Strategic US-EU partnership: recommendations for action
9-10 December 2009, Washington D.C.
The conference "Forging a U.S. - EU Strategic Partnership. Recommendations for Action" was opened with a gala dinner hosted by the Spanish Embassy in Washington, with a key note speech from Congressman Robert Wexler, Chairman of the subcommittee on Europe, US House of Representatives.
During the discussion "Forging a Strategic U.S.-EU Partnership Proposals for Reform" all the speakers stated that transatlantic cooperation was indispensable, as in the present day world nobody can tackle the problems on their own. Opening the panel Daniel Hamilton, Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations stated that unfortunately the UE-US cooperation was not strategic at the moment. First of all, what has to be done to change the situation is to create a network of societies. The second element of an effective cooperation are sound economic relations. The third element is partnership for energy sustainability. Steve Flanagan, Senior Vice President of the Center for Strategic and International Studies concentrated on the role of NATO and the urgent need to clarify what the purpose of it is. The European perspective on transatlantic relations was presented by Mirek Topolanek, former Prime Minister of the Czech Republik, and Ana Palacio, former Foreign Affairs Minister of Spain.
Mirek Topolanek: "To foster transatlantic relations we need investments in education, science and technology. That's the only way we may guarantee security."
One of the most interesting discussion during the conference was "Transatlantic Space of Justice, Freedom and Security". Mark Koumans, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, expressed the hope that the Lisbon Treaty would improve the EU flexibility in times when both the US and the EU should ensure a coherent Euro-Atlantic approach to meet modern threats. He was followed by Mike Granatt, former Head of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat, UK who underlined that the transatlantic public space must incubate and nurture glocal (global&local) resilience to crises in justice, freedom and security. According to him, unless transatlantic resilience involves enriching the concept and practice of democracy, this decisive moment will be lost to powers elsewhere. Bengt Sundelius, Department of Security and Strategic Studies, Swedish National Defence College stated that one of the global roles of partnership was to protect against terrorism. The similar point of view was expressed by Rachida Dati, Member of European Parliament, former Minister of Justice, France.
Rachida Dati: 'The US and the EU have numerous challenges - regional terrorism is one of the most important among them."
The discussion on how the U.S. and Europe can address crises and conflicts more effectively was moderated by Fran Burwell, Vice President, Atlantic Council of the United States, who opened the panel by stating that the EU and the U.S. needed not only cooperation when it comes to the military forces, but also police, justice and reconstruction capabilities. Camille Grand, Director, Foundation pour la Recherche Strategique, Paris, said NATO was the most natural framework for military cooperation. This view was shared by both Iulian Fota, Presidential Adviser for National Security, Romania and Ana Maria Gomes, Member of the European Parliament, Portugal.
Ana Maria Gomes: "The US needs the EU as a security provider, not as a security consumer."
Energy security and energy supply is one of the biggest challenges in the world nowadays. Therefore, one of the sessions was devoted to the transatlantic partnership for energy sustainability. Richard Morningstar, Ambassador and Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, Department of State, USA, gave a short account of a new U.S. initiative - US-EU Energy Council, divided into 3 working groups: energy security and energy market, researching technology and a group on policy and regulatory framework. Reka Szemerkenyi, Head of International Affairs, MOL Group, presented Central European perspective of the energy security issues. Karen Herbert form the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Luis Atienza, President, Red Eléctrica, Spain concentrated on clean energy and challenges it posses to international economy.
Richard L. Morningstar, Ambassador and Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, USA. Asked by a journalist from Le Figaro, Laure Mandeville, what can be done by the Obama administration to change the situation,when Russia is using energy as a political tool in order to control the whole chain of energy distribution and supply, said that the new administration was trying to balance the energy policy. "Energy issue in Europe may be supported by the US administration, but Europe should work together on these things and some problems should be solved only by the European countries. The US cannot be more European than Europe." - said Mr. Morningstar.
John Herbst, Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, US Department of State gave a key note speech on How Can the U.S. and Europe Work Together Better on Stabilization and Crisis Management?
The discussion on US-EU Partnership, the Transatlantic Economy, and Global Governance, was moderated by Bruce Stokes, Columnist of The National Journal. The list of speakers included Charles Heeter, Managing Principal - Global Public Policy, Deloitte, Dan Price, Senior Partner for Global Issues, Sidlely and Austin; former Assistant to President George W. Bush for International Economic Affairs, Laura Lane, Senior Vice President of International Government Affairs, Citi, Thomas Bareiss, Member of Bundestag, Germany. The panel concentrated on two threats to economic recovery: trade-contracting protectionist measures and uncoordinated reforms that could impede global investment. It was underlined that the World Bank reports that 17 of the G-20 countries adopt measures that either limit imports or favor local products. These actions disrupt global supply chains and mark a retreat from international trade negotiations that have progressively lowered tariffs and other import restrictions.
Dan Price: "The developed world, formerly the champion of global economic integration, has become its principal skeptic."
The message of the final session of the Forum entitled Central Europe in Transatlantic Relations was that it was a very ambitious region of the EU, even if there were divergences between the EU, the US and Russia. H.E. Emil Constantinescu, former President of Romania, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Senator, former Prime Minister of Poland,
Oleksandr Chalyi, former Head of Presidential Secretariat, Ukraine and Tony Blinken, National Security Adviser to Vice-President Joe Biden all agreed Ukraine cannot be forgotten that when discussing CEE in transatlantic relations.
Tony Blinken: "NATO remains the main objective of the partnership between the US and EU because only with NATO we will be able to face the XXI challenges. The Obama Administration has the commitment to reinforce the partnership."