Belarus at a crossroads. Bruegel Policy Contribution Issue 2016/02 January 2016

Highlights: • Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Belarus has maintained a largely non-market economic system. This did not prevent rapid growth of its economy over a sustained period up to 2011. However, the period of economic growth in Belarus seems to be over.The factors that underpinned Belarus’s growth, mainly the beneficial external environment, have gradually disappeared. As a result, the country is confronted by the need to start the far-reaching programme of market-oriented economic reforms and macroeconomic stabilisation which it tried to avoid for so long. Reform will not be easy, economically and politically. • The potential hardship facing Belarus could be at least partly cushioned by external assistance, in the first instance from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. However, the IMF has relatively fresh memories of the failure of its 2009-10 Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with Belarus, which provided substantial balance-of payments support, but which was derailed by its too-narrow focus on monetary and fiscal quantitative performance criteria, and by insufficient reform commitment on the Belarusian side. Other donors, such as the European Union, might be reluctant to offer assistance as long as Belarus does not improve its poor human rights record and start some political reforms.

A stable Libya would close the door to Daesh. CEPS Policy Brief No. 340, March 2016

Since the fall of the Gaddafi regime in 2011, everything has seemed to conspire against the transition process in Libya. The idea of a stabilisation force has met political resistance in most European countries, because there is little appetite for long-term interventions that carry a high risk of casualties. This author argues that, among other initiatives, ground forces are nevertheless a necessary component of stabilisation in this fragile country. He makes four recommendations to guide the engagement of external actors.

The implementation of the Gender Perspective in the EU civilian and military missions: Leadership wanted. Security Policy Brief No. 67, October 2015

Fifteen years have passed since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, through which time the EU has grown as a security actor. The keys to produce a change in implementing gender mainstreaming in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) are well known by member states; the EU and external implementation reports1 are repeated again and again, but real change requires real willingness on the part of member states, and leadership.

Information Guide: Common Fisheries Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Common Foreign and Security Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Competition Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Competition Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Consumer Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Consumer Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Employment Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Employment Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Enlargement Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Enlargement Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Enterprise Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Enterprise Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Environment Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Environment Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Structural Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Structural Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Trade Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Trade Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Transport Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Transport Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites

Information Guide: Energy Policy

A guide to the European Union’s Energy Policy, with hyperlinks to sources of information within European Sources Online and on external websites