In this briefing note, Katinka Barsych examines the shifting relationship between Germany and the EU in the wake of the euro crisis and the ensuing financial aid package.

Mira Kamdar, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute and an award-winning author, analyzes the rocky relationship between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Timothy Garton Ash examines global politics twenty years since 1989 and questions whether today's Europe, ""mired in the narcissism of minor difference," can recapture the strategic boldness and historical imagination of 1989.

Bruce Anderson says David Cameron's Tories will have to eventually "renegotiate" Britain's relations with the European Union.

With Ireland passing the Lisbon treaty, Gideon Rachman contends that the European Union is staking a claim to be taken seriously as a global superpower, particularly with the Group of 20 where Europeans hold eight seats at the conference.

As the U.S. Congress takes on President Obama's call for a cap-and-trade system, Kevin M. Dempsey, a partner at Dewey & LeBoeuf, argues that it should look toward Europe's experience. In the second part of his Globalist Paper, he explains the benefits of carbon auctions--and the complications they may create under WTO law.

The French president did more than anyone expected regarding Russia—but there's much more to be done.

The President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, has pushed for his country to rejoin NATO's integrated military command in the hopes that it would help establish a capable European Security and Defense Policy. Ronja Kempin writes that this would only be possible if the French were to use their EU Presidency to link NATO and the EU by creating an operational civil-military EU planning and conduct capability closely linked to NATO's capacities.

A German institute for international and security affairs calls on the EU to re-examine the underlying purposes of EUFOR Chad/CAR and consider abandoning the entire operation.

Steffen Angenendt of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs examines the debate on temporary labor migration in the EU.

This paper from the German Marshall Fund of the United States looks at Germany’s evolving relationship with the European Union. Growing in stature and, at the same time, sacrificing some of its own interests for the European Union, Germany has guaranteed its fundamental interest: a peaceful co-existence with its neighbours. In the meantime, Germany was also the only state to possess a foreign policy outlook that was both pro-European and transatlantic. However, under the administration of Chancellor Schröder, the tone and substance of Germany's European Policy evolved in two ways. First, within Europe, the "national" or the "German" component was accentuated. Second, during the war in Iraq, Germany made a break with its traditional foreign policy when it stood by France in opposing the United States. The paper explores how this new German orientation will develop during the German presidency of the EU during the first six months of 2007.

This link is to a paper outlining the strategic framework for European assistance to Lebanon, as established before the outbreak of the recent conflict between Israel and Lebanon. The European Union has been a major donor to Lebanon in support of its attempts to build a democracy in the Middle East. 

Europa answers frequently asked questions about the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) clarifying general questions, geographical coverage, ENP action plans, implementation, and funding.

Charles A. Kupchan argues that David Cameron's changes to Britain's relationship with the European Union run the risk of a British exit from the union and a weakening of Britain's role as a bridge between the United States and Europe.

Joshua Kurlantzick says Europe is turning to emerging economies to help solve its debt crisis, but it's too bad they can't deliver.

Stewart M. Patrick argues that the current crisis in the European Union presents an opportunity to overhaul the EU's institutions.

Charles A. Kupchan says the European Union may be coming to an end.

Richard N. Haass says, "Even before it began, Europe's moment as a major world power in the twenty-first century looks to be over."

Walter Russell Mead comments that the recent Ukrainian election was a "setback" to the spread of democracy in the world.

We should not underestimate the importance of the European Union's committment to give about $10 Billion over three years in climate assistance to developing nations, writes Michael Levi.