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621. A shared EU-US economic agenda for the world: Engagement as an imperative

Author:
Lauri Tähtinen
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA)
Abstract:
It is time for the European Union and the United States to build a shared, positive economic agenda towards third countries. Such an agenda would build upon the bilateral relationship but not focus on it. It would still be shared, even if the parties may have distinct reasons for supporting different aspects of it. The first elements of a shared economic agenda are evident in the EU-US Trade and Technology Council projects for Jamaica and Kenya. However, the political window for further alignment between the US and the EU, as well as for European trade deals, may be closing in 2024. Future initiatives should take into account major economies such as Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia. The entry into force of the EU-Mercosur agreement should be a high-level priority for both Washington and Brussels. The current state of the EU-US relationship is characterized by a divergence in technology, industrial policy, and environmental policy. To move onto a path of convergence, Washington must reassess its exaggerated fears regarding the regulatory power of the EU, and use the spread of European standards as a means towards shared ends.
Topic:
Environment, Industrial Policy, Science and Technology, Bilateral Relations, European Union, and Economic Policy
Political Geography:
Europe, Latin America, and United States of America

622. From Buffer to Frontier: Ukraine and the EU

Author:
Sven Biscop
Publication Date:
02-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
In June 2022, the European Union granted candidate status to Ukraine. A strong political statement, which was welcomed as such in Kyiv. But for a country at war, symbols do not suffice. Accepting a neighbour that is under invasion as a candidate for membership must mean accepting more responsibility for that neighbour’s survival. Ukraine was a buffer state; it has become a frontier state. The EU should finally come up with an overall plan to provide military support to Ukraine over the long term, gradually taking over the main effort from the United States. After one year of war, the time for piecemeal decisions (a dozen tanks now, another dozen in a month) is long past.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Defense Policy, European Union, Russia-Ukraine War, and Strategic Partnerships
Political Geography:
Europe and Ukraine

623. Uncovering uncomfortable truths: the geopolitics of EU gas imports in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine

Author:
Moniek de Jong
Publication Date:
05-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
With the conclusion of the winter season, it appears that the European Union (EU) has successfully avoided the anticipated gas shortages and blackouts. This outcome can be attributed to a mild winter, a decrease of 13% in gas consumption, and a substantial influx of LNG imports. While the EU can breathe a sigh of relief, there is no room for complacency. The unprecedented LNG imports and significant decline in Russian gas imports have altered the EU’s gas import profile, and the potential security risks associated with these “new” gas suppliers have received little attention. This begs the question of whether this new natural gas import portfolio is truly advantageous and what alternatives the EU has.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, European Union, Geopolitics, Gas, Imports, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Europe

624. Bring back the spirit of PESCO!

Author:
Beatriz Cózar Murillo
Publication Date:
06-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
Five years after the launch of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and five waves of projects later, it is the right time to ask whether the tool still corresponds to what its designers had in mind. Is this the PESCO we want? The spirit of PESCO PESCO is one of the main tools in the hands of the EU Member States to further the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). It is a dynamic instrument: in the last five years seventy-two projects have been launched – which could be considered a success –while progress has been made in fulfilling the most binding commitments assumed by the participating Member States (pMS) – albeit not to the desired degree. Yet PESCO faces a series of obstacles and debates that may lead to question its validity and future. Shortly after the approval of a fifth wave of projects, and in view of the fact that the review of the PESCO mechanism will begin in 2024, now is the time to ensure that it is on track.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, European Union, Strategic Partnerships, and Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)
Political Geography:
Europe

625. Masters of Grand Strategy

Author:
Samuel Boucké
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
Grand strategy has principles that, when adhered to, will definitely benefit the state. In order to thrive, a grand strategy needs to be sustained by a strategic culture. A state’s strategic culture resides predominantly in its strategic establishment. This comprises different elites from the respective professions that bear upon the course of the state in the world, those that give shape to policy. These elites can be grouped in different factions within the strategic establishment, such as the military elite, the political elite, the administrative elite. Bad relations among these, such as bad civil-military relations, can be a sign of a fragmented and unhealthy strategic establishment. Such a strategic establishment will not generate a strategic culture that is able to sustain a grand strategy. In order to remedy, prevent, and generally improve upon this, the strategic establishment should conduct strategic simulations. Strategic simulations will instil the principles of grand strategy whilst moulding a healthy strategic establishment that will be able to generate a sustainable strategic culture.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, European Union, and Grand Strategy
Political Geography:
Europe

