A spirited exchange among chief economists and leading financial analysts, the WEU highlights the quarter's most important signals and emerging trends. Discussions cover changes in the global marketplace with special emphasis on current economic events and their implications for U.S. policy.

The Energy Security Group meets regularly to discuss policy options for the United States, Japan, and the international community on a broad range of energy security issues including nuclear proliferation and energy, global warming, energy supply and demand, and the science and technology which has a direct impact on energy security. The Energy Security Group has been funded by the Japan Atomic and Industrial Forum (JAIF) since 1995. The Forum has established an Energy Security Group in Japan as well.

While many able and dedicated public servants work in the legislative branch, their hectic schedules often deprive them of the chance to engage in reflective, nonpartisan discussion about essential policy issues outside their professional duties. An informed Congress is essential to an effective American foreign policy, and an informed congressional staff is essential to an effective Congress. The Council’s congressional staff roundtables provide a forum for discussion of essential issues under the Council tradition of nonattribution.

This Council project engages key congressional staff in a neutral setting outside the political arena to discuss international issues of concern to them. To date the program has enlisted some one hundred staff members of both parties and both houses in three roundtable discussion groups, focused respectively on Asian politics and security, national security, and international trade and economics. These groups are chaired by R. James Woolsey (Asian politics and security), Stephen J. Hadley (national security), and Thomas E. Donilon and Robert B. Zoellick (international trade and economics).

For topics and speakers, the project draws upon the Council’s ongoing studies in the general topic areas, as well as on proposals of legislative staffers participating in the program. A Congressional Staff Advisory Committee of senior staff members helps to guide the program and ensure the quality of its participants and programs. Four Council members with long experience as leaders in the House and Senate—Howard H. Baker Jr., Thomas S. Foley, George J. Mitchell, and Vin Weber—serve as conveners for the project.

Global Kids and CFR hold frequent roundtables on international affairs.

This ongoing roundtable series examines the many meanings of the "rule of law" and the role of law and legal culture in the economic growth, institution building, and protection of human rights in Asian countries. Participants discuss the relevance of the rule of law to U.S. foreign policy and what measures the public and private sectors in this country might adopt to foster desired developments. Sessions of this series focus on the extent to which China adheres to a broad range of international agreements. The roundtable seeks an overview of the situation, building on what is known about PRC treaty behavior in political, military, diplomatic, commercial and cultural areas. The roundtable also invites government, NGO, and academic experts to analyze the record in each field. The goal is to formulate not only more reliable generalizations about PRC treaty conduct but also better recommendations useful to U.S. negotiators as well as to the Congress, the media and the public.

This monthly speaker series brings the world's foremost economic policymakers and scholars to address a high-level audience from the business and financial community on current topics in international economics, such as outsourcing, monetary policy, and competition policy.

This meeting series is sponsored by the Corporate Program and the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies.

Meeting Note: What's New in Women, Peace, and Security: From Theory to Practice

As Russia assumed the rotating chair of the Group of 20, fourteen experts from CFR's Council of Councils, an international network of policy institutions, convened in Moscow to look at the challenges the G20 will face.

Conference Papers: Prospects for the Russian Chairmanship of the G20 (PDF)

On December 12-13, 2012, CFR convened the second Council of Councils regional conference: "Russia, Europe, and the Future of Global Governance." Participants discussed four major themes:

• Russia's G20 chairmanship
• The eurozone crisis and global economy
• Syria and the function of the UN Security Council
• Cybersecurity and institutional reforms

Council of Councils Russia Regional Conference Agenda (PDF)

Conference Papers: Prospects for the Russian Chairmanship of the G20

Rapporteur's Report for the Council of Councils Moscow Regional Conference (PDF)

• Meeting Note: Regional Cooperation in a New Middle East (PDF)

On October 30-31, 2012, CFR convened the first Council of Councils regional conference: "Asia at the Crossroada: Regional Priorities for the Twenty First Century." Participants discussed five major themes:

• Stabilizing the global financial system
• Advancing trade liberalization
• Strengthening maritime security and freedom of navigation
• Assessing the proliferation threat in Asia
• The future of Asian security cooperation

Council of Councils Asia Regional Conference Agenda (PDF)

Conference Papers: Asia at the Crossroads (PDF)

Rapporteur's Report for the Council of Councils Asia Regional Conference (PDF)

• Meeting Note: Sustaining the Peace in Latin America: Regional and International Efforts