This Occasional Paper aims at giving another perspective on the relevance of climate change for the EU’s foreign policy. Considering its linkages with various policy areas such as energy security, economic growth, foreign policy and even political stability, climate change is a major “game-changer” in international relations, and constitute a significant opportunity to reshape the international order according to the new global equilibria. As such, the set up of the climate change regime constitutes for the EU both an opportunity and a threat, in as much as it may either accelerate Europe’s decline as a foreign policy centre or, on the contrary, trigger a new start for its diplomatic ambitions.
When in 1992 the decision to provide Europe with the single currency was adopted, voices were raised claiming that it may be difficult to have a monetary union without a political union. This is considered to be particularly the case on occasion of “asymmetric shocks” which may hit weaker “peripheral economies” in a monetary union, […]
Today there is no agreement on what should replace the Kyoto Protocol (KP) expiring in 2012. What is certain, however, is that the framing of the new climate regime may create new scenarios involving new fora and strengthening certain international players while weaking others.
China is facing increasing international pressure to tackle environmental-related challenges…but are these mainly local or global challenges in the eyes of China’s leadership?
This brief article underlines what Europe and the rest of the international community should consider when dealing with China and Climate Change.
Turkey, Iceland, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia… is the EU ready for a new wave of enlargement?
How should we move forward to secure that the new enlargements will further EU’s strengths and not merely highlight its weaknesses?
By Pietro De Matteis Such a strong decision was in the air especially in Washington. The US was expecting a new EU after the Lisbon treaty: more coherent, stronger and more comprehensible. An Europe that after about 8 years since the Laeken Convention, that started the path towards EU’s institutional reform, could finally become an […]
Writing in two paragraphs which are the main challenges for Europe is far from being an easy task. For sure there are many policy areas in which Europe should be able to give its contribution both internally (e.g. by increasing the solidarity and cooperation among the peoples of Europe), and internationally (e.g. by rising its […]
By Pietro De Matteis As some of you might be aware of currently there is a public consultation with regards to the European Citizens’ Initiative. This has been introduced by the Lisbon Treaty and allows 1 million citizens from the EU to present to the European Commission a request to propose legislation on a certain […]
Brussels, 19 November 2009 Author: Pietro De Matteis Many words have been written about the appointment procedure of the two new positions set up by the Lisbon treaty and on the possible candidates. What we have experienced on 19th December is once again a process carried out behind closed doors despite the fact that some Member […]
Author: Pietro De Matteis Following the debate on the new president of the European Commission, it is now everyday more pressing the competition behind closed doors for the future post of President of the European Council. Should the Lisbon treaty be ratified we will finally have some of the important institutional changes which has been […]
