TEPSA Newsletter April 2013 Edition

Editorial: Towards a multilevel parliamentarism

by Jean-Paul Jacqué

When the Lisbon Treaty entered into force it seemed that the issue of democratic deficit in the European Union had been solved.  It encompassed the concept of the EU based on a dual democratic legitimacy: direct and indirect. It developed both representative and participatory democracy, thus confirming the interaction existing between civil society and the institutions of the Union. In the end it had strengthened the involvement of national parliaments.
However, creating a democratic framework appeared insufficient to bring about a real democratic sphere. In addition, it is questionable whether this step has weathered the economic crisis, what consequently leads to a revival of the member states gathered in the European Council, and to a new democratic (re-)structuring.

I. A legal framework without sufficient political content

The current institutional framework does not appear to be a sufficient platform for discussions and social interactions. As long as the EU institutional set-up works satisfactorily, it remains largely internal and does not provoke any debates across the Europe. The consequence is that the Union remains largely absent in the public debate.

There are multiple causes of this. The nature of the debate within the EU is often very technical, hardly arousing any public interest. It does not signify that the issues discussed are regarded by citizens as useless. But rather that the institutions often (rather unconsciously) prefer, to address issues from a technical angle instead of to shedding light on the political implications of the file at stake, notwithstanding the efforts of the European Parliament to counter this. This is likely due to the fact that it is easier to build consensus this way than to raise the issue from a purely political angle. Yet the decision-making process of the Union is based on consensus: consensus between the states within the Council, consensus among political groups in the Parliament and finally, consensus between the Parliament and the Council. Without the politicization of debates, the interest of the public, which is the engine of democracy, will default. But politicizing the debate does not mean to debate on issues of institutions’ respective powers, as it was often assumed by the Parliament. It goes beyond that, aiming to show how the different options of a legislative project may have an impact on the daily lives of Europeans and to defend one of these options. European citizens are often too far away from debates on comitology or inter-institutional relations, which concern only a limited circle of aficionados.

Regarding the representation of citizens, it has often been pointed out that European elections are ‘second order elections’ compared to national elections. This might remain the case until European parties become more structured, although there has recently progress been made in that direction. The voting system places the election in the hands of national political parties that are themselves often divided on their approach towards Europe. The cleavage between euro-skeptics and supporters of integration is present within several major national political parties. Under these conditions it seems hardly conceivable that these parties could develop a genuine European vision that goes beyond a vague discourse on Europe as that would risk to trigger internal divisions.

Future will tell whether the willingness of some European parties to nominate and campaign for a candidate for the European Commission President is likely to raise the public’s awareness and thereby strengthen these parties in the European multicultural universe. As long as European parties are second order vis-à-vis the national parties, European elections will remain second order elections compared to national elections.

All this does not actually signify that the European debate does not exist, but – as the crisis has already shown – that discussions take place at the national level and not at the EU level.

II. Lessons from the crisis

The crisis has combined two elements that need to be answered regarding democracy at EU-level. First, the crisis has affected a vital part of national cohesion, the social pact. The need for structural reforms revisits the social foundations that the social order the twentieth century was built on. Such a change cannot occur without strong opposition at the national level. Consequently, the whole way of living together is affected. Secondly, following the treaties, solutions cannot be developed under the Community method, but only within the intergovernmental framework, where governments are responsible within the legal order of their national systems. The national government leaders have two different roles: on the one hand they represent and defend their national interests within the European Council, on the other hand they need to explain and defend the decisions of the European Council to their national constituencies. Europe can hardly be the scapegoat for decisions taken by all (national) heads of states. Taking this into account, it can be observed that no member of the European Council, including the German chancellor, can replace the Commission in that respect.

In any case, measures cannot be taken without the support of national actors (not only parliaments, but sometimes also constitutional courts) and the European debate should be brought to the national level. How can one say that constraints imposed on national budgets only arise from EU level decisions, without then also acknowledging that the EU has the democratic legitimacy to do so? TEPSA and Notre Europe have put forward ideas for new forms of control of the European Council by national parliaments, but this control could only function if the national debate on European issues continues to be salient, and even have a decisive influence on the existence and composition of national governments in national election campaigns.

Conclusion

Is it necessary to reform the system or shall one allow the process to evolve before attempting to stabilize it? It is of great importance for the institutions and political parties to give a real impetus to the democratic framework created by the Lisbon Treaty, yet this is not sufficient. We know that on issues that affect the heart of the national pact, such a solution is insufficient. In these areas, if one wants to avoid a revolt against Europe, one should make use of national structures, especially parliaments, as places for discussions and explanations. Allowing the evolution to evolve naturally carries the risk of triggering divergent trends and movements of populism. It is necessary to find opportunities for debates between national and European politicians. The meetings of members of the European Parliament and deputies of national parliaments’ finance committees, as established by the “Treaty on the coordination of the Euro-zone” constitutes a first step, but needs further reflection. How can one imagine a multilevel Europe without multilevel democracy and real multilevel parliamentarism?

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Introducing a TEPSA Member Institute: the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, Riga, Latvia

The Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) was established in 1992 as a non-profit foundation charged with the task of providing Latvia’s decision-makers, experts, and the wider public with analysis, recommendations, and information about international developments, regional security issues, and foreign policy. It is the oldest and one of the most well-known and internationally recognized Latvian think tanks, and is especially notable as the leading think tank that specializes in international affairs.

The LIIA’s main activities include conducting research, publishing books and working papers, and providing regular opinions on the latest international issues. The Institute organizes lectures, seminars and conferences related to international affairs. It cooperates with government institutions to provide up-to-date independent analysis on global political matters. The LIIA’s fellows regularly take part in national and international conferences, provide academic courses and guest lectures to university students, and contribute to media reports.

The Institute has recently been focusing on research themes such as:

• Latvian foreign policy;
• Transatlantic relations;
• European Union policies, including its neighborhood policy and Eastern Partnership;
• Institutional affairs and the political economy of the European Union;
• Multilateral and bilateral relations with Russia.

The LIIA has also devoted thorough attention to various aspects of energy security and policies, such as EU energy policy, EU-Russia energy dialogue, national and regional (Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic Sea region, the post-Soviet space) energy interaction, and regional relations. Over the past two decades the LIIA has published over 60 books and reports and contributed to an even greater number of analyses produced by partner institutions. All of the publications are available for download here: http://liia.lv/en/publications/.

The LIIA currently unites almost 20 researchers and associate fellows and continues expanding. The analysts are based in different parts of the world, with wide academic and practical expertise not only on the abovementioned issues but also in such spheres as civil society, international economic issues, international security, civil-military cooperation, legal issues, and more. You can find the full list of LIIA fellows here: http://liia.lv/en/fellows/. The Institute also welcomes guest contributions on important and relevant topics from political and academic spheres.

Since its establishment 20 years ago, the Latvian Institute of International Affairs has cooperated with a number of institutions that have provided scholarly, financial and technical support for various projects implemented by the Institute. Among these are the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, the Latvian Transatlantic Organization, the Centre for East European Policy Studies, the Soros Foundation – Latvia, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia, the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Embassy of Norway in Latvia, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Similarly, the LIIA has actively engaged itself with its counterparts in Europe and worldwide within various international scientific frameworks, most notably TEPSA.

After acquiring a basic operating grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia and adopting a more proactive development strategy, the LIIA is currently intensifying its activities. Our Institute is interested in a variety of international partnerships and joint projects; it welcomes, upon mutual agreement, visiting lectures, interns, and guest opinions.

For more information on the LIIA, our publications and latest analyses, please visit our website: http://liia.lv/. You are also welcome to contact us at liia©liia•lv  (liia©liia•lv)  .

