Projects

Enlarged Europe

spotlight europe 2007/10

spotlight europe

Spotlight 2009
01 #2009/12: Forget Copenhagen ( 639 Kb) Next week's Climate Summit in Copenhagen presents the opportunity to establish a global response to climate change - an opportunity that most likely will be wasted. Yet, although dismal prospects for a follow-up are deplorable, failure in Copenhagen must not be the excuse for Europe to be inactive. Rather, the motto must be: forget Copenhagen, don't wait for the world - get your act together on your own.
01a #2009/I: Europe's new Balance of Power ( 3589 Kb) After years of tussle the Lisbon Treaty has now come into effect. That means new posts, new incumbents at the top and a change in the distribution of power in the European Union. How much weight do the most important politicians in Brussels put on the scales?
02 #2009/11: Yet another president ( 418 Kb) The Treaty of Lisbon does not bestow a president on Europe, but at least the European Council is getting one. The character of the new office will be determined to some extent by the incumbent. Now that the squabbling about the treaty is over, the European Union badly needs someone who is genuinely a people's president.
06 #2009/07: Presidential Elections in Iran: Is Cooperation possible? ( 471 Kb) It is time for a rapprochement between Iran, its neighbours and the West. Concessions will have to be made on all sides. Iran will obtain recognition of its system of government and its role as a regional power. On the other hand, there will be comprehensive and strict controls on the Iranian nuclear programme.
07 #2009/06: EU Eastern Partnership: Fine, but what about Russia? ( 290 Kb) Despite its undeniable "birth pangs," the Eastern Partnership symbolizes a change of paradigms in the foreign policy of the EU, which, after the inception of the Union for the Mediterranean in the summer of 2008, is now venturing on a new and qualitatively different approach to its eastern neighbourhood. Furthermore, five years after the enlargement of the EU this strategy creates a new situation in eastern Europe, and places its own approach to Russia on a firmer footing.
08 #2009/05: It's hip to be a euro-critic ( 204 Kb) In the area of European policymaking, established parties are nowadays also confronted with pressure from the left-wing and right-wing fringes of the political spectrum. The fact is that, try as they might, they cannot explain away all the negative results of EU policymaking. Instead of fighting a communications war from their entrenched positions, the supporters of European integration should recognize that there are contradictions in European policies which need to be dealt with frankly on a political level.
09 #2009/04: Europe's bold new story ( 624 Kb) Since the fall of the Berlin Wall Europe has been restructured to form a new and united entity. During this period the policymaking of the European Union was characterized by enlargement and deepening. However, enlargement has now passed its peak, and deepening, which was supposed to have come about by reforming the EU treaties, has still not materialized. The EU needs some new guidelines.
10 #2009/03: Roma Integration in Europe - Mission (Im)possible? ( 578 Kb) The Roma people are the largest ethnic minority in the European Union. However, in many EU member states they have not been sufficiently in-tegrated. Recently there have been disagreements between EU states on the Roma - the treatment of the Roma has led to a dispute between Italy and Romania. This analysis provides a short survey of the situation of the Roma in Europe and of past European initiatives.
11 #2009/02: After Gaza: A Common Dialogue Platform for the Middle East ( 868 Kb) If one wants to have peace in the Middle East, one will have to persuade all of the actors to sit around a table and to talk about all of the conflicts. Secret negotiations are just as ineffectual as the exclusion of certain ac-tors. Only a common platform for dialogue will enable the European Un-ion and above all the U.S. to fulfil their peacemaking mission.
12 #2009/01: Kosovo 2009: Uncertain Future ( 378 Kb) The status of Kosovo continues to controversial. Pristina and Belgrade are now even more at loggerheads than they were before the Kosovar Declaration of Independence in February 2008. Diverging interests in the EU and the United Nations have paralyzed the work of the international community. It is clear that the EU needs a new policy with which to create stability and make for clarity. Pristina must show some responsibility if it does not wish to jeopardize the future of Kosovo.
Spotlight 2008
#2008/01: Breaking the stalemate:The EU and Russia in 2008 (January 2008) ( 251 Kb) Relations between the European Union and Russia are showing clear signs of strain. A new partnership agreement has not materialized, and the recent parliamentary elections led to a great deal of criticism. Despite all this, the EU Reform Treaty and the new Polish government provide a glimmer of hope. The Slovenian EU Presidency must now smooth the way for the new partnership agreement.
#2008/02: The Sarkozy Mystery (February 2008) ( 269 Kb) The French communal elections in March will be the first test for President Nicolas Sarkozy. The opinion polls show that, despite his initial popularity, Sarkozy's approval ratings are now at their lowest ebb. At the same time the French are preparing the French EU-Presidency of the Council in the second half of 2008. Will France become more European, or will EU policymaking become more French?
