How does the EU summit look from Berlin, Madrid, Rome and Warsaw, and what are the expectations? Four of ECFR's experts tell us how they see the gathering of EU leaders and whether anybody should be optimistic about the outcome.
This week the EU revealed its new human rights strategy, an ambitious plan to 'place human rights at the centre of its relations with all third countries'. The key challenge will be to develop realistic objectives and a clear vision how to achieve them without repeating mistakes of the past.
As part of ECFR's 'Reinvention of Europe' project, the authors examine the euro crisis from the perspective of Spain, and argue that new powers must be transfered to the EU alongside an improvement in democratic governance and the acceptance of a new European social contract.
Europeans are strongly in favor of global governance when it is a process they inflict on others, but they are not so keen when others comment on Europe’s affairs. So, is Europe losing its religion on multilateralism?
Growth will not be created with marginal policy measures – we need a fundamental change of the current policy mix. An end to extreme austerity, more public investment and a reform of the financial system must be at the core of a EU growth strategy.
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.
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.
Europe would seem an unlikely place to look for fresh thinking regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Yet that is precisely what just happened.
The best outcome for E3+3 negotiations is a partial enrichment freeze. Short of that, more talks will at least avert military action.
The elitist and technocractic nature of German politics means that the case for European integration is not being made to the German people. Worryingly this is also giving an opportunity for anti-EU populists to gain influence.