The Centre for European Policy Studies

Founded in Brussels in 1983, the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) is among the most experienced and authoritative think tanks operating in the European Union today. CEPS serves as a leading forum for debate on EU affairs, but its most distinguishing feature lies in its strong in-house research capacity, complemented by an extensive network of partner institutes throughout the world. CEPS’ funding is obtained from a variety of sources, including membership fees, project research, foundation grants, conferences fees, publication sales and an annual grant from the European Commission.

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Team members

Dr. Arno Behrens

Arno is Head of Energy and Research Fellow CEPS, where he specialises in EU energy policy issues related to the long-term sustainability of the EU energy system, security of European energy supplies, the integration of the EU markets for electricity and gas, external energy policies, sustainable energy in developing countries, and development finance. Before CEPS, he worked at the German Federal Foreign Office, the European Commission, the Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI), UNIDO and UNDP. Arno is an economist and holds a PhD in social ecology and environmental economics.

Vasileios Rizos

Vasileios is a Researcher at CEPS and is an expert in various aspects of the green economy. He recently acted as a Project Coordinator of an EU-funded project on energy prices and costs for energy intensive industries as well as of a CEPS Task Force on low-carbon transport. Prior to joining CEPS, Vasileios worked on issues such as sustainability in the paper industry and renewable energy systems in developing countries. He holds a MSc in Ecological Economics from the University of Edinburgh as well as a 5-year degree in Agricultural Economics and Rural Development from the Agricultural University of Athens.

Monica Alessi

Monica is a Programme Manager and Research Fellow at CEPS since September 2006, in the Climate Change and Energy Policy Unit. She is involved in research on different aspects of EU and international climate change and energy policy, including the EU ETS, the role of cities to address climate change, and the SET-Plan. Other focus of research includes EU water policy and international development. Before CEPS she worked as a consultant for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on the subject of genetically modified organisms as well as auditing development projects. She graduated with a M.Phil. in Environmental Policy from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She works on the NETGREEN social media communication and stakeholder engagement. 

Igor Taranic

Igor is a research assistant at CEPS. He has graduated from the College of Europe in Bruges, where he focused on Energy and Climate Change, and was the Coordinator of the Student-led initiative “Energy Group”. The Group’s main activities were setting an energy-related discussion platform at the College and building a network of professionals in the energy sector. Previously he worked as business analyst for the Israeli chemical industry, project coordinator at the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and intern at the Institute for the Renewable Energy Policy in the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel.