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Divided Europe: 20 Years After Lessons for Tomorrow

IED Event
Paris, France, 18 December 2009

20.12.2009


The "2009 Transatlantic Trends" key findings revealed that within the European Union, differences between countries remain important

The Common Market is one of the key successes among the Member States of the European Union. But the international economic crisis shook the free-market economy and exposed how fragile rules could be between States, in response to the downturn. The international recession has stressed, more than ever, how difficult global economic governance is, not to say, impossible. Is protectionism on the rise in Europe? Are fiscal discipline and financial regulations still a necessity? How to boost the Eastern European economies?

The change that occurred in the US administration has been seen and perceived differently in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic than in France, Germany and Italy. Are the strong relationships between the US and Eastern Europe still considered as essential for their security? How will the renewed Nato alliance and the ESDP interact to provide security on the european continent? What kind of transatlantic cooperation on security, arms control, and anti-missiles defences system will be adopted?

Eastern and Western European approaches to environment, sustainable development and energy savings may continue to divide the European Union. The discussions before the Copenhagen meeting have confirmed that the perceptions of the urgencies are not perceived in the same way by the citizens from the Eastern part of the EU and the Western countries. How strongly will energy issues impact EU evolution? How will Europe address those issues?


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