On May 29 and 30, 2025, the European Foreign Policy Observatory celebrated its 25th anniversary with two events organized at CIDOB and IBEI. The events brought together prominent voices from academia, politics, and think tanks to reflect on the EU's role in the international system and the journey of the research group led by Esther Barbé.

Roundtable at CIDOB: The European Union in a Fragmented World

The first day, held on May 29 at CIDOB, addressed the current challenges of the European Union's foreign policy in a global context marked by growing fragmentation and the transformation of the multilateral order. Under the title “Europe in the world: Strategic solitude?”, the debate focused on how the EU manages its international role in the face of challenges such as the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency, the erosion of multilateralism, and the rise of actors who challenge its fundamental values. Ana Juncos (University of Bristol), Álvaro Imbernón (Spain’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs), José Ignacio Torreblanca (ECFR), Ignacio Molina (Real Instituto Elcano), and Pol Morillas (CIDOB) discussed the EU's strategic dilemmas.

To analyze the 25-year research trajectory of the European Foreign Policy Observatory, Oriol Costa, Anna Herranz-Surrallés, and Eduard Soler i Lecha examined how European foreign policy and the research on it have evolved in parallel, adapting to a constantly changing international reality.

Research Workshop at IBEI: A Collective Look at the EU in International Relations

The following day, May 30, an academic research workshop titled “The European Union in international relations” took place at the IBEI headquarters. It was designed as a working space to advance the development of a collective volume on the EU's external action, coordinated by Esther Barbé and Eduard Soler i Lecha.

Throughout the morning, more than 30 researchers associated with the Observatory discussed the analytical frameworks, instruments, policies, and relations of the EU with global partners and competitors. The seminar featured critical contributions from academics such as José Ignacio Torreblanca, Benjamin Kienzle, Gemma Collantes, and Michal Natorski.

A Consolidated Legacy and an Agenda for the Future

Founded 25 years ago, the European Foreign Policy Observatory has decisively contributed to consolidating an academic community specialized in the EU's role as an international actor, combining analytical rigor with a commitment to public debate. The events held in Barcelona not only served to commemorate this legacy but also to project a collective research agenda for the challenges of the future.