This paper contributes to the European Commission's review of its 2016 Joint Communication on international cultural relations. Drawing on a comparative study of soft power governance across twenty-five jurisdictions (British Council, 2026), which applies an Assets-Infrastructure-Outcomes framework, and on a practitioner-academic workshop convened in Brussels in March 2026.
Policy Briefs
Beyond Culture – Rethinking the EU’s Approach to Soft Power in a Turbulent World
The European Union is beginning a review of its 2016 Joint Communication on international cultural relations. This policy brief argues that the review presents an opportunity to reconceive the scope and purpose of EU-level coordination of international engagement.