states as well as Finland’s EU policy, the programme also aims to provide insights on the dynamics among European states.
The programme takes part in major European research networks and continues to expand and reinforce cooperation with both Finnish and international research institutions.
Networks
Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA)
TEPSA, established in 1974 as a Belgian International Association under Belgian Law and the first transeuropean research network, comprises leading research institutes in the field of European affairs throughout Europe, with an office in Brussels. TEPSA’s aim is to provide high quality research on European integration in order to stimulate discussion on policies and political options for Europe. This is achieved by interaction between the European and national institutions as well as the academic and research community.
European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN)
EPIN is a network of dynamic think tanks and policy institutes focusing on current EU and European political and policy debates. It is a comprehensive network with 30 members in 26 countries, including almost all the EU member states and candidate countries. EPIN aims to contribute to the debate on the Future of Europe through up to the minute, expert analysis and commentary and through providing easy access to understanding the different national debates.
Euromesco seeks to construct relationships between Europe, the Maghreb and the Mashriq on a North-South and South-South basis, which otherwise might not exist, in order to widen the forum for debate on matters of mutual concern. Such issues are related to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), and the network provides a forum for the debate of essential matters that might otherwise prove to be sensitive issues for governments within the EMP.
Photo: CC-BY-4.0: © European Union 2025– Source: EP