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News from TEPSA Secretariat

Memoires published by TEPSA ‘veteran’ Robert Toulemon

Robert Toulemon recently published his memoires ‘Souvenirs Européens (1950-2005)’.

Robert Toulemon is a convinced advocate of European federalism. The book will be of great interest to European historians but also has a relevance to those advocating a federal response to the current crisis. Rober Toulemon is a honorary finances general inspector and was a high official at the European Commission from 1962 to 1973 and worked with Robert Marjolin and Altiero Spinelli. He founded the ‘association française d’étude pour l’Union européenne (AFEUR)’ in 1975, which was in 2004 incorporated in the ‘association ARRI’ (Réalités et relations internationales) as the Club Europe-ARRI-AFEUR of which he is the President. He also taught European economic integration at Sciences Po from 1975 to 1980. He has been one of the founders of the TEPSA network and the book recollects many TEPSA meetings and conferences during the period.

The book (468 p.) can be ordered for € 20 via www.pressefederaliste.eu.

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TEPSA and IAI won an EP’s tender on “Space, Sovereignty and European Security: Building European capabilities in an advanced institutional framework”

Having won the tender, on 21 March 2013 TEPSA signed a contract with the European Parliament on the external study and workshop on “Space, Sovereignty and European Security: Building European capabilities in an advanced institutional framework”. The study will be delievered by an excellent team of experienced researchers from the Instituto Affari Internazionali (IAI): Stefano Silvestri, Vincenzo Camporini, Michele Nones, Jean-Pierre Darnis, Anna Clementina Veclani and Nicolo Sartori. The study will be published in summer 2013 and available on TEPSA website.

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EP study and hearing on “the Development of a European Defence Technological and Industrial Base”

In December 2012 TEPSA signed a contract with the European Parliament on a delivery of the study and hearing ‘the Development of a European Defence Technological and Industrial Base’ (EDTIB). Christian Moelling (SWP Berlin), Valerio Briani and Allessandro Marrone (Instituto Affari Internazionali, Rome), and Tomas Valasek (the Central European Policy Institute in Bratislava) are working on the study and will take part in the hearing and workshop at the European Parliament on 28 May 2013.

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European Parliament’s study on “the Maritime Dimension of CSDP: Geostrategic Maritime Challenges and their Implications for the European Union”

The global maritime security environment is in the midst of an important transformation, driven by a simultaneous intensification of global maritime flows, the growing interconnectedness of maritime regions, the diffusion of maritime power to emerging powers, and the rise of a number of maritime non-state actors. These changes are having a profound impact on the maritime security environment of the EU and its member states and require an upgrading of the maritime dimension of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). This study analysis the impact that the changing maritime security context is having on the EU’s maritime neighbourhood and along the EU’s sea lines of communications (SLOCs) and takes stock of the EU’s existing policies and instruments in the maritime security domain. Based on this analysis, the study suggests that the EU requires a comprehensive maritime security strategy that creates synergies between the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy and the maritime dimension of CSDP and that focuses more comprehensively on the security and management of global maritime flows and sea-based activities in the global maritime commons.

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THESEUS Doctoral Workshop 2013, May 2013 Paris

“The EU and the Global Crisis: Challenges to EU Governance, Policy Responses and the Legitimacy Gap”, 21-22 May 2013, Sciences Po, Centre d’études européennes, Paris

THESEUS is a European network of thinkers, actors and ideas whose aim is to foster an open and constructive dialogue between academia and politics about the future challenges of Europe. Emerging from a Franco-German initiative, THESEUS is striving to enhance the mutual understanding of societies in Europe. THESEUS is a joint activity of Sciences Po Paris, the Jean Monnet Chair of the University of Cologne, the Trans European Policy Studies Association (Brussels) and the Fritz Thyssen Foundation (Cologne). For further information about the project and its activities please visit www.theseus-europe.net,

This THESEUS doctoral seminar will allow doctoral students to exchange ideas and discuss their research with their peers and senior academic colleagues. More information available here.

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THESEUS Seminar for Young Leaders 2013 “The Future of EU Economic Governance”, 17-21.06.2013, Fondation Universitaire, Brussels

To promote interdisciplinary and international networks among a new generation of Europeans, each year the THESEUS Seminars look for 20 excellent young professionals and researchers to discuss European challenges with high-level experts and decision makers. In view of the current debate on Economic Governance in Europe, the seminar will deal with a Moot Court simulation. Three days of intensive preparation will be followed by the Simulation exercise.

For further information, please see the http://theseus.uni-koeln.de/.

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2013: the final year of the EXACT programme!

SAVE THE DATE! The Final Conference of the EXACT programme will take place in Brussels, on 10-12 July 2013!

The EXACT PhD Intervision Workshop

On 18-19 April, eight EXACT Fellows: Nicole Koenig, Niklas Helwig, Andrew Byrne, Anita Sek, James Nyomakwa-Obimpeh, Leonhard den Hertog, Marlene Gottwald and Adreas Raspotnik gathered at the University of Edinburgh for the PhD EXACT Intervision Workshop. The meeting was joined by prof. Brigid Laffan from the University College Dublin.

Publications and presentations:

Andrew Byrne, Conflicting Visions: Liberal and Realist Conceptualisations of Transatlantic Alignment, “Transworld Working Paper” No. 12, Istituto Affari Internazionali, 25 March 2012, available here.

Bogdana Depo, The values within the ENP: shared, imposed or a matter of business? The Perspectives of the Eastern and Southern Dimensions, presentation together with Rosen Dimov (University of Istanbul), LISBOAN seminar “The European Neighbourhood Policy and the Lisbon Treaty: What has changed?”, Instituto Affari Internazionali, Rome, 22 March 2013.

Leonhard den Hertog and Ramses Wessel, EU Foreign, Security and Defence Policy: a Competence-Responsibility Gap?, in: Evans and Koutrakos (eds.), ”The International Responsibility of the European Union: European and International Perspectives”, (Oxford, Hart Publishing), March 2013.

Sergio Carrera, Leonhard den Hertog and Joanna Parkin, EU migration policy after the Arab Spring: the pitfalls of Home Affairs Diplomacy, ”Think Global – Act European Policy Paper”, No. 74 (CEPS & Notre Europe), February 2013.

Marlene Gottwald, A human security perspective on the future of Europe, workshop ”The changing nature of human security”, organised by the Chatham House and FRIDE, Brussels. See the Agenda_ESPAS Workshop.

Miguel Haubrich Seco, Theorising and tracing EU promotion of regional cooperation. The cases of Mercosur and the Western Balkans, 2013 “ISA Annual Convention”, 2-6 April, San Francisco.

Niklas Helwig, Paul Ivan and Hrant Kostanyan, The New EU Foreign Policy Architecture: Reviewing the first two years of the EEAS, Centre for European Policy Studies, 10 February 2013.

Abstract: This CEPS book examines two interrelated questions: 1) How has the European External Action Service (EEAS) functioned in the EU institutional architecture in the first two years of its existence? 2) What improvements can be made through the 2013 review and the 2014 revision of the EEAS’ mandate? The study contributes to the current debate through an in-depth examination of the EEAS’ relations with the EU member states, the European Commission, the European Parliament and its Delegations. The analysis is complemented by in-depth interviews conducted with senior officials from the relevant institutions. The authors put forward specific recommendations, organised around three basic roles that the EEAS plays in the EU’s external relations: a) leader, b) coordinator and c) information hub. See more.

Niklas Helwig, EU foreign policy and the High Representative’s capability-expectations gap – a question of political will, in “European Foreign Affairs Review”, 18(2), 2013, pp. 235-254.

