Brussels-based non-profit think tank Friends of Europe places “humour” and “creativity” at the centre of their approach. Established in 1999, they aim to revitalise the European Project, supporting a multilateral world and prioritising sustainability, prosperity and peace. President Etienne Davignon is a former vice-president of the European Commission, with a background in Belgian government (he’s the Davignon behind the 1970 Davignon, or Luxembourg, report on foreign policy for Europe). Davignon’s focuses are on breaking down silos and bolstering the green transformation; indeed, he has recently spoken out against the perceived false dichotomy of post-pandemic economic recovery versus tackling climate change. Friends of Europe have recently gone vegetarian – their new food policy advocates for a plant-based diet of seasonal and organic produce, as well as a ban on plastic.
