This timely book offers a multifaceted analysis of EU-Russian relations, drawing on the investigation of competing models of international society. Makarychev argues that the huge variety of interest-based and normative models is best explained through the study of foreign policy and identity discourses. His approach defies simplistic explanations of EU-Russian relations as either destined for cooperation or doomed to constant collisions. Instead, Makarychev unveils multiple alternatives that both the EU and Russia face in their policies toward each other. Assessing the repercussions ongoing EU-Russian discord has on Europe and the world, Makarychev's volume reveals the interconnectedness of the discourses dominating the EU and Russia while also accounting for the deep-seated disconnect between them.
"Why the impossible is also necessary. Looming behind the euro crisis is a larger and more fundamental challenge: the near-collapse of the EU's political system. The rise of anti-EU populism across Europe has prevented the continent's politicians from grasping the political challenges. Technocratic institutional fixes have only provoked more populism. European leaders are now unable to solve the euro crisis because they can only force inadequate solutions through loopholes in the Lisbon Treaty. In 'Four scenarios for the reinvention of Europe', ECFR's director Mark Leonard offers a new framework for understanding Europe's efficiency and legitimacy crises, and examines the political and legal obstacles to a solution in different member states, the new cultural divisions in Europe, and the rise of new populist forces (including a discussion of the new German and British questions). He sets out different scenarios for solving the euro crisis without exacerbating the chronic crisis of declining European power. Asymetric integration would continue finding incremental solutions without treaty changes. This is the easiest solution but risks failing to solve the crisis, exacerbating the resistance of Europe's citizens, and shifting from a rules-based EU to a power-based EU. A smaller Eurozone, dropping the Greeks and maybe others, would be more sustainable and less painful, but could unleash a tsunami of panic that could result in the unravelling of the euro, a deep recession and a loss of EU influence in the world. Political union through treaty change would be the most complete and durable, but carry the risk of spectacular failure, for instance through rejection by referendums or parliaments, leading to the disintegration of the EU itself. Federalism without the federalists, based around deeper integration in the Eurozone outside the scope of existing EU treaties and insitutions. But this would risk a gulf opening within Europe and the global marginalisation of the core EU17. The author argues that the EU has lost legitimacy because its leaders cannot act. But the reason they cannot act is in turn because the EU has so little legitimacy. He examines the three traditional channels for strengthening democratic participation and legitimacy-electing EU officials, referendums and national opt-outs-and concludes that each route could make Europe harder to govern"--Publisher's description.
This two-volume project provides a multi-sectoral perspective over the EU's external projections from traditional as well as critical theoretical and institutional perspectives, and is supported by numerous case studies covering the whole extent of the EU’s external relations. The aim is to strive to present new approaches as well as detailed background studies in analyzing the EU as a global actor. Volume 1: The first volume “Theoretical and Institutional Approaches to the EU’s External Relations” addresses the EU's overall external post-Lisbon Treaty presence both globally and regionally (e.g. in its "neighborhood"), with a special emphasis on the EU’s institutional framework. It also offers fresh and innovative theoretical approaches to understanding the EU’s international position. - With a preface by Alvaro de Vasoncelos (former Director European Union Institute for Security Studies) Volume 2: The second volume “Policies, Actions and Influence of the EU’s External Relations”, examines in both quantitative and qualitative contributions the EU's international efficacy from a political, economic and social perspective based on a plethora of its engagements.
This new Handbook brings together key experts on European security from the academic and policy worlds to examine the European Union (EU) as an international security actor. While the focus is on the politico-military dimension, security will be put in the context of the holistic approach advocated by the EU.