Andreas Raspotnik, The Northern Corridor, in ”The Maritime Dimension of CSDP: Geostrategic Maritime Challenges and their Implications for the European Union”, European Parliament, January 2013, Brussels. The full study available here.

Anita Sęk, An Audit of the EEAS in the Eastern Neighbourhood – to what extent have the new Treaty provisions delivered?, presentation at the LISBOAN seminar “The European Neighbourhood Policy and the Lisbon Treaty: What has changed?”, Instituto Affari Internazionali, Rome, 22 March 2013.

Marco Siddi, An issue of identity? Poland’s foreign policy toward Russia, ”The European Congress of the British Association for Slavonic and East European Studies (BASEES) and of the International Council for Central and East European Studies (ICCEES)”, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, 5-8 April 2013.  More information on the conference available here.

Marco Siddi, ECPR Young Scholars School on European identity, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, 17-23 March, with participation of prominent speakers including Jeffrey Checkel, Sophie Duchesne and Michael Bruter. More information on the conference available here.

Marco Siddi, Italy-Russia relations: politics, energy and other business, in “East European Studies No. 4. Eurasian Challenges. Partnerships with Russia and other issues of the post-Soviet area”, ed. Zsuzsa Ludvig, Budapest, 2013, pp. 74-92.

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LISBOAN Workshop “The European Neighbourhood Policy after the Lisbon Treaty”, 22 March 2013, IAI, Rome

In the LISBOAN Workshop “The European Neighbourhood Policy after the Lisbon Treaty” organised on 22 March 2013 in Instituto Affari Internazionali  IAI in Rome, coordinated by Michele Comelli (IAI), the keynote speech delivered dr Barbara Lippert from the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Berlin.

In the three sessions on 1. “Legal basis for the ENP and the possibility of neighbourhood agreement”, 2. “Has the Lisbon Treaty brought about more coherence to the ENP and the whole system of the EU external action?” and 3. “Does the ENP still make sense in the current geopolitical, economic and institutional context?”, took part experienced and young researchers: dr Peter Van Elsuwege, University of Ghent, Federico Casolari, University of Bologna, Hans Peter Neuhold, University of Vienna, Ettore Greco IAI, Alessandra Mignolli, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Anita Sek, Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), Brussels, Dorina Baltag, Loughborough University, Rosen Dimov, University of Istanbul, Bogdana Depo, University of Cologne and Prague, Gianni Bonvicini IAI, Mohamed Youssef Laarissa, University of Hanover, Agnes Nicolescu, European Institute of Romania, Bucharest, Zsuzsa Ludvig, Institute of World Economics, Budapest, and Nona Mikhelidze IAI.

Please consult the: Programme of ENP Seminar, IAI Rome. The post-seminar publication will be available soon. Visit also the website of the LISBOAN programme: http://www.lisboan.net.

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The Final Conference of the LISBOAN project

Save the date! The third and final conference of the LISBOAN network will take place in Brussels on 6-7 June 2013.

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OPAL Conference in Berlin

On 7/8 March 2013 the OPAL conference on ‘National Parliaments in the EU: The performance of Multilevel Democracy in Europe’ took place in Berlin. The conference was co-organised by the Jean Monnet Chair and the Arbeitskreis Europäische Integration as part of the OPAL project (Observatory of Parliaments after the Lisbon Treaty; http://opal-europe.org/). It received financial support from the European Commission and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. The aim of the two-day conference was to bring together academics and practitioners from various backgrounds across Europe to discuss challenges and changes of parliamentary democracy in Europe.  More than 75 participants from all over Europe attended the conference. Some contributions will form part of a forthcoming special issue in Western European Politics and the Palgrave Handbook on National Parliaments were presented. A detailed conference report will soon be published on our website. Please find more information here.

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News from TEPSA Member Institutes

New name: Institute for Development and International Relations – IRMO, Croatia

IMO, the Institute for International Relations in Croatia, has changed its name into ”Institute for Development and International Relations – IRMO” in March 2013. The intention was to better reflect the multidisciplinary research activities of the Institute.

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Job offer from the Elcano Royal Institute /Real Instituto Elcano, Madrid

The Elcano Royal Institute, an independent International Relations think-tank founded in 2001 and based in Madrid, is seeking analysts of exceptional caliber with expertise in the following areas:

•  Spanish foreign policy
• The transformation of the MENA region
• Latin America as a global actor
• The economics, politics and society of China and South-East Asia
• Sub-Saharan Africa

More information available here.

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News from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Spring 2013

The Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation has granted significant funding for FIIA’s US-related research for the period 2013 – 2016. Thanks to a sum of 1.2 million euros, FIIA will be able to establish a Centre for US Politics and Power and thereby strengthen its research on the US’s global role and its expertise on US domestic and foreign policy. FIIA will launch a professor-level exchange programme with the distinguished Center for Transatlantic Relations (CTR) at Johns Hopkins University. Besides conducting research on transatlantic relations and the US’s role in global politics and economy, FIIA and CTR will organise seminars, conferences and an annual summer school for young scholars in either Helsinki or Washington DC.

At the 6th annual FIIA Day on March 6, Minister of Defence of Finland Carl Haglund gave a speech on Nordic cooperation and the “Nordic Model”. It was followed by a panel discussion before a reception was held at FIIA’s premises. An audio recording of Haglund’s speech is available via FIIA’s website.

Staff News

Tuomas Iso-Markku has joined the EU programme as a researcher. He focuses on Common Foreign and Security Policy from a small state perspective.

In April, Johanna Jacobsson has joined the EU programme as a Visiting Researcher to finish her Academy-funded PhD research on Economic Integration and Labour Markets Integration Agreements.

Head of Russian Department at Warsaw-based Centre for Eastern Studies Marek Menkiszak comes to a two-month visit to FIIA in April. He will focus on Russian policy on Syria during his stay at FIIA.

Researcher Touko Piiparinen has been granted the title of docent by the University of Helsinki.

As the three-year programme period comes to an end in December 2013, researcher positions will be declared vacant later this spring.

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LIIA’s Activities

LIIA Fellows and Associate Fellows participated in a number of international events over the last months and expressed their views in the mass media. Information about these activities is available in the LIIA’s home page section News.

LIIA has been joined by a new Research Fellow, PhD Cand. Mārtiņš Daugulis, whose main focus is European integration and developments. You can find Mārtiņš’s full profile here: http://ej.uz/kwau

On November 30, 2012 Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) in cooperation with the Centre for East European Policy Studies (CEEPS) presented jointly conducted research “The Economic Presence of Russia and Belarus in the Baltic States: Risks and Opportunities”. We are pleased to inform you that video from the book’s presentation is already available in our web site.

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Upcoming Events at TEPSA Member Institutes

Conference “Trade with Asia” on 26 April 2013 in Budapest

On 26 April an international conference will take place in Budapest, under the title “Trade with Asia”. The event is organized by the Institute of World Economics of RCERS, Hungarian Academy of Sciences in the framework of the Visegrad cooperation and sponsored by the International Visegrad Fund (project number 11220101). The conference will discuss the recent trends of trade by the four Visegrad countries with the Asian region. Among the speakers will be experts from the host Institute as well as Erich Kriz, from the Europeum Institute, Prague; Patryk Toporowski, from PISM, Warsaw and Karol Frank from the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.

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IIEA’s seminar on “Protecting Personal Data in the Digital Age”, 17 May 2013, Dublin

On 17 May 2013, the  Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) will host a high-level seminar on data protection. Individuals and businesses supply huge quantities of information on a daily basis, from telephone numbers to employment histories to bank account details. The spread of social networks and online ordering, as well as more widespread use of mobile devices, poses new challenges for the protection of personal data and the fight against cyber-crime. Marne Levine, Facebook’s Global Vice-President for Public Policy, and Billy Hawkes, Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner, will discuss these vital issues in the context of upcoming EU legislative reforms on data protection.

