Global Europe

Georgia’s growing soft power

Great wines, bohemian restaurants, breath-taking landscapes, fascinating architecture and vibrant cities are Georgia’s soft power, writes Fraser Cameron.

Coal pollution in the Western Balkans is a European problem

16 coal plants in the Western Balkans pollute as much as the entire EU fleet of 250 units, causing sickness and deaths across the continent. It’s high time to take action, write Viola von Cramon and Petros Kokkalis.

Turkey-Libya Mediterranean deal is about energy and extending Ankara’s influence

Ankara’s moves in the Mediterranean Sea reflect President Erdoğan’s ambitions to make Turkey a leading country. But its unilateralism is unnecessarily aggravating tensions in the region and, as usual, leaves it to Brussels and Washington to sort it out, writes Henri J Barkey.

What if the world’s center of gravity had moved to Africa?

As Ursula von der Leyen prepares to make Ethiopia her first overseas visit, MEPs Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Norbert Neuser and Carlos Zorrinho explain why the new Commission president must reach out to Europe's African allies.

Lisbon Treaty has potential to foster whole-of-Europe approach to external conflicts

Just when the European Union needs to act as one to prevent major powers from fomenting division, EU institutions and member states seem to lack the political will to set aside their disagreements and focus on the common interest, write Steven Blockmans, Loes Debuysere and Stefani Weiss.

Von der Leyen in Addis Ababa: Seven ingredients for a successful first date

As the new European Commission President prepares to make her first trip to Ethiopia, Chloe Teevan and Amanda Bisong suggest how Ursula von der Leyen can flesh out her commitment to seeking a new partnership with Africa.

Azerbaijan: Snap elections are coming – and a new generation of politicians

The expected snap parliamentary elections will likely launch a new democratic era in Azerbaijan, giving the voters a further possibility to advance the reform process, writes Dr. Ceyhun Osmanli.

What should the EU do about South Caucasus? Here are some proposals

It appears the South Caucasus is not a foreign policy priority of the new European Commission. But it should be, write Dennis Sammut and Amanda Paul.

Space traffic management – the next challenge for Europe’s leadership in space:

The EU needs to show leadership on space traffic management to ensure that it protects its increasingly important space infrastructure, writes Marian Jean Marinescu.

Georgian Presidency will contribute to making the Council of Europe stronger

Georgia takes over the Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers on Wednesday (27 November). On this occasion, the country's Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani submitted an exclusive op-ed.

Why EU must guarantee funding for local, regional governments in post-2020 development policy

Member states must strongly support the proposal of the European Parliament to add a budget line for local authorities to tackle global challenges, including through their decentralised cooperation, writes Marlène Siméon.  

Harnessing the potential of French proposals for the benefit of Western Balkans

In recent days, the discourse on the Western Balkans’ EU accession has been dominated by discussion of the (in)famous French non-paper, finally explaining the thinking behind the changes in the enlargement methodology announced earlier by President Macron. Milena Lazarevic explains how the French proposal might work.

China’s growing interest in Saudi Aramco is part of a long game

The Aramco public offering gives China an opportunity to gain a foothold at the center of the global oil industry. According to Joseph Dana, the move is part of a longer-term attempt by Beijing to challenge the dollar’s dominance as the world’s universal currency.

A child labour free Europe: How the new Commission can make it happen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s pledge to have ‘zero-tolerance’ for child labour in EU trade policy is a promising step. Delphine Moralis explains how these warm words can be turned into concrete actions to improve the lives of millions of children.

Need for a progressive EU-ACP partnership to address common global challenges

The international scenario is rapidly changing, but not necessarily in a positive way. That's why there is a need for a progressive partnership between the European Union and the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific countries, writes MEP Carlos Zorrinho.

Arab uprisings: spring time continues

Since the rapture of the 2011 Arab uprisings, starting in Tunisia and sweeping through North Africa and the Middle East – most notably engulfing Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Yemen – a bitter aftertaste of repression and civil war lingers, writes Sharon Lecocq.

A new momentum for progress in the Western Balkans

The EU decided last month not to open membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia just yet and a  broader discussion on the future of the EU is ongoing. But there is positive economic momentum in the Western Balkans, with more foreign investment coming in, and it needs to be maintained, write Borge Brende and Martina Larkin.

If Ukraine wants more Europe, corruption must end

When the recent phone call between US President Trump and Ukraine’s President Zelensky went viral, it made headlines for several reasons, none of them good, writes Alexandr Vondra and explains what Ukraine should do to tackle crime and corruption.

20 Visions for Europe: ‘A vision for Europe in 20 years? Progress is not linear’

If we want to look forward to what might happen in the next 20 years, we might first look back, writes Conny Reuter, secretary-general of SOLIDAR.