About CEPS

Mission:

Founded in Brussels in 1983, the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) is among the most experienced and authoritative think tanks operating in the European Union today. CEPS serves as a leading forum for debate on EU affairs, but its most distinguishing feature lies in its strong in-house research capacity, complemented by an extensive network of partner institutes throughout the world.
CEPS’ funding is obtained from a variety of sources, including membership fees, project research, foundation grants, conferences fees, publication sales and an annual grant from the European Commission.

Goals:

• To carry out state-of-the-art policy research leading to solutions to the challenges facing Europe today.
   
• To achieve high standards of academic excellence and maintain unqualified independence.
   
• To provide a forum for discussion among all stakeholders in the European policy process.
   
• To build collaborative networks of researchers, policy-makers and business representatives across the whole of Europe.
   
• To disseminate our findings and views through a regular flow of publications and public events.

Assets:

• Complete independence to set its own research priorities and freedom from any outside influence.
   
• Quality research by an international staff of more than 30 people drawn from eighteen different countries.
   
• Formation of nine different research networks, comprising research institutes from throughout Europe and beyond, to complement and consolidate CEPS research expertise and to greatly extend its outreach.
   
• An extensive membership base of some 120 Corporate Members and 130 Institutional Members, which provide expertise and practical experience and act as a sounding board for CEPS policy proposals.
   

Programme Structure:

CEPS carries out its research via its own in-house research programmes and through collaborative research networks involving the active participation of other highly reputable institutes and specialists:

Research Programmes

Economic & Social Welfare Policies

Energy, Climate Change & Sustainable Development

EU Neighbourhood, Foreign & Security Policy

Financial Markets & Institutions

Justice & Home Affairs

Politics & European Institutions

Regulatory Policy

Trade Developments & Agricultural Policy

Research Networks/Joint Initiatives

Changing Landscape of Security & Liberty (CHALLENGE)

European Capital Markets Institute (ECMI)

European Climate Platform (ECP)

European Credit Research Institute (ECRI)

European Network for Better Regulation (ENBR)

European Network of Economic Policy Research Institutes (ENEPRI)

European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN)

European Security Forum (ESF)

In the context of its research programmes and networks, CEPS organises a variety of activities, involving its members and other stakeholders in the European policy debate, national and EU-level policy-makers, academics, corporate executives, NGOs and the media. These activities include task forces, conferences, lunchtime membership meetings, briefings, training seminars and major annual events (e.g. the CEPS Annual Conference).
 

Sources of Financing:

CEPS obtains its funding from a variety of sources, which helps to guarantees its independence. In 2007, its revenues totalled €6.1 million, based on latest forecast figures. A portion of this sum is attributable to the increasing number of large EU contracts that CEPS has coordinated in recent years and simply represents a flow of funds into and out of our accounts. At the same time, however, CEPS’ own research income from these projects has also steadily increased in recent years. On a net basis, excluding the revenues going to partner institutes in externally funded projects, 34% of CEPS’ income is accounted for in membership fees, essentially corporate memberships. Most of the remainder comes from income generated through projects (31% from project contracts tendered by EU institutions and national governments and awarded to CEPS on a competitive basis, 19% from private organisations and 7% from foundations). A further 9% of the CEPS income was generated from the organisation of events and the sale of publications.