626. The EU and Taiwan: Normalizing the Status Quo

Author:
Jasper Roctus
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
When I read Egmont colleague Sven Biscop’s My Summer in Beijing, I was just about to depart to a little-recognized political entity off the Chinese coast that – constitutionally, at least – still claims Beijing as part of its territory: The Republic of China (ROC/Taiwan). Unlike my colleague, I was not questioned on the academic desirability of my stay – Taiwan has over the last few decades consistently ranked in the higher echelons of academic freedom. I was, however, counselled on multiple occasions to reconsider by concerned family and friends who had seen sensational media reports claiming that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) could attack at any moment. Staying in a serene yet vibrant Taipei, visiting multiple places of interest and meeting with local scholars, I have noticed that confusion reigns not only in Europe toward Taiwan, but also in Taiwan toward Europe. Especially the cross-Strait position of the EU, which does not recognize Taiwan due to ‘its “one China” policy’ but has over the last two decades increased the scope of engagement with Taiwan, is little understood. As exchanges between Brussels and Taipei intensify, there is an increasing urgency to consolidate the EU’s position on Taiwan.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, European Union, and Strategic Engagement
Political Geography:
China, Europe, Taiwan, and Asia

627. Charting a Green and Competitive Future for Europe

Author:
Lila Djait
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
EGMONT - The Royal Institute for International Relations
Abstract:
The Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations, with support of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in collaboration with the Representation of the European Commission in Belgium, has organised a series of three foresight workshops and three working dinners. Each session was dedicated to a key strategic challenge, providing a vital platform for dialogue and expert insight sharing among decision-makers from EU institutions, the Belgian administration, and civil society. Far from being just a theoretical exchange, the discussions were a targeted effort to further develop strategic long-term thinking, with a vision extending over the next 5 to 10 years. The inaugural session, focused on ‘Charting a Green and Competitive Future for Europe’, addressed a pressing issue of our times. In 2023, the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report propelled climate change to the pinnacle, categorizing it as the greatest risk, and underscored its entangled nature with diverse social, economic, and political dynamics. Recognizing its critical importance, the Commission has placed this theme at the heart of several Strategic Foresight Reports. These reports, among numerous other efforts, reflect the EU’s commitment to navigating the delicate balance between ecological sustainability and citizens’ wellbeing, with economic growth in the twin transition. This theme’s relevance stems from its central role in shaping the future transformation of our society and economy, highlighting the EU’s proactive approach in addressing these interconnected challenges.
Topic:
International Relations, Climate Change, European Union, Strategic Competition, and Energy
Political Geography:
Europe

628. EuroMeSCo Annual Conference 2023: “From the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership to a Euro-Mediterranean Geostrategic Alliance”

Author:
IEMed/EuroMeSCo
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
IEMed/EuroMeSCo
Abstract:
“From the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership to a Euro-Mediterranean Geostrategic Alliance” was the theme of the EuroMeSCo Annual Conference which took place at the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation in Madrid on 10-11 October 2023. The event welcomed around 150 participants from 32 countries across the region, including representatives from think tanks, academic institutions, government, civil society organisations, and the private sector, as well officials from EU institutions and members states, the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Investment Bank in view of discussing common regional challenges and contributing to policy shaping in the region. New arising geostrategic security and energy challenges in the region call for intensified cooperation of the EU with its southern neighbours. This has opened new horizons for Euro-Mediterranean relations and calls for reflections on how existing Euro-Mediterranean cooperation mechanisms and institutions could be adapting to this new reality, offering the conditions for win-win partnerships between equals. Along the same lines, the creation of the European Political Community involving Eastern neighbours of the EU, with two summits foreseen in 2023, also calls for renewed and parallel efforts to instil new dynamism into the Southern dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy, whose 20th anniversary is celebrated in 2023-2024.
Topic:
Regional Cooperation, European Union, and Investment
Political Geography:
Europe and Mediterranean

629. Business Platform 2023: The Global Gateway, a New Paradigm for Relations between the European Union and its Partners in the Mediterranean and Beyond

Author:
IEMed/EuroMeSCo
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
IEMed/EuroMeSCo
Abstract:
The EU’s ‘Global Gateway’ connectivity strategy has become a flagship of EU’s global agenda. It is also likely to impose itself as a distinct cooperation paradigm in Euro-Mediterranean relations. The EuroMeSCo Business Platform will offer a unique opportunity to put around the table economic operators, policymakers and think tankers to discuss various aspects related to the Mediterranean dimension of the Global Gateway.
Topic:
Regional Cooperation, European Union, Partnerships, and Business
Political Geography:
Europe and Mediterranean

630. Extracting Emissions: Why Resource-Rich Countries Should Cut Emissions from Extractive Operations

Author:
William Davis and Amir Shafaie
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Natural Resource Governance Institute
Abstract:
Global efforts to mitigate climate change are likely to greatly reduce demand for fossil fuels over time. Countries that depend on revenues from these resources should diversify their economies. Investors and customers are pressuring the oil, gas and mining industries to cut greenhouse gas emissions from their production processes. This trend is likely to intensify, including with new policies from key trading partners seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the extractive commodities that they import. Examples of such measures include the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and its regulations on methane emissions from oil, gas and coal operations. To stay competitive, governments of resource-rich countries will need to cut emissions from oil, gas and mining operations in their territories. Some are already doing this. But progress has been slow, and much work remains. To improve results, a wider set of stakeholders than just governments and including civil society actors should engage on the issue and seek increased transparency and accountability on emissions from the extractive industries.
Topic:
Climate Change, European Union, Carbon Emissions, and Extractive Industries
Political Geography:
Europe and Global Focus