About the project

Crises such as the war in Ukraine, the influx of refugee into Europe or climate change have put the spotlight on European cooperation beyond the internal relations of the European Union, involving a wider group of European countries. These and similar crises in the past have also highlighted the need for a more forward-looking approach to developing patterns of cooperation that are effective in tackling these problems and supported by citizens. The TFoE project therefore asks What future do European citizens and elites want for the relationship between the EU and non-EU countries? By answering this question, the project shifts the prevailing focus on present/past-oriented attitudes towards European integration towards a direct consideration of preferences for the future, both for the public and for elites. In addition to mapping the preferences of the public and elites (policy-makers), the project examines the similarity of the preferences of citizens and elites and the underlying reasons for the preferences identified.

The project adopts a comprehensive approach, examining both the polity and policy dimensions of future relations and considering EU–non-EU relations from both inside and outside the EU. In its initial design, and to reduce the complexity posed by the heterogeneous group of non-EU countries, TFoE planned to rely on a most similar systems, focusing primarily on European countries that are either EU members or could theoretically join the EU such as Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom. 

However, following an extension of the project through the Recruit a Researcher from Ukraine for an Ongoing Research Project scheme, the geographical focus has been broadened to include additional EU candidate countries in Eastern Europe, in particular Ukraine and several Western Balkan states. This expansion not only widens the country scope of the project but also establishes a research collaboration with Prof. Dr. Roman Petrov from the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. 

The main project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council (7 Mill NOK). Project number: 352334. The project period is 2025-2028.

The extension of the project is equally funded by the Norwegian Research Council (1.5 Mill NOK). Project number: 361267. The project period is 2026-2028.

In late January 2026, we organized a The Future of EUrope (TFoE) project workshop in Trondheim. In addition to bringing the entire project team together for internal discussions, we also welcomed national and international colleagues to reflect on the project’s design and plans for future research activities. It was a pleasure to host everyone and to receive insightful feedback on how best to advance the project.