Bruegel
Bruegel (Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory) is a think tank supported by large corporations as well as by governments and central banks of several EU countries. Bruegel develops concepts for especially European - but also global - economic policy. The participation in Bruegel also offers the participating "stakeholders"[1] the opportunity to informally influence government representatives in their own interests, shaping the framework conditions for powerful corporations.
Contents
History
The idea to set up an European think tank devoted to international economics stemmed from private discussions involving policymakers, business leaders and other individuals from several European countries in late 2002. The idea was endorsed and officially floated by France and Germany in their joint declaration in Paris on January 22nd, 2003. The initiative subsequently found support from 12 EU governments and 17 leading European corporations, who committed the project's initial funding base.[2]
Research
Research areas included topics such as[3]
- How to decarbonise the global south (2023-24)
- The consequences of Ukraine's accession to the EU (2023-24)
- Creating functioning global carbon markets (2025-26)
- Regulatory reform for a more dynamic single market (2025-26)
- A single market for the defence industry (2024-25)
Lobbying strategies and influence
Bruegel is one of the most influential think tanks in the world. The 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, published by the University of Pennsylvania, ranked Bruegel as[4]:
- #1 Top Think Tanks in Western Europe
- #1 Top International Economics Policy Think Tanks
- #2 Top Think Tanks Worldwide (US and Non-US)
- #2 Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy-Oriented Research Programs
- #2 Best Quality Assurance and Integrity Policies and Procedures
- #2 Best Institutional Collaboration Involving Two or More Think Tanks
- #4 Think Tanks with the Most Significant Impact on Public Policy
- #5 Best Managed Think Tanks
- #5 Think Tanks with the Best Use of the Internet
- #5 Best Use of Media (Print or Electronic)
People
- Chair of the Board: Mario Monti (2005-2008), Leszek Balcerowicz (2008-2012), Jean-Claude Trichet (2012-2021), Erkki Liikanen (since 2021)
- Director: Jean Pisani-Ferry (2005-2013), Guntram Wolff (2013-2022), Jeromin Zettelmeyer (since 2022)
- Deputy Director: Guntram Wolff (2011-2013), Maria Demertzis (2016-2022)
Board membership as of June 2024 Erkki Liikanen (chair), Riccardo Barbieri Hermitte, Agnès Bénassy-Quéré, Markus Brunnermeier, Paula Conth, Alexandra Dimitrijevic, Caroline de Gruyter, Monika Marcinkowska, Isabelle Mateos y Lago, Simone Mori, and Tom Scholar. The list (at the right) includes some earlier board members and its "scientific council"[5].
Corporate members
Members as of December 2025, including funding countries, central banks and corporations[6]
Name
The name Bruegel was as a tribute to the Flemish painter Pieter Brueger the elder (1525-1569)[2], known for his paintings such as The Triumph of Death, where Death leads his armies from his reddish horse, destroying the world of the living.[7]
Known members
55 of the 105 of the members already have pages here:
| Member | Description |
|---|---|
| Accenture | multinational corporation that is heavily involved in privatization and public-private partnerships in sectors such as schools. |
| Amazon | A monopoly/cartel online retailer with deep state connections. |
| Apple | A tech company, in a corrupt duopoly with Microsoft, its effective social engineering of children during the 2010s and 2000s and its adaption of youth culture made it the most valuable company in the world. PRISM-member. Throws activists or anyone not a WEF-member of their platform in geopolitical dilemmas. Fashion industry and wage slavery promoter. |
| Austria | German-speaking republic in Central Europe. Since the end of the Cold War, Austria has become increasingly westernised. |
| Bank of England | |
| Bank of Finland | |
| Bank of France | French central bank |
| Bank of Italy | Italian central bank |
| Belgium | Former European colonial power |
| BlackRock | Who owns a piece of everything? They do! |
| Olivier Blanchard | French economist, Fred Bergsten Senior Fellow at Peterson Institute |
| Markus Brunnermeier | WEF AGM 2012, multiple Jackson Hole visits |
| Agnès Bénassy-Quéré | French economist who attended Jackson Hole Symposia |
| Central Bank of Ireland | |
| Cyprus | A small, divided, island in the Mediterranean. Greek Cyrpus was aggressively pushing the COVID-19/Vaccine in May 2021. |
| Danmarks Nationalbank | The national bank of Denmark |
| De Nederlandsche Bank | The Dutch central bank. |
| Denmark | Member of the EU, NATO. |
| Eni | Italian multinational oil and gas founded by Enrico Mattei. |
| European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Bank in an "outrageously expensive" building |
| European Investment Bank | |
| Finland | Nordic country, borders Russia. |
| France | A European nation, former colonial power, permanent seat on the UNSC |
| Jason Furman | US Bilderberger economist |
| Germany | "The economic powerhouse of Europe" - Germany dominates the European Union. |
| Global Internet/Skynet conglomerate | |
| Greece | "In 2006... the third biggest arms importer after China and India." |
| Caroline de Gruyter | Europe-correspondent for the Dutch NRC Handelsblad. Bilderberg/2024. European Council on Foreign Relations. |
| HSBC | The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, one of the world's biggest banks |
| Bernard Hoekman | Academic with deep state ties |
| Hungary | Formerly communist country in Eastern Europe, now a member of NATO, and the EU, Hungary is currently lead by Viktor Orban, an adversary of Brussels. |
| ING | Dutch multinational bank. |
| Italy | European country that has the sixth-largest national wealth and third-largest central bank gold reserve. Italy/Deep state is an integral part of the SDS. |
| Jörg Kukies | Goldman-Sachs bankster who became State Secretary and guiding hand for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Attended the 2022 Bilderberg Conference. |
| Luxembourg | One of the richest and smallest sovereign states in the world. |
| Malta | Island nation in the Mediterranean sea |
| Mastercard | Half of a US duopoly with Visa in many financial services. |
| McKinsey | corporate hit-men to loot the economy |
| Meta Platforms | |
| Microsoft | Started in 1975 with Paul Allen, Bill Gates developed Microsoft from a operating system maker of computers into one of the most prolific companies of all time, valued over $1 trillion, 3rd most valuable in the world. MS has over a billion in fines from corruption, mass surveillance violations & tax evasion. MS has market shares in dozens of markets, leading in the Platformization-epidemic of the 2010s started by big tech. It was the first partner in the NSA-PRISM program. |
| Morgan Stanley | Bank that sponsors the WEF/Young Global Leaders |
| Netherlands | Politicly fragmented and very densely populated country. Had very lenient drug and (underage) sex laws. Named a "narco-state" by neighbouring countries. Home of the first Bilderberg meeting. |
| Jim O'Neill (Goldman Sachs) | Goldman Sachs bankster who coined the acronym BRIC for the growing economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China |
| Oesterreichische Nationalbank | Austrian central bank |
| Jean Pisani-Ferry | French economist widely published on resetting matters economic |
| Poland | Fast growing, revived country since World War 2. Became a very loyal US Deep State parter. The populace are by a mile the biggest supporters of NATO presence in Europe. |
| PwC | Large international accounting and consulting firm |
| Slovakia | Formerly communist country in Eastern Europe. Now a member of NATO and the European Union. |
| Slovenia | A small country in Europe that was never part of the Warsaw Pact. |
| Spain | Seemingly a tropical easy-going country on the southern border of Europe. Spain has had trouble running a “death squad-free” democracy since Franco retired. Spain has seen the bloodiest post Gladio 1 terror attack take place in Madrid in 2004, and was a battleground of the Ifs and GRU during the 2010s. |
| ... further results | |
References
- ↑ https://www.bruegel.org/membership
- ↑ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20120519115442/http://www.bruegel.org/about/history-and-name/
- ↑ https://www.bruegel.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/Research%20Pgm%202025_0.pdf
- ↑ https://www.mo.be/artikel/belgische-denktanks-bij-absolute-wereldtop
- ↑ https://www.bruegel.org/about/board-and-scientific-council
- ↑ https://www.bruegel.org/membership
- ↑ https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-triumph-of-death/d3d82b0b-9bf2-4082-ab04-66ed53196ccc
