In some of the countries of the Western Balkans, criminal groups and political elites have grown increasingly interdependent. In particular, Serbia’s and Montenegro’s societies have suffered the most from these links. The two countries have long been considered frontrunners in the EU integration process, whose final completion, however, is difficult to foresee. Similarly, Albania’s EU negotiating process has also been delayed for years, in part because of the country's role in global drug trafficking schemes.
At the heart of the European project, the Franco-German tandem provides impetus for further integration within the EU. However, Brussels is yet to decide which direction it wants to take, and the French and Germans still have to agree on their position with regards to economics, foreign affairs, or enlargement. The geopolitical context provides a call for action for an EU which endeavours to become increasingly “geopolitical” and aims at “speaking the language of power”. How can the French and Germans cooperate, and which hurdles are they going to face?
The Germans did not pay much attention to this year’s election campaign until early September. The consequences of the pandemic, July’s devastating floods, and the dramatic collapse of Afghanistan dominated discussions in the media and among the public. But the 26th of September is now just around the corner and the race for the Chancellery has been in full motion in the last weeks.
For 16 years, Angela Merkel has shaped the dynamics of the EU, more so than any other European head of state. This was not only due to Germany’s economic and political leverage, but very much due to her as a person, too. Stoic, pragmatic and with a lot of patience, she was often able to mediate between different claims and interests and to position herself as a central figure when it came to negotiating workable compromises.
Thanks to the successful adoption of the UN Open Ended Working Group (OEWG)’s final report in March and the conclusion of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE)’s final report at the end of May, scholars, experts, and diplomats are rightfully rejoicing. Multilateralism is alive and kicking, especially around sensitive issues such as cyber ones.
Nonostante i Talebani stiano bloccando le partenze della popolazione, è molto probabile che l’Afghanistan andrà incontro a nuovi esodi di massa. I paesi europei, come sempre, sono divisi sull’accoglienza dei profughi.
Il G7 straordinario di oggi ha discusso dell’evacuazione dall’Afghanistan, ma si è parlato anche del futuro dei rapporti col paese e del possibile riconoscimento del regime talebano.
On April 16 the Council of the European Union issued its ‘Conclusions on an EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.’ The EU policy paper announced a “meaningful European naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.” However, the meaning of that exact phrase on top of who, what, and when would be deployed to the region have yet to be further explained.
La DG ECHO è la Direzione Generale dell’Unione Europea che si occupa di finanziare i programmi di assistenza umanitaria collaborando con ONG, agenzie ONU e altre organizzazioni internazionali e seguendo specifiche procedure di azione previste nei Framework Agreements.
Over the past few years, the Eastern Mediterranean has become a major hotspot for both natural gas and geopolitical competition. Natural gas discoveries in the last decade have attracted growing interest from regional countries and beyond. However, recent escalations in tensions and outright confrontations suggest that competition goes beyond the scramble for energy.
EU Member States politically endorsed the NDICI-Global Europe at the European Council in December 2020, which was then adopted by the European Parliament on the 9th of June 2021. The EU is now equipped with an instrument to deal with development, neighbourhood, and international cooperation for the next seven years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hungary and Poland have progressively slipped further towards authoritarianism.