This event is organised with the support of McCann FitzGerald, and will take place at their Dublin headquarters. In order to register for this event, please contact reception©iiea•com  (reception©iiea•com)  .

Consult all IIEA’s events: http://www.iiea.com/events.

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Online Master Programme EU-Central Asia continues, IEP in cooperation with CIFE

After the graduation of the first class of 25 students, the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) and the Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE) continue the master programme “Studies on the EU and Central Asia in the International System” in August 2013.

Thanks to significant funding from the VolkswagenFoundation and additional financial supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme Jean Monnet of the European Commission, IEP and CIFE can offer 30 young academic professionals from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, as well as from the Chinese region of Xinjiang and the Indian region of Kashmir, the chance to obtain a master’s degree in “Studies on the EU and Central Asia in the International System”. The program is going to start in August 2013 and will end with the final examinations in March 2015.

Further information about the master programme and the application procedure are available at www.eucais.org.

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Master in Advanced European and International Studies 2013/14, Nice – Berlin – Istanbul – Rome

Open for Applications now!

The Institut européen·European Institute (IE·EI) in Nice invites graduate students and young professionals to apply for its Master programme 2013/14.

The “Master in Advanced European and International Studies” offers an overarching, encompassing vision of the political, social, economic, and cultural problems of today´s modern world. The programme (October 2013 till July 2014) comprises three terms and is subdivided into two branches:
The trilingual branch (teaching languages are English, French, and German) in Nice, Berlin and Rome; the Anglophone branch in Istanbul, Nice and Berlin.

Deadline for applications: 30.6.2013
For more information please consult: www.ie-ei.eu. To apply: ie-ei©cife•eu  (ie-ei©cife•eu)  .

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Online Master in EU Studies – EU Expertise for Professionals,the European Online Academy and the Centre international de formation européenne CIFE

The European Online Academy and the Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE, www.cife.eu), in cooperation with the Jean Monnet Chair of the University of Cologne grant professionals the opportunity to deepen and expand their knowledge of the EU integration process, while pursing their careers, through a combination of e-learning and intensive face-to-face learning sessions (mainly during weekends in Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Rome and Budapest). CIFE is supported by the European Union.

The Master in EU Studies Online, a two year programme, offers the perfect blend of theoretical and practical knowledge of the EU. Participants will gain a working knowledge of recent developments in the European integration process. They will also gain the skills to negotiate within an international context, to draft reports, to plan and manage international projects, and to present their ideas in a transnational legal dimension.

To specialise in a core subject (Political Science, Economics and EU law), participants may continue with a second year of the Master programme. The general approach, during the second year, to understand issues and task is interdisciplinary. Once a participant has submitted and defended his/her Master thesis, they will receive a Master in EU Studies Online and a degree qualification “Policy Officer in European and international Organisations”. This qualification is recognised in France as a Master level degree.

Deadline for the online application is 5 September 2013. A limited number of scholarships are awarded to eligible candidates to cover part of their tuition.

For further information check our website www.eu-online-academy.org or email Aline Palige (aline•palige©cife•eu  (aline•palige©cife•eu)  ).

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1st CLEER Summer school on EU external relations law 24-28 June 2013 , Maastricht University, Brussels Campus

This unique and intensive one-week Summer school aims to provide a thorough analysis of issues pertaining to the Law of EU External relations. Through a combination of interactive lectures by renowned academic experts, workshops led by key practitioners and study visits to the EU institutions, participants gain an extensive knowledge and a deep understanding in this dynamic area of EU law and recent developments. The programme includes legal and policy issues in the area of EU External trade, Energy, AFSJ, CFSP/CSDP, Environment, ENP and Development policies, discussion about mixed competences and the EU’s global role.

Admission requirements: Students, civil servants or practitioners with academic background or practical experience in law, political science or international relations.

Language: All lectures are held in English.

Tuition fee: 450 EUR, 250 EUR for students (which covers lunch and reading material). Scholarships: Four scholarships are available for students to finance participation.

Applications deadline: 15 May. Applicants are encouraged to send their statement of interest and CV (at href="cleer©cleer•eu%3ccleer©cleer•eu">cleer©cleer•eu<cleer©cleer•eu>) by 1 May, to secure acceptance.

See the and FLYER CLEER-UM Summer School. For more information visit www.cleer.eu.

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Summer University Programmes 2013 in Croatia, Lithuania, Romania/Bulgaria, Turkey, and the UK

Apply now, a few places are still available!

CIFE invites students and young professionals to apply for its one-week Summer University Courses on specific European topics. A balanced mixture of seminars, lectures, and cultural visits ensure an active involvement of the students. Participants have the possibility to work and discuss their ideas in an open atmosphere and within a multidisciplinary and strongly international framework.

Dubrovnik (Croatia), « La place de la Croatie dans l’UE et dans les Balkans après l’adhésion »

30.6.-6.7.2013, working language: French

Vilnius (Lithuania),“The Baltic Countries in Europe”

15.-21.7.2013; working language: English

Slobozia/Delta du Danube (Romania) and Silistra (Bulgaria), “L’Europe en tant que Communauté de Droit : les problèmes minoritaires”

28.7.-4.8.2013, working language: French

Canterbury – University of Kent(UK), “Federalism, Multinationalism and the future of Europe”

10.-17.8.2013; working language: English

Izmir (Turkey), “The 3 seas axis: Caspian Sea – Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea changing politics”

8.-14.9.2013, working language: English

A limited number of scholarships is available for particularly qualified candidates.

For further information: www.cife.eu, see: Other Academic Programmes

To apply please contact: Marie-France Perdigon, Director of the Summer University Programme; marie-france•perdigon©cife•eu  (marie-france•perdigon©cife•eu)  

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PhD summer school “The EU, its neighbourhood and the ENP: EU foreign policy in times of change, crisis and stagnation”, CoE Natolin campus, 30 June – 13 July 2013

Following the success of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 LISBOAN/ECPR PhD summer schools on EUROPE IN THE WORLD, respectively held at the University of Roskilde (Denmark), the University of Crete in Rethymno (Greece), and the Lisbon University Institute (Portugal), the European Neighbourhood Policy Chair at the College of Europe, Natolin campus is organizing a PhD Summer school on The EU, its neighbourhood and the European Neighbourhood Policy: EU Foreign policy in times of change, crisis and stagnation from 30.06.-13.07.2013 at the College of Europe, Natolin campus (Warsaw).

Fees & grants: The regular fee will be EUR 200. Please note that the ENP Chair provides the 20 best applications with a grant covering travel to and from Warsaw (economy; return), accommodation and full board.

To apply please send in one PDF file:

• A cover letter describing your motivation to participate (1-2 pages max.)
• A brief outline of your PhD project (2-3 pages max.)
• Your CV (2-3 pages max.)

by 5 May 2013 to Dr Dimitris Bouris (dimitris•bouris©coleurope•eu  (dimitris•bouris©coleurope•eu)  ). All applicants will be informed about the results of the selection procedure by 15 May 2013 at the latest.

Find more information in the pdf document: ENP PhD summer school.

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Professional Training on EU Affairs – 2013 Spring and Summer Courses, College of Europe

Intensive Seminar on the EU (20th Edition!), Bruges & Brussels, 1-19 July 2013, 8-19 July 2013, 8-12 July 2013
All you need to know about EU decision-making and policies! Choose from one- to three-week courses tailored to your level of experience.

