Trans European Policy Studies Association

The Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) is a European network of research institutes and think-tanks in the field of European affairs. Founded in 1974, it is an independent international nonprofit association under Belgian law comprising 36 member institutes in 33 different European countries, with an office in Brussels.

History

TEPSA was founded in 1974 by four research institutes: the Institut für Europaische Politik (Germany), the Istituto Affari Internazionali (Italy), the Federal Trust for Education and Research (UK) and the Association Française pour l’Etude de l’Union Européenne (France). In 1978, upon the accession of its Belgian member (GEPE), Prof. Jacques Vandamme, former adviser to Belgian Prime minister Leo Tindemans, was designated president of the association. TEPSA progressively extended its membership to 20 institutes in the year 2000. In 2016, full membership was opened to organizations from all European countries outside the EU, allowing TEPSA to expand to 36 members in 2017.

In 2015, TEPSA was ranked as 12th best think-tank network by the University of Pennsylvania’s Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, an annual ranking of the world’s best think-tanks.

Aims and activities

TEPSA aims at maintaining a stable framework for transnational research cooperation in the field of European affairs, and providing new opportunities for academics and students in the field, mainly through EU-funded research and education projects. With one member in each EU country and in both EFTA and candidate countries, but also a number of associate members, TEPSA seeks to stimulate discussion on policy options for Europe by bringing together academics and students from across the continent, and connecting them with practitioners and policymakers.

Since its founding in 1974, TEPSA organises a conference twice a year with academics and policymakers on the agenda of the upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union (the Pre-Presidency Conference), where it delivers a set of recommendations to representatives of the presiding member state. The conference is jointly organised with and hosted by the member institute in the concerned country.

TEPSA also holds a framework contract with the European Parliament to deliver its members’ expertise in briefings and studies.

TEPSA members

Full members

Country	Member
Austria	Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS)
Bulgaria	New Bulgarian University (NBU)
Croatia	Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO)
Cyprus	University of Nicosia, Department of European Studies and International Relations
Czech Republic	Institute of International Relations (IIR)
Denmark	Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS)
Estonia	Estonian Foreign Policy Institute (EVI)
Finland	Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
France	Centre of European Studies, Sciences Po - CNRS
Germany	Institute for European Politics (IEP)
Greece	Greek Centre of European Studies and Research (EKEME)
Hungary	Institute of World Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Iceland	Institute of International Affairs and Centre for Small State Studies, University of Iceland
Ireland	Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA)
Italy	International Affairs Institute (IAI)
Latvia	Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA)
Lithuania	Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS)
Luxembourg	Robert Schuman Centre of European Research and Studies, University of Luxembourg
Malta	Institute for European Studies, University of Malta
Netherlands	Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael
Norway	Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
Poland	European Institute Łódź
Portugal	Portuguese Institute of International Relations, New University of Lisbon (IPRI-NUL)
Romania	Romanian Centre for European Policies (CRPE)
Slovakia	Institute of European Studies and International Relations (IESIR), Comenius University
Slovenia	Centre of International Relations, University of Ljubljana
Spain	Elcano Royal Institute of International and Strategic Studies
Sweden	Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI)
Switzerland	Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS), ETH Zurich and University of Zurich
Turkey	Center for European Studies (CES), Middle East Technical University (METU)
United Kingdom	The Federal Trust for Education and Research

Associate members

Country	Member
Belgium	College of Europe, Bruges Campus
Poland	College of Europe, Natolin Campus
France	Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE)
Montenegro	Faculty of Economics Podgorica, University of Montenegro
The Netherlands	European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA)