International Organizations

EU’s Energy Policy a ‘Big Failure’

By BusinessWeek

From BusinessWeek: “‘Energy policy is one of the big failures of the European Union in the last fifty years, particularly bearing in mind that we started out as a coal and steel community. But our growing dependence on Russia is going to increase the pressure for a common energy policy, to improve the internal grids […]

European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy Event Transcript

Charlie McCreevy Event FREDERICK KEMPE:  Welcome to you all and thank you for joining us for our third event in the Mapping the Economic and Financial Future series.  I’m Fred Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council and our speaker tonight is Charlie McCreevy, the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services. With […]

All EU Politics is Local

By James Joyner

The lack of enthusiasm for this week’s European Parliament elections is a recurring theme in the press.  In addition to a poll showing growing Euroskepticism in the UK, we see cynicism in France and apathy in Poland.

Euroskepticism Growing on Eve of EU Parliament Elections

By James Joyner

AFP highlights a new poll showing support for the EU is flagging ahead of elections for the European Parliament.

Euro force, NATO overlap

By Washington Times

From Washington Times: “For example, the two jostled for helicopters badlyneeded for both the NATO mission in Afghanistan and the EU mission in Chad in early 2008.‘[It] turned into a beauty contest between NATO and the EU,’ Mr. Whitney said.”

At EU-Russia Summit, Signs Of Strategic Division, Not Strategic Partnership

By RFE/RL

From RFE/RL: “Medvedev also tried to press his advantage at the summit by urging the EU to back his plans for a new ‘security architecture’ for Europe. At the press conference, he sharply attacked NATO — which includes as members most EU member states. ‘We have partnership relations, for example, with the North Atlantic bloc. […]

The Menace of Piracy: India, the International Community and a UN Response

By Arun Prakash

Although any government can claim jurisdiction to a crime committed on the high seas, regardless of the nationality of culprit, the international response to piracy has been largely confused and ineffective.

Nabucco: End of the Line?

By Nikolas Gvosdev

Moscow’s success at moving the South Stream project forward carries some important lessons for Western policymakers.  Too often, decision-makers in Washington, Ottawa and the capitals of Europe have been unable to set priorities and stick to a course of action when competing preferences have reared their heads.

Russia’s Plan to Sideline NATO

By Heritage Foundation

From Heritage Foundation: “When Russians talk about changing Europe’s security architecture, what they really mean is sidelining NATO. However, in the Obama Administration’s haste to reset relations with Russia, and its nonsensical enthusiasm for EU-integration, it has sent neither Moscow nor Brussels the message that NATO’s primacy is non-negotiable. In fact, it has seemingly gone […]