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Long-accepted norms around international trade, security, and multilateralism are giving way to disruption and the return of great power politics. States across Europe face the competing challenges of sparking economic growth and finding the funds for military rearmament and public services for ageing populations. At the same time, the transformations promised by emerging technologies such as AI and quantum are beginning to be felt, posing huge questions over how to maximise their potential while keeping people and businesses safe.
With the ever-increasing pace of change, our ability to anticipate and prepare for future scenarios has rarely been so important and yet so difficult. Each year, RAND Europe’s Centre for Futures and Foresight Studies (CFFS) conducts forward-looking studies on a wide variety of pressing policy challenges. Ahead of the RAND Europe Foresight Forum, taking place in October 2025, our Trends in Focus report highlights major trends shaping the policy landscape in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Trends in Focus 2025 presents some of the trends that RAND Europe researchers feel may not have received sufficient attention outside of their respective expert communities. These dynamics may have a significant impact on society within the next five years, but are in danger of being overlooked.
The CFFS team used desk research and a crowdsourced process that involved over two dozen senior experts from RAND Europe’s four research groups, to identify priority trends. The report spotlights nine specific trends organised into three broader themes:
