The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies

HCSS conducts research on geopolitical and defence & security issues for governments, international institutions and businesses. Our research is characterized by a datadriven, multidisciplinary approach, specialist knowledge and a strategic orientation.

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Latest Research

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Alternative Options to Strengthen Small State Deterrence in the face of new Great Power Competition
Deterring aggression is a constant challenge for both small states and their larger allies and partners. This paper asserts that traditional concepts for small states’ defence and deterrence, such as “deterrence by insurgency” and non-offensive defence, are insufficient, and that instead, small states should be encouraged and supported to build up sufficient military capability that allows them to hold adversaries at greater risk. The paper ends with some policy considerations tailored for small states in Southeast Asia, like the Philippines, facing particular deterrence challenges.

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Lessen uit het Landgevecht: Eén jaar Oorlog in Oekraïne
Welke voorlopige lessen kunnen we leren na één jaar oorlog in Oekraïne? Na de Russische inval is een grootschalige en zelfs nucleaire oorlog in Europa niet meer ondenkbaar, maar Europese landen staan aan het begin van een periode van herbewapening en wederopbouw van hun defensieapparaat. In deze eerste analyse, met een focus op het landgevecht, komen we tot een aantal belangrijke observaties.

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Capability and Ambition Mismatch in the Indo-Pacific: A Middle Power Strategy for the EU
How can a middle power strategy in the Indo-Pacific enable the EU to pursue greater strategic autonomy? This snapshot by assistant analyst Stella Kim and senior strategic analyst Paul van Hooft argues that by analysing the strategies of prevailing middle powers in the region, the EU can improve its own approach in the Indo-Pacific and settle on one better suited for its capabilities.

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Energy trade in the Netherlands | Past, present and future
What does it take to be an energy trade hub? Using publicly available data, this HCSS report sheds light on the role of the Netherlands as an international energy trade hub. It looks back at the country’s development as an hub for oil and natural gas, and forward at the main characteristics of emerging commodity markets.

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Emerging Disruptive Technologies in an Era of Great Power Competition
While emerging (and) disruptive technologies (EDTs) play a critical role in generating economic prosperity, they also generate a bevy of challenges, posing both risks and opportunities. In the current competitive global environment, Dutch policymakers should seek to reduce the Dutch innovation ecosystem’s vulnerability to techno-nationalist practices and to improve its ability to compete internationally, while simultaneously seeking international cooperation to regulate the societal impact of EDTs. This report offers recommendations to policymakers of what can be envisaged as possible solutions.

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Strategic raw materials for defence | Mapping European industry needs
What raw materials are used to build next-gen aircraft fighters, t anks anc corvettes? What is the supply chain risk of these materials? This new HCSS report looks at military applications and their components to map out the European defence industry’s raw materials dependence, as well as uncover the vulnerability of supply.

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January 26, 2023

Alternative Options to Strengthen Small State Deterrence in the face of new Great Power Competition

January 19, 2023

Lessen uit het Landgevecht: Eén jaar Oorlog in Oekraïne

January 19, 2023

Capability and Ambition Mismatch in the Indo-Pacific: A Middle Power Strategy for the EU

January 17, 2023

Energy trade in the Netherlands | Past, present and future

January 16, 2023

Emerging Disruptive Technologies in an Era of Great Power Competition

January 10, 2023

Strategic raw materials for defence | Mapping European industry needs

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Europe in the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as the new epicentre of geopolitical competition. Europe has begun its own tilt towards the Indo-Pacific, yet it remains unclear what specific role Europeans should play. The HCSS “Europe in the Indo-Pacific Hub (EIPH)” brings together scholars, experts and practitioners across Europe, Asia, as well as East-Africa and the US.

Latest Research

January 26, 2023

Alternative Options to Strengthen Small State Deterrence in the face of new Great Power Competition

January 19, 2023

Capability and Ambition Mismatch in the Indo-Pacific: A Middle Power Strategy for the EU

December 20, 2022

Maritime Road to 2030: EU’s Indo-Pacific Footprint and India

Cyber Policy & Resilience

Cyberspace is increasingly a key domain for both domestic and international policy making, with cybersecurity being one of the most pressing challenges. We bridge the field of cybersecurity with traditional statecraft.

Latest Research

October 31, 2022

The parallel front | An analysis of the military use of information in the first seven months of the war in Ukraine

September 14, 2022

Preventing the (Un)thinkable: Escalation Scenarios and Risk Reduction Measures for Russia and NATO following the War in Ukraine

June 13, 2022

Aanpak voor het vaststellen van interventienoodzaak en handelingsperspectief ten aanzien van strategische autonomie op cybersecurity

Energy & Natural Resources

The energy transition is changing the architecture of economies by replacing the traditional fuels with new energy carriers. In this transition period, balancing the conventional energy system with the low-carbon one presents challenges for governments and companies alike. HCSS seeks to understand, analyse and address pressing geo-economic and geopolitical issues induced by the energy transition.

Latest Research

January 17, 2023

Energy trade in the Netherlands | Past, present and future

November 28, 2022

The EU Taxonomy explained

November 24, 2022

Position Paper: Chips, kritieke grondstoffen en Nederlands-Europese economische veiligheid

a moped with 2 passengers drives through the water

Climate & Security

The Climate & Security Program (CASP) is HCSS’ response to the urgent and ever increasing need for a better understanding of the most pressing geopolitical and security implications of climate change.

Latest Research

November 11, 2022

Global Center on Adaptation | State and Trends in Adaptation Report 2022

September 12, 2022

Water Governance in Iraq: Enabling a Gamechanger

August 8, 2022

Serious Gaming: Grounding and Directing Climate Action

Strategic Monitor

In order to remain on top of the rapid changes in the international environment, the Dutch MFA and MoD have tasked HCSS and the Clingendael Institute to conduct research within the framework of the Strategic Monitor.

Latest Research

January 16, 2023

Emerging Disruptive Technologies in an Era of Great Power Competition

December 6, 2022

Not one without the other: realigning deterrence and arms control in a European quest for strategic stability

November 24, 2022

Position Paper: Chips, kritieke grondstoffen en Nederlands-Europese economische veiligheid

HCSS Datalab & Data Warehouse

The Datalab is HCSS’ in-house evidence and knowledge base that is increasingly becoming the foundation on which we build our geostrategic analyses. By doing so, we complement deep human expertise with more systematic – and multi-perspectivist – machine-based and data-driven analysis.

About The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies

HCSS conducts research and provides advice on geopolitical, defence & security issues to governments, international institutions and businesses. We combine broad conceptual knowledge, qualitative and quantitative methods and present our findings in the form of recommendations, strategic explorations and scenario analyses.

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