Our current issue draws attention to the realigned French European policy under François Hollande. Another article focuses on the current 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.[more]

Our current issue draws attention to the reality of differentiated integration in the area of freedom, security and justice. Further, it discusses the successful coordination of the Danish EU Presidency in turbulent times. Another article deals with the evolvement and development of the EEAS and the organisation of the European foreign and development aid. Other topics include the subnational administrations as guarantors of legitimacy in the EU. A review focuses on the Treaty of Lisbon and the ‘new‘ EU. The AEI reports on three conferences about European sport politics, about the role of social media and about renewable energy.[more]

The current issue of integration examines the potential impact of the European Fiscal Compact and sheds light on the European Commission’s new impulses for a European space strategy. Furthermore, it analyses the economic cooperation on Europe’s internal borders with an emphasis on the German-Polish border. In the forum Manuel Sarrazin and Sven-Christian Kindler discuss the prospects to tackle the current crisis and to further develop the EU by using the “Union method”. The AEI reports on a conference about internal and external European security.[more]

The seventh policy brief within the series "IEP Policy Briefs on Enlargement and Neighbourhood" deals with "Engaging external actors: The EU in the geopolitics of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict". Therein, Marie Curie researcher Marco Siddi analyses the circumstances of the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region that is claimed by both Armenia and Azerbaijan. His focus is on the role and interests of external actors, especially Russia and the EU.  Siddi criticises the contradictory position of the EU towards Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as its weak contributions so far in solving the conflict. In consequence, he...[more]

Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle opens the new issue of integration with a clear commitment to Europe. Turning away from the project of integration would be a folly, especially for Germany. Considering growing doubts about the European idea as such, Westerwelle points out the necessity to make the case for Europe anew. Therefore, he presents three propositions on Europe’s value: Europe as a player in world affairs, as a community of values and as an economic power. [more]

Alternatives to the project of European integration are increasingly discussed. Meanwhile citizens like experts and politicians forget about the advantages of the European project, because its success is taken for granted. integration takes that as a reason to publish a special issue on Europe’s value. Following Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle’s plea to make the case for Europe anew widely recognized experts discuss different dimensions of Europe’s value and question some simple cost-benefit-calculations. Another article deals with the development of European Studies, while the AEI reports from two conferences. [more]

“The moment of truth: how the EU can build the ground for lasting environmental policy change in Morocco” is the title of the sixth policy brief within the series „IEP Policy Briefs on Enlargement and Neighbourhood“. Therein, author Eva-Maria Maggi analyses the implementation of reforms in the areas of water policy and renewable energies in Morocco. Taking into consideration the different degrees of progress of these two policy areas, she recommends a better co-ordination between donors, more project-based support programmes and a stronger commitment to the decentralisation process in Morocco. Download: The moment of truth: how the EU can...[more]

IEP Policy Papers on Eastern Europe and Central Asia are published in the framework of the research project “The EU’s policy towards Eastern Europe and Central Asia – A key role for Germany”. This project, which aims at analysing the EU’s relations with its East European and Central Asian partners and the role of Germany therein, is lead by the deputy director of the IEP, Dr. Katrin Böttger and is financially supported by the Otto Wolff-Foundation.[more]

The topics of the current issue of integration include the relevance of national strategic cultures during the Libyan crisis, the behavior of German parties in the parliamentary debates on the Euro zone crisis, and the European Citizens’ Initiative that came into force on 1 April. Furthermore, integration documents the first Vigoni Lecture held by Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy. Two books on civil society participation in Europe are reviewed and two conferences on the EU policy towards the Mediterranean ad Europe’s role as an empire are presented. [more]

„No settlement without a proactive policy: The European Union and the secessionist conflicts in the post-Soviet space“ is the title of the fifth policy brief published within the series „IEP Policy Briefs on Enlargement and Neighbourhood“.  The authors Marco Siddi and Barbara Gaweda look at the problem of „frozen conflicts“ in the European neighbourhood and evaluate the engagement of the EU in solving the conflicts so far. In their recommendations, they advocate a coherent and proactive strategy of the EU in the future. Download:  No settlement without a proactive policy: The European Union and the secessionist conflicts in the...[more]

Which successes and barriers exist concerning the implementation of European standards in the Ukrainian market? Concerning the fields of technical regulation and shareholders’ rights, Dr. Julia Langbein, lecturer at the FU Berlin, offers recommendations for more effective measures to promote implementation of the provisions of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. Analysing minority protection in Turkey, Gözde Yilmaz, PhD candidate at the Berlin Graduate School for Transnational Studies, critically evaluates the EU’s engagement in supporting further progress in this field thus far and points to necessary measures for a more...[more]

“No membership without stability in Northern Kosovo: Seven recommendations on how to achieve it“ is the title of the second policy brief, written by Imke Pente, within the new publication series “The Transformative Power of Europe”, published in collaboration with the Kolleg-Forschergruppe “The Transformative Power of Europe”.[more]

Kick-off for a new publication series: In collaboration with the Kolleg-Forschergruppe “The Transformative Power of Europe”, the IEP will be publishing a number of policy briefs dealing with the role of the EU in the transformation processes in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus and the Mediterranean in the course of this year. [more]

The first article of the new issue analyses, whether the budget aids for Euro states enter into new legal territory, while the second article sums up the development of the crisis from its beginnings and the basic decisions made at EU level. Moreover, the issue deals with the EU reaction to the Libyan crisis and raises the question, whether the current Euro zone crisis strengthens rightwing populism. Authors report about the IEP’s annual conference, a conference on regulation and one on multi-level parliamentarism, and present the 1st conference of the Young German-Hungarian Forum. [more]

