Cite Europeenne/European Policy – serie

The book analyses the attitudes of non-EU countries towards European integration in historical and contemporary perspectives. The authors study a range of actors in Europe and beyond to explain the impact of the creation of the European Communities on the international system and how the EU is perceived in the world.The book further shows the significance of the institutional interplay within the EU, and between EU institutions, member states and external actors led by their own internal dynamics to explain policy outcomes. It investigates to what extent the perceptions of the international community towards the European Communities and the EU have been influenced by the complexity of their decision-making and the difficulty of reconciling the views of member states on key external relations issues. The authors also study the interplay of non-EU countries and the EU within the broader context of international and regional institutions and forums for international cooperation.

The book offers insight into different relevant issues related to recent developments in the political and media space in Europe. The authors are interested in how these phenomena affect the future of the democratic system and the general development of the European Union. The special focus is on populism as one of the most discussed political phenomena in recent years. The assumption is that the rise of populism in Europe is a reaction to the anomalies and consequences of globalisation as well as a symptom of the crisis of established politics. Furthermore, the spread of populist messages is related to the profound change the media space is facing, particularly with the crisis of traditional media. Populists utilise different media channels that often serve to spread disinformation. Strengthening European democracy requires improving institutional effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability toward the citizenry, as well as building a European identity.

This book has established itself as one of the most concise and authoritative guides to the institutional development of the European Union. Covering the evolution from the original European Communities to the Constitution for Europe, Youri Devuyst introduces the reader to the divisions and dilemmas that have resulted in today’s European Union. In doing so, the book provides much-needed clarification of the principles and practice behind the Union’s institutions, decision-making and external relations. This knowledge is of crucial importance in grasping not just the Union’s way of doing business but also the current debate on the future of the enlarged European Union and its new Constitution. Written in a clear and comprehensible style throughout, The European Union Transformed includes 20 topic-specific guides to further reading, making it the ideal source for all those who wish to understand the functioning of the European institutions.

In 2005 the European Commission and the Turkish government started their investigation of the adaptation of Turkish legislation to European law. But public opinion remains sceptical and a thorough discussion among European and Turkish proponents is still needed. Apart from the many beliefs, ideals and prognoses that circulate about the past and future of Europe as well as Turkey, the negotiations continue and different scenarios and time-frames are being developed. In the end, it is the question of the otherness of Turkey to Europe that constitutes the core of the discussion and may offer the start of an answer. To put forward the arguments for and against Turkish accession to the European Union, the University Centre Saint-Ignatius Antwerp organised a two-day academic workshop held in June 2006 in Antwerp. This publication gathers together the opinions of Turkish and European scholars and diplomats about the socio-economic, cultural-religious and political arguments being used in the discussion.

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, this volume addresses the lessons of EU history, its current challenges and its future perspectives. Leading scholars from the disciplines of history, political science, political economy and law consider important aspects of European integration. Areas examined include the evolution of the law of integration, Europe’s influence on political transitions, economic governance, social governance, the system of Treaty reform and its limits, the future role of the Court of Justice, enlargement and the vexed question of Turkish accession. This book, which takes an interdisciplinary approach, seeks to draw on the lessons of history, while shedding new light on the current and future challenges facing the European Union.

As one of the six founding member-states of the European Union, the Netherlands has been at the heart of the European integration project from its inception. Looking back on the Netherlands’ role in European cooperation and integration during the 1950s and 1960s, Joseph Luns, the country’s long-standing Foreign Minister, depicted himself as an exponent of a «Dutch vision». This vision, Luns suggested, enabled the country to act as a leading force in Europe, thus demonstrating that in specific constellations in international affairs, a middle-sized or even a small country can play an important role. What was this «Dutch vision» of Europe and was Luns right in ascribing so much importance to it? In this book, the author sets out to investigate whether, under which conditions and by what means the Netherlands has exerted an «engineering influence» on the economic and institutional architecture of the European Union. It sheds fresh light on the policies of the Netherlands and its Benelux partners in the process of making Europe as we know it today. Achieving the Common Market may well be considered the ultimate success of contemporary Dutch diplomacy.

