EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations, also known as the Egmont Institute, is an independent and non-profitBrussels-based think tank dedicated to interdisciplinary research on international relations. The main activities of the Egmont Institute include research, the organisation of events, and training for civil servants. The Institute is associated to the Foreign Ministry of Belgium,[1] from which it receives a substantial part of its funding. The Egmont Institute furthermore receives funding from EU Institutions, membership fees and private partners.[2]
The Egmont Institute is governed by the Board of Directors. The current President is Knight François-Xavier de Donnéa, and Vice-President of the Egmont Institute is Peter Moors, Permanent Secretary of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Other members of the Board of Directors include prominent Belgian politicians, honorary ambassadors, public officials and academics.[5] The current director general is Pol De Witte.[6]
Events
The Egmont Institute organizes various events, mostly in Brussels. According to the Institute, its events aim to foster dialogue between researchers, policy-makers and civil society. The Egmont Institute furthermore serves as a forum for visiting heads of state or government, representatives of international organizations and foreign ministers.[3]
Partnerships
The Egmont Institute is a lead partner in the European Strategic Partnerships Observatory and l’Observatoire de l'Afrique.[citation needed]
It is also a member of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), the Euro-Mediterranean Study Commission (EuroMeSCo), the European Policy Institutes Network (EPIN), Think Global – Act European (TGAE), the Brussels Think Tank Dialogue (BTTD), Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), Europe-Africa Policy Research Network (EARN), and Expertise for Central Africa (E-CA). The institute regularly collaborates with the Belgian Royal High Institute for Defence.[citation needed]
In 2012, the Egmont Institute and the European Defence Agency launched the PhD Prize in European Defence, Security and Strategy.[7]
Publications
EGMONT publishes the Egmont Papers and Policy Briefs. They are accessible for free on their website.
Missiroli A. and I. Ioannides. "European think tanks and the EU"(PDF). Berlaymont Paper Issue 2 (September 2012). European Commission. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
Ronse, Frederik. "Egmont:60 jaar internationale politiek"(PDF). EUROPAbericht nr 316 (June 2007). Vertegenwoordiging van de Europese Commissie in België. Retrieved 10 April 2013.