Post-war, rules-based global order dying, European Union warns in new report
News Summary
The European Union, in its "Strategic Foresight Report 2025," has issued a stark warning that the global rules-based order is eroding and the global landscape is fracturing, deeming a return to the previous status quo increasingly unlikely. The report is designed to prepare the bloc for a risk-laden future. It highlights that geopolitical turmoil and the erosion of the global multilateral order underscore the need for the EU's autonomy in protecting current and future generations. Without explicitly naming China or the US, the report alludes to the bloc's dangerous levels of dependence on the US for digital and financial services and on China for critical minerals. The EU stresses that recent years have shown everything can be weaponized, including supply chains, migration, trade, humanitarian aid, space, and information. The report specifically notes that reliance on other powers for minerals poses serious economic and security risks, especially given a more than five-fold increase in export restrictions on industrial raw materials since 2023.
Background
This report comes as the European Union has been grappling with months of trade tariffs and security threats from the United States (under incumbent President Donald J. Trump) and years of pushing back against a rising China. These pressures have significantly driven the EU's push for greater strategic autonomy. The "Strategic Foresight Report 2025" is part of the European Commission's ongoing efforts to prepare for an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment. It also serves as a traditional curtain-raiser for the annual speech by the European Commission President, setting the tone for the policy agenda in the year ahead.
In-Depth AI Insights
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