Organizations, Alliances & Treaties

The euro crisis has exposed a range of intra-European problems long hidden from the harsh light of day. Not the least of these is German exceptionalism. Over the last two generations one goal of the European project has been to narrow the differences between Germany and the rest of Europe. But recent economic difficulties have only amplified those dissimilarities.

Overview The European Union is the new sick man of Europe. The effort over the past half century to create a more united Europe is now the principal casualty of the euro crisis. The European project now stands in disrepute across much of Europe. Support for European economic integration – the 1957 raison d’etre for […]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's announcement that Japan will join negotiations to create a Trans-Pacific Partnership with the U.S. and other Pacific Basin nations won early support from the Japanese people, according to snap surveys following his statement. The decision was also welcomed in official circles in Washington, D.C., where the Obama administration has long supported Japan becoming party to the talks.

In late 2010, about six-in-ten Americans supported increased trade with the European Union. Obama this week called for talks on a free trade pact with the EU nations.

The year ahead promises both challenges and opportunities for transatlantic relations. The next 12 months could prove to be consequential for both security and economic ties between Europe and the United States.

Most in the world’s emerging economies rate their national economic situation as good, reflecting a much more positive outlook than in the United States or the European Union.

Just 2% of Greeks say they are satisfied with the direction of their country, the lowest level of satisfaction among the European Union countries surveyed.

In Europe, there is a crisis of confidence in the economy, in the future, in the benefits of European economic integration, in EU membership, in the euro and in the free market system. The crisis has also exposed sharp differences between some Europeans, especially the Germans and Greeks.

A report on population change in the European Union concluded that 20 nations had population gains in 2010, while seven had population decreases. Overall, the European Union population grew by 1.4 million, to 502.5 million as of January 2011.

New Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s move to ban Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO is not without a base of public support.