Registration open till 3 June 2013 for Classic and Advanced programmes and 10 June 2013 for the Compact programme. 10-15-20% discounts for groups, former participants, College of Europe Alumni and EU Officials. More info

EU Competition Law, Bruges, 8-12 July 2013
Deepen your knowledge and develop the professional skills necessary to master the legal complexities of EU competition law and overcome daily challenges at work. Registration is open till 3 June 2013. 10-15-20% discounts for groups, former participants, College of Europe Alumni and EU Officials.  More info

EU Fact Finding – The EU at Your Fingertips!, Brussels, 3 May (Spring Course)
A half-day fact finding mission to guide you through the ‘labyrinth’ of EU-related websites. More info

Download here the full catalogue – 2013 Training Programme

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Past Events at TEPSA Member Institutes

Spring 2013 events at Sciences Po, CEE, Paris

Symposium “Attitudinal change towards Jews and Muslims in France in a comparative perspective”, 18-20 April 2013, Sciences Po, CEE, Paris; Organization: Nonna Mayer, Sciences Po, CEE, CNRS, Vincent Tiberj and Tommaso Vitale, Sciences Po, CEE

This international conference was about the evolution and reconfiguration of prejudice towards minorities, more particularly Jews, Arabs and Muslims in contemporary France. It aimed at bringing together scholars from different disciplines, with different perspectives, and bridging a gap between studies on Muslims and Islamophobia on the one side, and those on Jews and anti-Semitism on the other. Click here to learn more.

Seminar Migrations et Multiculturalism « Un marché du contrôle de l’immigration ? Xénophobie business et migration industry », 24 April 2013, Sciences Po, CEE, Paris; Organization: Virginie Guiraudon, Sciences Po, CEE, CNRS and Patrick Simon, INED. Click here to learn more (in French).

Seminar Les sciences sociales en question : grandes controverses épistémologiques et méthodologiques; Organization : Nonna Mayer, Sciences Po, CEE and Samy Cohen, Sciences Po, CERI.

This seminar focused on methodological questions, a fundamental issue in social sciences. They define and base the validity of our research and findings, yet we rarely get to discuss them. The objective of this joint seminar CEE and CERI was to provide a place to meet and exchange ideas between the researchers; PhD students are also strongly invited. The aim was to compare our research fields, our methods, our research questions and how to address them, in the light of major epistemological and methodological controversies of today. CEE and the CERI are meeting the challenge to create a collective dynamic at Sciences Po and to strengthen the already existing connections between the two centres. Click here to learn more.

 « Enquêter auprès des enfants de la rue : le cas des ‘’Shégués’’ », 23 April 2013, Sciences Po, CEE, Paris. Click here to learn more.

See more Seminars of the Centre d’études européennes.

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Seminar “Reinventing the Eurozone: a View from Spain”, 23 April 2013, Elcano Royal Institute and Chatham House, Madrid

On April 23rd 2013 Elcano Royal Institute hosted a major conference in its venue in Madrid. The Conference, organizaded jointly with Chatham House, provided in its first panel the Spanish view of the crisis with the participation of Rafael Domenech, Chief Economist for Spain and Europe, BBVA Research and  Antonio Cortina, Deputy Director for Research, Santander Bank. The second panel focused on the Banking Union, including such speakers as Nadia Calviño, Deputy Director-General for Financial Services, Directorate-General for Internal Market and Services, European Commission and Íñigo Fernández de Mesa, General Secretary of the Treasury and Financial Policy, Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain. The final panel adressed the EU Political Union. Panel speakears included José Ignacio Torreblanca, Head of Madrid Office and Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations, Ignacio Molina, Senior Analyst, Elcano Royal Institute and Iain Begg, Associate Fellow, Europe Programme, Chatham House.

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Round table discussion “50 Years Elysée Treaty”, 17 April 2013, Vilnius University

To mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Elysée Treaty (on 22 January 1963), a round table discussion was held on April 17 from 10 a.m. at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science, highlighting the strength and history of the Franco-German relationship.

This year France and Germany are celebrating the anniversary of a friendship treaty signed by Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer on January 22nd, 1963. The agreement sealed Franco-German reconciliation and formed the bedrock for the Franco-German partnership. The two countries were already founding members of the European Economic Community (EEC), created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, along with four other European countries. Today, the Franco-German powerhouse is central to the European Union.

The German side was represented by Dr. Stefan Seidendorf, Head of the European Department of German-French Institute (dfi) in Ludwigsburg. Mrs Marion Gaillard, professor in Sciences-Po Paris, a specialist of the German History, the French-German relationships and the European issues presented the French point of view. German-French tandem from the point of view of other EU member states was covered by Prof. Ramūnas Vilpišauskas (IIRPS VU). The round table discussion was moderated by the Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Petras Auštrevičius. Dr. Stefab Seidendorf also delivered a lecture “50 years after the Elysée-Treaty: The ongoing importance of France and Germany for the future of Europe”.

For the programme of the discussion please see here.

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The Neighbours of the EU’s Neighbours: Legal, Political, Security and Socio-Economic Challenges beyond the ENP, College of Europe, Bruges

On 21-22 March 2013, the Department of EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies at the College of Europe in Bruges organised an international conference to discuss specific policy challenges in the European Union’s broader neighbourhood (Sahel, Horn of Africa, Middle East, Central Asia).

The conference focused on technical and sectoral issues such as political and legal challenges; security and military challenges; socio-economic challenges as well as concrete measures to connect the neighbours of the EU’s neighbours. It followed up on a conference held in November 2012 which examined the geopolitical and diplomatic dimensions beyond the ENP. This first conference had concluded that the EU might want to consider drafting a Strategy on the Neighbours of the EU’s Neighbours which would focus on building bridges across the different (sub-)regions by drawing on and further developing the interfaces between them.

 For further information, please visit the conference website:www.coleurope.eu/neighbours

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Series of conferences on “The future of the European economy”, December 2012-March 2013, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)

Starting in 2012, IAI has launched a new series of conferences aimed to contribute to the debates on the impact of the economic crisis and the new instruments of European economic governance with particular regard to their effects on the European integration process. This is a multi-year project.

So far the following conferences have been held:

- 3 December 2012, Rome, La crisi dell’Euro e il futuro dell’economia europea with Pier Carlo Padoan, Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Economist of the OECD. The conference report available here.

- 6 February 2013, Rome, The Greek crisis and the Eurozone: a cure worse than the disease? with Loukas Tsoukalis, Professor of European Integration at the University of Athens and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe.  President of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy. The conference report available here.

- 5 March 2013, Rome, Verso l’Unione bancaria europea: sfide prospettive with Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Senior Visiting Fellow, IAI,  and former member of the Executive Committee of the European Central Bank. The conference report available here.

- 28 March 2013, Turin, Fiscal discipline and growth in Europe with André Sapir, Professor at Université Libre de Bruxelles and  Senior Fellow at Bruegel. See the Programme and the Powerpoint presentation of A. Sapir.

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Conference on „Europe and the USA – Strategic Partners for the Future?”, 06-08 March 2013, Institut für Europäische Politik

In light of the shifting power relations after the end of the East-West-Divide of the Cold War transatlantic relations seemed to risk vanishing into increasing irrelevance. The expert workshop on “Europe and the USA – Strategic Partners for the Future?” that was organized by IEP in cooperation with the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung and the Asko Europa-Stiftung in Wildbad Kreuth 6-8 March 2013 tackled this issue by analyzing the strategic interests and security policy aims of these two partners. The future of this strategic partnership was discussed from various viewpoints by a group of very well known experts. Main topics of the discussion were energy security, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Mediterranean. See more information at www.iep-berlin.de.