Our current issue draws attention to the European Policy in Great Britain, to the bail-out package for Greece and the perspectives for the European Central Bank. Other central themes stress the genesis and evolutionary logic of European human rights as well as democratisation policy in EU external relations. Moreover, diverse integration methods in EU practise are dealt with, and a review discusses several analyses of the recent European elections. At last, reports on three conferences sum up two main topics: Influence and perspectives of small EU states and strategies for Europe after the crisis. [more]

Two articles of the new issue of integration analyse the current and future efforts to reform the European economic and monetary union. Other topics relate to the Union for the Mediterranean and the regional integration on the EU common market for electricity. Furthermore, the “Trans European Policy Studies Association“ and the „Arbeitskreis Europäische Integration“ report from three conferences, which deal with the Franco-German couple, the results of the Lisbon Treaty and the Danube area as a strategic region. [more]

The aim of the report is to figure out the future developments in the EU natural gas market. Therefore, the author Manuel Mohr asks how the demand for natural gas in the EU will develop and the significance of domestic production. Moreover the report deals with the question of which regions and countries play an important role to supply the EU with natural gas. As the EU is the world`s second largest natural gas consumer market and imports more than 50 percent of the gas, theses questions are crucial for the EU’s energy security.The paper is available as PDF-download.[more]

An ever growing European Union (EU)? Treaty reforms, EU-budget negotiations and Euro-zone enlargements: European integration was put to a great test at the beginning of the 21st century. How were these developments and especially the way to the Lisbon Treaty experienced in different EU member states? How did the variety of actors in seven exemplified countries react to these changes and a growing heterogeneity within the EU? How did they thus formulate their ideas for the future of the Union, their Leitbilder? [more]

In the SPES Policy Paper “The EU´s policy towards Azerbaijan: what role for civil society?” Katrin Böttger and Mariella Falkenhain critically analyse to what extent the EU’s normative agenda is pursued and implemented in the case of Azerbaijan. This innovative paper, which is based on interviews with EU officials working in Azerbaijan and local civil society actors, enables a greater insight into the questions of whether the implementation of the ENP in Azerbaijan matches its formulation, and how the ENP goals and their implementation resonate in the Azerbaijani civil society. In regard to this, the policy paper gives recommendations for a...[more]

The current issue of integration reviews the newest chapter of European integration, which ended with the entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty. On this basis the authors draw conclusions for the future European policy and map out current debates. Topics of the issue are the debate on the institutional reform, the role of the High Representative, the European Social Model, and questions concerning a European identity. Furthermore books on CFSP are reviewed, and IEP and AEI report from four conferences.

The European Union (EU) has come under pressure from different sides: First, it is undergoing a period of institutional and political reforms which are, however, progressing only slowly. Secondly, its shape is being influenced decisively by the inclusion of new member states. The guiding question of the volume is: In how far may the development of the EU be described and explained in relation to the two competing terms “differentiation” and “fusion”?[more]

Two articles of the new issue of integration deal with the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. One article examines the new role of the President of the European Council, while the other discusses the increased competences of the German parliament in EU-policy. Other topics discussed are the current problems within the Eurozone and lessons that can be drawn from the Schuman Declaration for the EU’s future. Furthermore the IEP and the AEI report from four conferences dealing with different topics. [more]

The electronic collection “SPES Policy Papers“ is dedicated to issues of current and future relevance to European foreign and security policy. Written by fellows of the Study Programme on European Security (SPES) for fellows from Central and Eastern Europe – conducted by IEP and supported by the Volkswagen Foundation – as well as researchers from IEP, the papers focus on four thematic clusters: [more]

In the field of European external relations, the current issue of integration deals with the setting up of the European External Action Service and the new powers of the European Parliament in the field of common trade policy. Other topics discussed are the second Irish Referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon, the Non-Profit Sector in Europe, the EU Reflection Group “Horizon 2020-2030”, and the Greek crisis and its implications for the Eurozone. The review section is dedicated to books on German EU policy and the AEI reports from three conferences. [more]

Starting with the 9th issue of EU-27 Watch, the internet platform www.eu-27Watch.org provides the reader with new functions making it easier to access the reports. Laid out in four segments, the platform provides the reader with a comparative introduction, a list of responses sorted by country, a list of responses sorted by question, and a timeline listing all major events in EU politics since 2004. All texts are available in HTML and PDF format. All back issues of the EU-27 Watch and the Enlargement/Agenda 2000-Watch are available as well.[more]

Topics of the current issue of integration are the developments of the European institutions with the Treaty of Lisbon, the role of the EU during the Climate Conference in Copenhagen and the Swedish EU Presidency. Another article is dedicated to the 2 regulation for new passenger cars. The Forum reviews the development of the IEP since its foundation and the AEI reports about two conferences.

The forthcoming issue of the EU-27 Watch will be published in July 2010. The internet based publication reviews the discourses on European policies in 31 countries in a comparative perspective. The EU-27 Watch No. 9 will contain country reports from all 27 member states and the 4 candidate countries. The EU-27 Watch No. 9 receives significant funding from the Otto Wolff-Foundation, Cologne, in the framework of the “Dialog Europa der Otto Wolff-Stiftung”, and financial support from the European Commission. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.