Mission and objectives

The Real Instituto Elcano (Elcano Royal Institute) is a think-tank for international and strategic studies that analyses world events and trends from a Spanish, European and global perspective.

The Institute was established in 2001 as a private foundation under the honorary presidency of H.M. the King of Spain. Its Board of Trustees comprises prominent figures linked to Spanish foreign policy and representatives of both the companies that fund the Institute and of the Spanish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; Defence; Education, Culture and Sport; and Economy and Trade.

From its inception, the Real Instituto Elcano considers itself a non-partisan – but not neutral– institution that seeks to promote the values by which it was inspired and which, by means of multidisciplinary analysis of existing and – especially – forward developments, aims to establish a global strategy resulting in political proposals having a practical application.

The Euromed/Middle East programme at the institute carries out analysis of the international relations in the Euro-Mediterranean region, as well as domestic political and socioeconomic trends. The main topics covered are: International Relations, Arab Politics, Regional Integration, Political Reform, Democracy and Governance, Energy, Euro-Mediterranean Relations.