Europe & Eurasia

New & Improved European Parliament? The View From Europe

By Scott Bleiweis

Last week’s approval of the SWIFT agreement demonstrates Parliament’s implementation of the “co-decision” powers granted by last December’s Lisbon Treaty. But what does its new status really mean? Several MEPs provided their takes to the BBC. Diana Wallis from the U.K. believes, [T]he European Parliament has clearly been the big winner, with new powers as […]

EU officials assure Turkey over accession

By AFP

From AFP:  EU officials assured Turkey Tuesday over its troubled bid to join the bloc and praised the country’s growing regional role after claims the lagging progress was pushing Ankara away from the West. The commitment came after a meeting in Istanbul between EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule, Turkish Foreign […]

“Battle Royal” Over Internet Privacy: The View from Europe

By Scott Bleiweis

At the Atlantic Council last week, U.S. and EU officials pledged to work together on creating a common framework to regulate data sharing and privacy protection between them. But if it is to be put into practice, such an effort will have to overcome significant challenges and differing perspectives on these issues.

Europe Staring Into Abyss?

By James Joyner

An Economist leader on the future of Europe is titled "Staring Into the Abyss."

NATO Secretary General warns that European defense cuts may make ‘the Transatlantic relationship less relevant’

By James Kirkup, the Telegraph

Nato chief: Afghanistan timetable puts British troops at risk

By James Kirkup, the Telegraph

From James Kirkup, the Telegraph:  David Cameron’s signal of a five-year timetable for withdrawing British troops from Afghanistan risks encouraging the Taliban to step up their attacks on Western forces, the head of Nato has said. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Nato secretary-general, delivered the blunt message after the Prime Minister said he wanted most British […]

Ukraine and NATO begin Sea Breeze military exercise

By the Kyiv Post

From the Kyiv Post:  The U.S. and Ukrainian Sea Breeze 2010 exercises were started at the Odesa House of Officers on Monday. "I am glad to announce the beginning of the Ukraine-U.S. Sea Breeze exercises. Thirteen member countries began the exercises, which will help Ukraine practice interaction with other fleets.

Davutoğlu considers question “Who lost Turkey?” an insult

By Zaman

From Zaman:  In remarks delivered at the Chatham House think tank in London on Thursday during an official bilateral visit to the UK capital, [Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet] Davutoğlu said that the question, “Are we losing Turkey?” is extremely annoying. Such a question is humiliating for Turkey and Turkey is not an object to be […]

Obama welcomes EU renewal of terrorist finance tracking agreement

By Barack Obama, the White House

From Barack Obama, the White House:  The United States welcomes today’s decision by the European Parliament to join the Council and Commission of the European Union in approving a revised agreement between the United States and the European Union on the processing and transfer of financial messaging data for the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP).

Russia sends warship to international naval drills in North Atlantic

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  The Severomorsk guided-missile destroyer from Russia’s Northern Fleet set sail Friday for British shores to team up with NATO warships in an international naval exercise in the North Atlantic, a fleet spokesman said. The Russian Navy earlier said the Frukus 2010 exercise will be held on July 22-25. The annual exercises, which […]