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National Implications of the Sovereign Debt Crisis, conference on 28 February 2013 at the College of Europe in Bruges

The sovereign debt crisis has resulted in the overhaul of European economic governance: a recent report by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy called for “a genuine economic and monetary union”, indicating the incomplete nature of the governance structure that had initially been in place at the time of the launch of EMU. Though the European dimension has attracted much attention, what of the national dimension? For debtor and creditor countries, the sovereign debt crisis has sparked national debates: on the austerity policies (in debtor countries) and the democratic legitimacy of fiscal transfers across borders (in creditor countries) and notions of solidarity (both).

This workshop examined these national debates in order to better understand the limit and possibilities facing the EU as it struggles to complete EMU. A keynote address was delivered by Pablo Zalba Bidegain, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. One panel covered the debtor countries and the politics of austerity and reform, with speakers including George Pagoulatos (Athens University of Economics and Business, College of Europe), David Howarth (University of Luxembourg), Sebastian Royo (University of Suffolk, USA), and Lucia Quaglia (University of York). Another panel will deal with creditor countries, non euro area countries, and the politics of redistribution, featuring Joachim Schild (Trier University), Peter Wierts (Dutch Central Bank), Gabriel Glockler (ECB), and Jim Buller (University of York).

 Please click here for more details.

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EGS Seminar “The European Union: What Kind of Global Actor?”, 25-26 February 2013, Elcano, Madrid

Around 50 participants came together at the EGS seminar organised by the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid to discuss the European Global Strategy from the perspective of global trends, transatlantic relations, security, energy, and climate change. Javier Solana Former HR/SC of the CFSP was the keynote speaker. More information available here.

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Publications

DIIS Compendium on the Danish EU Presidency: “Crisis and Renewal – Perspectives during the Danish Presidency 2012”, April 2013

The Danish Institute for International Studies has recently published a book, compiling a wide range of analyses and debate contributions from DIIS researchers which was produced when Denmark held the EU Presidency in the first half of 2012. The book provides a unique testimony to the Danish Presidency and on some of the most crucial policy areas on the EU agenda, such as austerity measures in the Eurozone periphery, reforms of the CAP, EU budget negotiations, environment and green growth etc.

The compendium is in Danish, but several of the separate publications are also available in English, including:

• Albertsen, K. B. (2012), “Europeanising Labour Migration Policies and Pursuing National Objectives”, DIIS Policy Brief. Copenhagen: Danish Institute of International Affairs.
• Daugbjerg, C. (2012), “Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy in the Shadow of the WTO”, DIIS Policy Brief. Copenhagen: Danish Institute of International Affairs.
• Hageman, S. (2012), “Money and Power: EU budget negotiations in a time of austerity”, DIIS Policy Brief. Copenhagen: Danish Institute of International Affairs.
• Maselli, I. (2012),”Flexicurity in Italy: How far is Rome from Copenhagen?”, DIIS Policy Brief, Copenhagen: Danish Institute of International Affairs.

Especially for TEPSA Members, the DIIS will be happy to provide translations of articles of particular interest.

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Newest Publications from the Institute of World Economics, Budapest

Miklós Somai, EU budget: less money, less Europe? The new MFF seen from the new member states’ perspective, In: Unia Europejska.pl, No 1(218), January/February 2013, Institute for Market, Consumption and Business Cycles Research, pp.13-21.

Gábor Túry, International Firm Responses to Crisis Impacts: The Case of the Automotive Industry, In: Michal Zajac and Roman Nowaczek (eds.), Airports and the Automotive Industry: Security Issues, Economic Efficiency and Environmental Impact, pp. 145-158.

Zsuzsa Ludvig (ed.), East European Studies No. 4. Eurasian Challenges – Partnerships with Russia and other issues of the post-Soviet area, Budapest, 2013, 164 p., Under edition, Institute of World Economics, Research Centre for Economic and Regional Studies of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, ISSN 2063-9465

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Special issue of “Perspectives”, Institute of International Relations in Prague

New, special issue of Perspectives, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2012, is dedicated to the fascinating theme of Europe, seen from the “outside”.

This special issue includes contributions on this topic from leading scholars from China, India, Brazil, Russia, Japan and Turkey. These countries were chosen in order to provide a variety of perspectives and reflect inherent European interests.

More information and editorial from professors of the University of Oxford, Hartmut Mayer and Jan Zielonka, you can read on the website http://www.perspectives.cz!

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Spring 2013 podcasts and publications from Sciences Po, CEE, Paris

Podcasts

Podcast of the European Social Observary Conference -OSE- The Social Investment Package: Just Hype or the Next Big Thing?, 11 March 2013, with Lieve Fransen, Director Social Policies and Europe 2020, European Commission and Bruno Palier, Research Director CNRS at Sciences Po, CEE. Please find more information here.

Podcast of the « Conférence de dissensus sur la récidive ; Exercices critiques sur une production de vérite », 14 February 2013, « Les élites peuvent-elles être coupables, la preuve par la récidive, une démonstration de Edwin Sutherland » with Pierre Lascoumes, Research Director CNRS at Sciences Po, CEE. Please find more information here.

Publications

Chopin, Olivier, Hoeffler, Catherine, Irondelle, Bastien, Joana, Jean, Olsson, Christian, Rozenberg, Olivier, Etudes de l’IRSEM,Evolution du contrôle parlementaire des forces armées en Europe, Paris, IRSEM, 2012-22, March 2013. Please find more information here.

Rozenberg, Olivier, Wessels, Wolfgang, (dir.), Kreilinger, Valentin, Hefftler, Claudia et al. Democratic Control in the Member States of the European Council and the Euro zone summits, Brussels, European Parliament, January 2013. Please find more information here.

Boullier, Dominique et Crepel, Maxime avec la collaboration de Lohard, Audrey et Jardin, Antoin, Etude Pratiques de lecture et d’achat de livres numériques, Etude réalisée pour le MOTif, February 2013, Please find more information here.

Tiberj, Vincent, Values and the Votes from Mitterrand to Hollande, Parliamentary Affairs, vol 66, n° 1, p. 69-86, January 2013. Please find more information here.

Medias

All press review are available here.

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Spring 2013 Publications and Blog entries of Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid

William Chislett Cyprus’s crisis: Aphrodite to the rescue?, Expert Comment 27/2013, Elcano Royal Institute, 1 April  2013

The future of bankrupt Cyprus and perhaps of the EU’s vast energy needs lies in the offshore gas field named after the ancient Greek goddess Aphrodite who, according to legend, was born on the tiny island nation.

César de Prado, Towards stronger EU-Asia relation, EGS 3/2013 – 1/4/2013, Elcano Royal Institute.

The EU and its member states are designing differing strategies to engage with Asia and its various regional processes that could be made to complement each other if they were to be developed from a common outlook.

Alicia Sorroza, European Global Strategy Project: opinions and ideas on the EU’s future as a global actor, Elcano Blog, 4 April, 2013

Some weeks ago, the Elcano Royal Institute held a Seminar on the European Global Strategy Project. For the occasion, the Institute brought together several experts on European foreign affairs, including Javier Solana, the EU’s former High Representative for CFSP and author of the European Security Strategy, who actively supports this new initiative.

Carmen González, Roderick Parkes, Alicia Sorroza and Andreas Ette, The EU performance in the global competition for highly-skilled migrants, TGAE-Elcano 4/2013 – 26/3/2013

It is still impossible to evaluate the Blue Card’s effect but the changes that have taken place in the European migratory framework since its approval in 2009 should now allow the re-drafting of the Directive to offer a more attractive channel to qualified immigrants.

Daniela Schwarzer, Federico Steinberg and Diego Valiante, Towards a common external representation for the eurozone?, TGAE-Elcano 3/2013 – 26/3/2013

Since the introduction of the euro in 1999, the external representation of the eurozone has been incrementally developed, but no formal amendments have been made. This Policy Paper discusses the case for a consolidated representation of the eurozone in international economic fora, analyses the obstacles to achieving it, and puts forward proposals to solve some of the existing obstacles.