An EU Innovative External Action? discusses both the EU’s growing challenges from its near and far neighbourhood and the developments within the EU that seek to meet them. The European Security Strategy (2003) and its updating (2008) have pointed out some of the growing external problems. These documents have outlined the goals for the EU’s future activity in terms of general principles and policy rather than of specific actions, adopting a holistic approach covering a wide range of civilian responses as well as the military dimension of security. This book is an empirical investigation which reflects these different aspects and pressures, exploring the interaction between resources and capacities, policies and processes, and influences from within and outside the EU. Its main argument is the need for the EU to work towards meeting its external challenges by developing innovative action. The crucial challenges that this volume explores include the EU’s approach to the European External Action Service; the EU’s handling of Russia, China, and Iran; the legal aspects of the Common Security and Defence Policy’s (CSDP) military operations; legal issues regarding the EU’s combating of piracy and armed robbery in the CSDP Operation Atalanta; the influences and issues inherent in the EU’s coordination of the above military marine operation; the political control and strategic direction on decision-making by the Political Security Committee; the establishment of the EU’s rapid reaction force within the CSDP framework and its present (in)action; and the CSDP’s experimentation in the promotion of peace and security on the African continent. This volume examines EU behaviour in the above policy areas and issues, and how the Union is dealing with the risks it faces today. This book aims to promote an interdisciplinary debate. The contributions to this volume originated from a workshop concerned with the European Union Facing External Challenges held at Pembroke College, Cambridge, in October 2009, organised with the support of Geoffrey Edwards (POLIS, University of Cambridge). These reflect the views of experts from various nations and institutions, operating in diverse cultural realities and fields. The rationale for employing interdisciplinary resources is in line with the way in which the European Union and the European Commission are encouraging a dialogue about EU policies. The authors are academics, political analysts from think tanks, and officials from the European Commission and the European Council, all involved, at various levels, in European affairs. They are Laure Delcour, Gérard Dejoué, Andrea deGuttry, Elina Dzalbe, Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Ludovica Marchi Balossi-Restelli, Jing Men, Antonio Missiroli, Frederik Naert and Alex Vines. Jolyon Howorth (Yale University) contributed to the workshop as a discussant, and this is noticeable in the building up of the book’s argument. An EU Innovative External Action? will be of interest to students and scholars of European studies focused on EU’s external challenges, policy-makers involved in European affairs, and the wider public.
The European integration project currently faces profound political, economic, legal, and societal challenges. These challenges seem increasingly to overburden the European Union as well as the cohesion among the Member States, and therefore pose a serious threat to the integration project. The EU faces a major task in coping with this situation and it is one that calls for new approaches and ideas This book addresses the major challenges confronting the EU, analyses the consequences for the integration project, and develops fresh perspectives on the EU’s future prospects for coping with the most debated, current and upcoming issues, such as the rise of Euroscepticism or the contested idea of an ‘ever-closer union’. Renowned experts in European Studies from the fields of political science, law, economics and sociology provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the different dimensions of the EU’s crisis-laden situation and question whether the EU’s existing problem-solving mechanisms and methods are sufficient to address the imminent tasks. This text will be of key interest to scholars and students of EU Politics, European Politics, European Governance, and more broadly European law, history and the wider social sciences.
This incisive book provides key interdisciplinary perspectives on the current challenges faced by EU policymakers in framing and implementing a coherent European industrial policy, employing specific case studies from the digital, automotive, steel and defence industries as well as concrete examples of EU policies.
The book provides a succinct and much needed introduction to the Council of Europe from its foundation through the early conventions on human rights and culture to its expansion into the fields of social affairs, environment and education. Founded in 1949 within a month of NATO, the Council of Europe was the hub of political debate about integrating Europe after the Second World War. After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, it was thrust into the limelight again as the test bed where all newly liberated European states had to prove their democratic credentials. Now it is the political arena in which the closely integrating states of the European Union face the twenty European states still outside the EU. Its European Court of Human Rights hands down judgments which all member states must respect, and its monitoring activities report on conditions concerning democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the whole continent. The Council of Europe has negotiated international agreements against the death penalty, torture, corruption, cybercrime and terrorism. It works for political pluralism, media freedom and fair elections. The treatment for minorities, efficient local government and strengthening non-government organisations are part of its daily agenda. Today the states of Greater Europe come together to discuss their present and their future in the Council of Europe Providing a wealth of factual information and describing and analysing the key debates within the organization, this work will be of great interest to students and scholars of international organizations, European politics and international relations.
The unfolding crisis in Ukraine has brought the world to the brink of a new Cold War. As Russia and Ukraine tussle for Crimea and the eastern regions, relations between Putin and the West have reached an all-time low. How did we get here? Richard Sakwa here unpicks the context of conflicted Ukrainian identity and of Russo-Ukrainian relations and traces the path to the recent disturbances through the events which have forced Ukraine, a country internally divided between East and West, to choose between closer union with Europe or its historic ties with Russia. In providing the first full account of the ongoing crisis, Sakwa analyses the origins and significance of the Euromaidan Protests, examines the controversial Russian military intervention and annexation of Crimea, reveals the extent of the catastrophe of the MH17 disaster and looks at possible ways forward following the October 2014 parliamentary elections. In doing so, he explains the origins, developments and global significance of the internal and external battle for Ukraine.With all eyes focused on the region, Sakwa unravels the myths and misunderstandings of the situation, providing an essential and highly readable account of the struggle for Europe's contested borderlands.
