The House of Lords’ European Union Committee has recently published its report, entitled Europe in the world: Towards a more effective EU foreign and security strategy. Among a wide range of expert contributions drawn across various UK and European universities and research centres, the Lords Security Strategy paper mentioned Dr Amelia Hadfield, Director of the Centre for European Studies (CEFEUS) and Canterbury Christ Church University.

The report, published on the 16^th of February 2016, comes on the heels of the 2015 EU Strategic Review, authored by the EU High Representative for foreign affairs, published in June 2015, entitled “The European Union in a changing global environment: A more connected, contested and complex world”, and which sets out the broad contours of a new strategy for the EU within and beyond its neighbourhood. Drawing on inputs by the London School of Economics, the University of Oxford, the University of Kent and the University of Surrey as well as other European universities, the Lords European Union Committee examined in detail the rationale, logistics and implications of EU foreign affairs and the various contributions that could be made with the support of the Member States.

‘It’s vital that the work of our new Centre for European Studies be seen as both insightful as impactful’, said Director and Jean Monnet Chair in European Foreign Affairs, Dr Amelia Hadfield. ‘This is a crucial time for European strategic thinking, and the House of Lords has provided a detailed appraisal of the various challenges and opportunities inherent in the EU’s ability to conduct its foreign policy in the neighbourhood. I’m delighted that CEFEUS has played a part in the final report.’