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Speaking at the Brussels Forum 2010 on March 27, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso set out the case for a new Atlanticism for the 21st century calling for a more dynamic partnership between Europe and America.
"Europe and the United States find themselves at a crossroads," he said. "On the one hand, we enjoy the most successful and integrated partnership in the geopolitical world. On the other hand, the world is changing fast, and that partnership must adjust to new realities if it is to continue to flourish. "
"It is safe to assume that in a world of rapid change, one thing will remain constant: we will continue to have more in common with each other than with any other great power," he said. President Barroso emphasized that both the United States and the European Union have a lot to gain from upgrading their relations. "Ours is a natural partnership, and it is only natural that we should deepen it. What matters is our ability to contain occasional disagreements, and reach reasonable solutions when they occur. This is why a strategic dialogue at the highest level is so important: to minimize the effects of diverging interests, and quickly clear up misunderstandings."
Addressing international nonproliferation efforts, President Barroso stressed that the EU would not hesitate to support a new round of sanctions against Iran if it continues to ignore international concerns. "And there could not be a more positive signal to our efforts than the news today of an agreement between the United States and Russia on a new START treaty to cut nuclear weapons. I congratulate both President Obama and President Medvedev for this historic agreement, to be signed next month."
Lisbon Treaty testimony by Dr. Daniel S. Hamilton Dr. Daniel S. Hamilton, Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations, outines the key provisions of the Lisbon Treaty and what this means for the future relations between the European Union and the United States. Dr. Hamilton calls on the European Union and the United States to transition their relationship to a new effective strategic relationship if they are to successfully meet future challenges.
2010 Brussels Forum Keynote Address: José Manuel Barroso Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, delivers a keynote address about the future of European Union and United States relations at the 2010 Brussels Forum. Barroso begins by stating that the European Union and the United States find themselves at a crossroads. He ends by calling for the readjustment of the European Union and United States relationship to new realities if it is to continue to flourish.
The Transatlantic Relationship: Does it Matter? In a rapidly changing world, the future of the European Union-United States transatlantic relationship is under scrutiny. Is the European Union-United States partnership in decline in a globalizing world? Will the ability of the European Union-United States relationship to respond to future challenges be hindered by this new turn in the partnership? Among others, these questions are addressed by a panel at the 2010 Brussels Forum.
Towards a Post-American Europe: A Power Audit of EU-US Relations Accusing Europeans of "infantile" behavior and "fetishizing" the transatlantic relationship, this provocative report calls on Europe to pursue a more unified and assertive foreign policy toward the United States. Shapiro and Witney argue that Europe's treatment of the United States is characterized by bad habits: knee-jerk solidarity, excessive deference, and instinctive submissiveness. They claim that the pushback should start in Afghanistan, where the EU countries matched the United States when it came to foreign aid and provided nearly 40 percent of the military forces through 2008 but let Washington call the shots.