Haizam Amirah-Fernández and Timo Behr, The missing spring in the EU’s Mediterranean policies, TGAE-Elcano 1/2013 – 22/3/2013

The fall of the wall of fear in Arab societies represents a major challenge, of unknown proportions for Europe, but also an unprecedented opportunity for building a new regional stability based on good governance, inclusive development and mutually beneficial exchanges.

Gonzalo Escribano, Promoting low-carbon energies in Mediterranean partner countries, TGAE-Elcano 2/2013 – 25/3/2013

Renewable energies remain marginal in the European neighbourhood, and their contribution to economic and human development is still largely unexplored.

William Chislett , Turkey: outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) chief calls for ceasefire in ‘historic’ move, Elcano Expert Comment, 25/2013 – 22/3/2013, Elcano Royal Institute

Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned since 1999, called for a truce to a conflict of almost 30 years in which more than 35,000 people have died in a struggle for the establishment of an ethnic Kurdish homeland in the south-east of Turkey.

Luis Simón, No might, no right: Europeans must re-discover military power, EGS 2/2013 – 19/3/2013, Elcano Royal Institute

Unless Europeans acknowledge the importance of military force and the ability to project power on a global scale, any discussions on strategy or foreign policy will be largely futile.

Mario Kölling and Cristina Serrano Leal, The Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-20 from a Spanish Perspective: Net Beneficiary or Successful Balancing Act?, ARI 7/2013 – 1/3/2013, Elcano Royal Institute.

The MFF 2014-20 has finally been agreed upon. Nevertheless, it is ‘perhaps nobody’s perfect budget but there’s a lot in it for everybody’.

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Blog entries of LIIA’s experts

Deputy Director of the LIIA Kārlis Bukovskis in his blog entry endeavors to answer questions pertaining to David Cameron’s speech on the British future in the EU: Is David Cameron “the next Charles de Gaulle”? Will he push the EU to the edge of a new “Empty Chair Crisis”?

LIIA Associate Fellow Ilvija Bruģe in her blog entry “About the flags” analyzes ongoing tensions between the Irish (catholic and republican) and the British (protestant and loyalist) in Northern Ireland.

LIIA Fellow Raimonds Rublovskis has made a number of contributions pertaining to the defense industry, institutional challenges and wider security issues with his four blog entries: NATO Challenges in Post-Chicago Security Environment,  Institutional Challenges of Latvian National Armed Forces, Future Challenges for European Members of NATO and Impact on the Transatlantic Link in the post-Chicago Security Environment, Challenges for Russia in Current Global Security Environment. Implications for the Baltic States.

LIIA Associate Fellow Tjaco Van den Hout in his blog entry – An Example Worthy of Consideration – provides an assessment of the territorial and maritime dispute between Croatia and Slovenia. In his second analysis, Tjaco Van den Hout argues that without freedom of expression the other basic human rights are more easily violated and impunity reigns.

LIIA Fellow Diāna Potjomkina over the last month has continued to provide analysis on various EU topics. In her first blog entry Diāna evaluates negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). In her second blog entry she outlines the provisional outcomes of the EU multiannual budget negotiations for Latvia – a publication originally prepared for the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Bulletin on European and CIS Studies. EU Budget 2014 – 2020: Views from across Europe after 7-8 February 2013.

LIIA Associate Fellow Imants Liegis, who has taken up his duties as Latvia’s Ambassador to Hungary in September 2012 shared his reflections on the Visegrad Cooperation.

The LIIA’s Associate Fellow Māris Andžāns has evaluated the first cybersecurity strategy of the EU – “Cybersecurity Strategy of the European Union: An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace” – and its implications for Latvia. Please find the blog entry here.

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Nuno Severiano Teixeira and António Costa Pinto (eds), The Europeanization of Portuguese Democracy, IPRI-UNL

Nuno Severiano Teixeira and António Costa Pinto (eds), The Europeanization of Portuguese Democracy, New York, Columbia University Press, 2012

Abstract: Driven primarily by political concerns to secure democracy, Portugal´s accession to the EU in 1986 also served as a catalyst for dynamic economic development following a complex process of democratization and the decolonization of Europe´s last empire. This book analyses how the European Union has helped shape the political process in Portugal on key institutions, elites, and its citizen´s attitudes. Please find the book here.

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Issue 1/2013 of “Integration” published, Institut für Europäische Politik

The issue 1/2013 of the quarterly integration, published by IEP in March 2013, draws attention to the realigned French European policy under François Hollande. Another article focuses on the ongoing crisis management in the EU, looking at forms of differentiated integration in particular. The current legislative procedure concerning European cohesion policy (2014-2020) represents a further key objective in the issue. Moreover, the fiscal federalism in Germany and the USA is compared to the EU. A review deals with the analysis of the ENP. The AEI reports on two conferences about EU Arctic policy and on a Europe being solidly united. See the publication here.

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Spring 2013 Publications from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs

External publications

Institute Researchers Timo Behr, Jyrki Kallio, Mika Aaltola, Charly Salonius-Pasternak and Coordinator Maija Salonen recently co-authored a European Parliament report ‘The maritime dimension of CSDP: Geostrategic maritime challenges and their implications for the European Union’.

FIIA Researcher Kristi Raik and the European Policy Centre’s Rosa Balfour have co-edited a publication ‘The European External Action Service and National Diplomacies’ which was published in the EPC Issue Paper series.

The Finnish Journal of Foreign Affairs

The latest issue of the Finnish Journal of Foreign Affairs (Ulkopolitiikka-lehti) came out in early March. This issue focuses on the search for new ideas regarding global democracy as well as ways to enhance the democratic legitimacy of the European Union in crisis. In addition, the issue takes a look at how the Kurds are about to re-draw some of the boundaries in the Middle East, and tries to help the Nordic countries reclaim their lost glory.

Recent publications

All FIIA publications can be downloaded from the Institute’s website.

FIIA Briefing Papers

Antto Vihma: The shale gas boom: The global implications of the rise of unconventional fossil energy

Abstract: The shale gas boom, the recent and rapid commercialization of large-scale shale gas production, has made the US self-sufficient in natural gas and has considerable export potential. Gas is set to become the biggest fuel in the US energy mix and has helped the US to curb its greenhouse gas emissions. Cheap gas is also reinforcing the trend of rising industry investment in the US. The impacts of the US shale gas boom are already being felt in Europe and Asia, for example via cheaper coal. The ‘coal renaissance’ in Europe can still be avoided either by a carbon price or other forms of regulation. Restoring the ability of the European Emissions Trading System to guide investments is the best solution, and can be done simply by setting an adequate emissions cap for the post-2020 period. Globally, the rise of unconventional fossil energy sources means that the energy markets of the coming decades will move towards a more competitive and fragmented order, in which many energy importing countries also utilize significant domestic resources, and are able to balance their imports with regional exporters and the major global players. These developments point to a weakening Russian grip on the European gas market, and problems for Russian export revenues in general. Other states lag far behind the US in shale gas technology, but will try to replicate the US experiment, while Russia will strive to prevent this from happening in its neighbourhood.

Harri Mikkola, Juha Anteroinen & Ville Lauttamäki: The changing European defence market: Will the new European defence market legislation be a game-changer for Finland?