Written in memory of Alfred Cahen, Honorary Professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles and Ambassador of Belgium, this book is inspired by the main stages of his career: European integration, the transatlantic partnership and relations between Belgium and her ex-colonies. The focus is on transatlantic relations and the place of Europe in international relations between 1945 and 1973. The role played by the United States in the post-war reconstruction of Europe and the evolution of the transatlantic partnership from Truman to Nixon are first examined. The authors then portray attempts to achieve European military integration – with an emphasis on the evolution of the Western (European) Union –, the saga of the Multilateral Force and the difficulties associated with the creation of a nuclear Europe. The final chapters deal with Belgian Africa and the project of the European Political Community and explore relations between Belgium and her ex-colonies. Écrit en hommage à Alfred Cahen, Professeur honoraire à l’Université libre de Bruxelles et ambassadeur de Belgique, ce livre est inspiré par les jalons principaux de sa carrière – construction européenne, partenariat atlantique, relations entre la Belgique et ses anciennes colonies. L’ouvrage se focalise sur les relations transatlantiques et la place de l’Europe dans les relations internationales de 1945 à 1973. Il insiste premièrement sur la place des États-Unis dans la reconstruction de l’Europe d’après-guerre, et dresse le tableau de l’évolution du partenariat atlantique de Truman à Nixon. Il dépeint ensuite les tentatives d’intégration militaire européenne, y compris l’évolution de l’Union (de l’Europe) occidentale, les péripéties de la Force multilatérale et les difficultés de la création d’une Europe nucléaire. Il met enfin l’accent sur l’Afrique belge et le projet de la Communauté politique européenne et explore la relation entre la Belgique et ses anciennes colonies.

The EU has become an important international actor. Its internal policies often have repercussions far beyond its borders. It is also increasingly becoming a proactive global actor, defending its interests and projecting its norms and values in both bilateral and multilateral external relations. This volume has a special focus on external economic relations and includes chapters on the Euro, trade policy, and competition policy as well as on specific bilateral relationships. The section on relations with industrialized countries deals with the United States, Canada, Russia, Japan and China, while the section on relations with developing countries has chapters on administrative reform, environmental cooperation, Cuba, Central America and Iran. The book thus gives an up-to-date overview of important aspects of the EU’s external relations. With a focus on political economy, it traces the continuous interplay of economics and politics that has characterized the EU’s development of a fully-fledged foreign policy. What emerges is a picture of a European Union that is better equipped institutionally to deal with economic, rather than political issues.

This study explains in an accessible manner the key elements of the relationship between the Swiss Confederation and the European Union. The author begins by summarizing the main steps in this special and evolving relationship which has long oscillated between membership and marginalization. He also guides us expertly through the thickets of referendums (no fewer than fourteen from 1972 to the time of writing!) in which Swiss citizens have been given the opportunity to pass judgment on the European question. Finally and perhaps most importantly, this volume explains why the Swiss still oppose joining the European Union. It examines the thorny questions of identity, reservations on policy matters (preserving neutrality, direct democracy and Swiss style federalism), not to mention doubts regarding the economy, which have done so much to shape public opinion and the official strategy of the Swiss Confederation. Paradoxically, the closer Switzerland gets to the EU through bilateral agreements, the more distant prospects of joining the EU seem to become. This is the conundrum at the heart of the relationship between the Swiss Confederation and the European Union which is expertly explored in this volume.

The EU has long played a central role in promoting economic prosperity and political stability in Europe. With twenty-seven countries, it is a powerful trade negotiator and is seen by many as a growing force for global security and welfare. But does the EU giant have feet of clay? Is it recognized as a legitimate political and social project by its own citizens? How well does it respond to global challenges, such as environmental degradation and terrorism? How successful is it in projecting its image as a promoter of human rights, of conflict prevention, social justice, development cooperation, environmental protection and multilateralism? This volume contributes to the debate about the changing face of Europe and the way it works, not just internally, but also with the rest of the world. It first explores the merits of fostering inclusive multicultural citizenship and religious pluralism in Europe, the necessity of reinventing the EU from below, and the urgency of addressing EU internal migration problems. It then examines the new role of the EU in world politics and how other countries view it in terms of hard and soft power. Can the EU inspire by its development aid, conflict prevention, social and audiovisual policies? How efficient is it in exporting security to the rest of the world? The final chapters deal with the EU in the Asia Pacific region.