Europe and the world

Obama’s Drone Attacks: How the EU Should Respond

Despite President Obama extending its use of drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, the EU has been largely silent on the issue. But European leaders need to press the US to establish credible international standards to govern their use.  

Europe must not accept Egypt’s military coup

Against the backdrop of Egypt's presidential elections, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) staged a coup d’etat. For Europe, this counter-revolution constitutes a test of whether we have truly learned the lessons of the Arab uprisings.  

The Central Challenge to the Western Liberal Order

One of the big stories of the last 60 years has been the creation of a European-inspired legal order in the shell of an American security order. This is often called the Western liberal order – and I think that the biggest global risk is the threat to that order.  

Not your Serbian déjà vu

The Serbian presidential elections this weekend look familiar – but Serbia is a very different place to how it was in 2004 and 2008. It is normalising fast and its core concerns are far more similar to other European countries than they were before.  

Summit-time blues

The coming season of grand international summits means the problems of the Eurozone will once again be thrust upon the global stage. But at least this time European leaders don't have to worry about Silvio Berlusconi.  

China and New Europe

Premier Wen Jiabao's latest visit to Europe demonstrated that Beijing has great hopes for its relationship with 'New Europe'. But this is risky for the European Union, as it undermines its ability to present a united front to China.  

France deserves better than this

As France votes in the first round of its presidential elections, the French people have been denied an analytically, politically honest and comprehensive engagement by the politicians with the real issues at hand in France and Europe.  

How to extend Burma’s Spring

The EU is due to decide on Monday whether to lift sanctions against Burma. Instead of lifting all sanctions the EU should follow a gradual approach and focus on targeted assistance and an ambitious social-responsibility framework for European companies.