Abstract: The European defence industrial base is transforming. The changes in the European defence market legislation, the decrease in defence materiel demand and changing defence requirements are redefining the industry in a way that has not been seen in decades. The new European legislation in particular poses serious challenges for the Finnish defence industry, including the national market opening and the diminishing possibility for offset arrangements. It is likely that the major European states are trying to protect their own defence industrial base. The future of the Finnish defence industry will be determined by whether the European market opens up in the first place, in part or in its entirety. There is no going back to the time preceding the new legislation. It is crucial for the Finnish defence industry to find and utilize new market opportunities. Networking with the European system integrators and sub-contracting chains will be of paramount importance.

Juha Jokela: David Cameron’s European policy: Britain sidelined by Euroscepticism and the economic crisis

Abstract: Deeply rooted Euroscepticism within some quarters of the British Conservative Party was initially thought to be balanced by the formation of a coalition government with the pro-European Liberal Democrats.

These wishes soon proved to be premature and the British government led by the Conservatives has emerged as a very difficult partner in many fields of EU policy. Prime Minister David Cameron’s weakened support, the European economic crisis and EMU reforms have geared the British European policy towards an increasing awkwardness vis-à-vis its key European partners and prompted a debate on the re-negotiation of Britain’s relationship with the EU. Relatedly, Britain’s position in the EU has weakened significantly. Mr Cameron’s recent speech attempts to re-establish some degree of British authority in the EU, and in the event that he fails, to further distance Britain from the EU. It is uncertain whether the current trend will prevail after the next British general election, slated to be held in May 2015 at the latest.

Mikael Mattlin: Kiinan kasvava vaikutusvalta: Tuovatko taloussuhteet Kiinalle poliittista vipuvartta?

Katri Pynnöniemi: Russia’s defence reform: Assessing the real ‘Serdyukov heritage’

Abstract: The Russian Armed Forces are undergoing a long and expensive reform, which aims at preparing the country to new security threats. The reforms were initiated during the term of the former minister of defence, Anatoly Serdyukov. His dismissal in November 2012 initiated a debate on the future of the reforms. As of yet, the changes made by the new minister of defence Sergei Shoigu are corrections to the existing plan, and not an overall revision of its contours. The most pronounced difference is a shift in favour of domestic military industry.In its current condition, Russia’s defence industry is not able to absorb the major increase in military spending in an efficient manner. From the technological and managerial perspectives, most of the military-industrial enterprises function far below the international average.

FIIA Comments

Hanna Ojanen: Nato-jäsenyys ei ole ihmelääke: Liittoutumisen jälkeenkin Suomelta edellytettäisiin puolustusyhteistyön lisäämistä Pohjoismaiden ja EU:n kanssa

Jyrki Kallio: China in the Year of the Snake: The Chinese remember past humiliations and dream of national rejuvenation

All things bright and beautiful are being promised to the Chinese living under the new party leadership. But is what is good for China also good for the world? The Chinese rhetoric has a victim mentality flavour, and carries the risk that compensating for one’s past inferiority may lead to extreme actions today.

Kristi Raik & Teemu Rantanen: Managing the decline of European diplomacy: More burden-sharing in the EU is needed to counter the cuts in national foreign services

Due to the economic crisis and changes in the international system, European foreign services are facing budget cuts and need to re-focus their functions. They should utilize the potential for burden-sharing with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its network of 141 EU Delegations.

Arkady Moshes: Saving Putin’s system: Survival tactics become the strategy

Vladimir Putin’s third term as Russia’s president allows us to draw parallels with the USSR under the leadership of Yuri Andropov 30 years ago. Political rights are being suppressed, yet Putin has to tread carefully so as not to step on the toes of the elites. Any ideas of modernizing Russia seem to have been abandoned.

Charly Salonius-Pasternak: Swedish defence illusions are crumbling: The changes in Swedish defence policy necessitate a debate about NATO prior to the Finnish parliamentary elections in 2015

The tornado-like debate in Sweden about the country’s armed forces and defence policy has led to the disintegration of the very cornerstones of Swedish defence policy. Finland should prepare for the possibility of Sweden making rapid changes to its security policy.

Bart Gaens: Japan’s troublesome territory: The entangled history of the three island disputes complicates finding a solution to any of them

Japan has failed to achieve progress in resolving its territorial disputes. The historical legacy and the role of the US, local perceptions of Japan’s wartime past, and the interrelated and contingent nature of the disputes all serve to compound the problem.

Mikael Wigell: Global drug policy is ripe for reform: The emphasis should be on harm reduction instead of law enforcement

The global “war on drugs” has reached a turning point. The EU should seize the opportunity to promote an alternative approach to global drug control. Harm reduction policies need to be extended, while not expecting legalization to solve everything.

Marikki Stocchetti: The UN Blueprint for the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Enabling optimism or true transformation?

The UN responds to the global crisis with a radical proposal. Instead of a traditional donor-recipient approach, it focuses on policy coherence and calls for governments and the private sector to enable global reform. In the absence of strong political commitment, the question remains as to what extent it will succeed.

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Policy brief “Shifting the Climate Finance Paradigm: Nine Key Challenges for Developed Countries” by Joseph Curtin, IIEA, Dublin

Joseph Curtin, Shifting the Climate Finance Paradigm: Nine Key Challenges for Developed Countries, IIEA, 13 March 2013. See more information here.

In 2009, developed countries commited to part-funding the cost of adapting to the impacts of climate change and of low carbon development in developing countries. From 2010 to 2012, fast start finance began to flow from developed country exhequers. However, the climate finance paradigm is now shifting. A transition from loans and grants provided from scarce exchequer resources to innovative instruments for leveraging private capital and mitigating investment risk is required in the coming period. But what are the implications for developed countries? This policy brief explores the policy context defining the current climate finance debate; examines the extent to which commitments have been met; and identifies nine key challenges for developed countries as they enter the new climate finance paradigm, drawing on the lessons of the fast start finance period.

This is the second in a series of Environment Nexus policy briefs by leading experts in the fields of agriculture, energy, climate change and water. They form part of the Environment Nexusproject, which is co-financed by the European Parliament.

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Working paper “EU Policy toward Asia and the Pacific” by Takako Ueta

Takako Ueta, EU Policy toward Asia and the Pacific, RSCAS 2013/15, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute, Florence 2013.

Abstract: This paper explains the changing feature of EU policy toward Asia and the Pacific from the viewpoint of Japan. In the era of global power shift, and because of the impressive economic growth in Asia, the EU’s interest in this region is growing. This paper describes competitive trade liberalisation projects as well as “defunct” regional security frameworks and dialogues in view of the rise of China, and EU relations with ASEAN, Japan and China. In response to this evolution, this paper analyses an EU policy document, its new Guidelines of Foreign and Security Policy in East Asia and a ground-breaking joint statement of the EU and US on cooperation in this region. Finally, this paper suggests several policy proposals on the EU’s constructive role in Asia and the Pacific.

Click to read the Working paper on EU-Japan-Asia Pacific by Takako Ueta.

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Public Consultations held by the European Commission

The Green paper on the long-term financing of the European economy, deadline: 25.06.2013

The purpose of this Green Paper is to initiate a broad debate about how to address the complex and pressing challenges related to the long-term financing of the European economy. Responses to consultation questions will contribute to further assessment by the Commission of the barriers to long-term financing, with a view to identifying possible policy actions to overcome them. Possible follow-up could take several forms: for example, in some areas a regulatory approach may be needed, while in other areas the role of the EU level could be in encouraging stronger coordination and the promotion of best practices, or in the form of specific follow-up with individual Member States in the context of the European semester. Click here for more information.

Improving procedures for obtaining short-stay ‘Schengen’ visas, deadline: 17.06.2013.

Among the aims of this review are to ensure that EU visa policy fosters economic growth and cultural exchange by facilitating the process for legitimate travellers to the EU, such as business people, tourists, students and young people, while ensuring a high level of security for the EU Satellite navigation. Click here for more information.

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