#2008/03: Presidential Poker (March 2008) ( 328 Kb) The game which is supposed to lead to the appointment of the first Presi-dent of the European Council is now under way, though its outcome is completely up in the air. In fact, the job descriptions of the posts con-cerned are more important than the actual appointees. Thus the EU will derive profit only from a powerful president. Furthermore, the rotating presidencies need to be given new and attractive tasks.
#2008/04: Human Trafficking (April 2008) ( 967 Kb) Slavery in Europe? Forced labour in this day and age? Only a handful of Europeans are aware of the fact that human trafficking and forced labour exist right in their midst. In Europe human trafficking is one of the most flourishing businesses controlled by organized crime. When the European Union sets about defining new tasks for itself, this issue should be right at the top of the agenda.
#2008/05: Green Light from the Emerald Isle? (May 2008) ( 598 Kb) On 12 June 2008 Europeans will be looking intently at Ireland, for the Irish electorate is the only one in Europe which is being permitted to vote on the Treaty of Lisbon. For a long time the referendum seemed to be a foregone conclusion. However, as the poll approaches, a "Yes" vote is be-ginning to seem more uncertain. Ten questions and answers shed some light on the current situation.
#2008/06: Ireland special edition (June 2008) ( 689 Kb) Ireland has rejected the Treaty of Lisbon. More than six years after the start of the constitutional process, the work and effort of the European Union seems to have been in vain. The intention was to make the com-munity more effective and far more democratic. All that remains is a feel-ing of helplessness. What, if anything, can European policymakers do in this situation?
#2008/07: Hello Neighbour! A new EU policy from Morrocco to Azerbaijan (June 2008) ( 413 Kb) The European Neighbourhood Policy seeks to have a formative influence on the geopolitical area around the EU, as does the new Mediterranean Union - which, in the rather clumsy language used in Brussels, is now called "Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean." Nicolas Sarkozy will officially unveil the plans for the new Union on 13 July. This presents an opportunity to change the nature of the EU's relationship with the whole of its immediate neighbourhood.
#2008/08: Prospects for a new EU-Russia-Agreement (July 2008) ( 124 Kb) The latest EU-Russia-Summit on 27th June 2008 marks a breakthrough in their relations. The planned negotiations on a new strategic partnership between the two actors were stalled for nearly two years. Now all member states have agreed on a broad negotiating mandate for the Commission. After the Irish 'No' to the Lisbon Treaty the talks with Russia become a test case for the EU´s capacity to act as a global player.
#2008/09: One Voice for the Euro (August 2008) ( 329 Kb) In economic terms the euro is a success. Now it is time to upgrade the po-litical importance of the Eurozone. The Europeans would like to play a greater leadership role in the global economy. That is precisely the reason why they should pave the way for a reform of the International Monetary Fund, and pool the representation of their interests in the IMF. It is above all up to Germany and France to take the lead.
#2008/10: Frozen Conflicts - Kant reloaded (engl.) (September 2008) ( 229 Kb) For the future role of the European Union in the post-Soviet territories four things are of crucial importance. It should not apply double standards when it recognizes the independence of new states. Its self-confidence needs to be more productive, and it should make better use of the strategic potential of soft power. Last but not least, it needs the new foreign and security policy mechanisms that are provided for in the Treaty of Lisbon.
#2008/11: Solidarity in the EU ( 332 Kb) The French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to protect companies in the EU from the fallout of the financial crisis with the help of European sover-eign wealth funds. He claims that he is not trying to subsidize businesses, and simply wishes to stabilize the situation in the midst of the turmoil. In other words, Sarkozy is asking for solidarity in order to protect the Euro-pean economic and social model. What are the challenges with which this model will be confronted in the future?
#2008/12: Welcome back, America, Europe and the U.S. ( 1274 Kb) Europe is celebrating the new American President. Under Barack Obama transatlantic relations can only get better. But the Americans hope to see greater European involvement in the solution of international problems. The two partners will have to adopt a new and less impatient policy to-wards the world's new emerging powers.
#2008/13: Lessons from the Treaty Fatigue ( 338 Kb) Ireland will have a second referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. There is now a distinct probability that the Irish will vote "Yes" after all. But what happens then? European policymakers, in the light of the forthcoming European elections, should first take to heart five lessons distilled from the debate about the treaty.