Europe in no one’s world: Why the EU needs a global strategy
We live today in a chaotic “no one’s world” devoid of global hegemony, which demands also from Europe to rethink its place in it. Does the European Union need a new global strategy as a response to the new challenges?
Guests
Mark Leonard, Director, ECFR
Stanisław Koziej, Head of the National Security Bureau
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Member of the European Parliament
Krzysztof Szczerski, Member of the Parliament
Chaired by
Aleksander Smolar, President of the Board, Stefan Batory Foundation
4th December, 2013, 15:30 – 17:30
When ten years ago the EU adopted its security strategy there seemed to be a consensus that “Europe has never been so prosperous, so secure nor so free.” But in the past decade dramatic changes have taken place in the international environment of the EU. In the most recent study entitled “Why Europe needs a new Global Strategy” ECFR experts, among them Mark Leonard, claim that the foundations of EU’s stance in the world have eroded.
As a result of the economic and financial crisis its soft power has been significantly weakened: “effective multilateralism” is in crisis; diminishing U.S. involvement in international affairs is a profound change for transatlantic relations; European development policy has been facing competition from other powerful “donors”; liberal interventionism as a doctrine has become harder to implement not at least because of the reduced defense spending; and limiting EU’s involvement in Asia to economic presence seems to be not enough.
According to Charles Kupchan, an American expert, we live today in a chaotic “no one’s world” devoid of global hegemony, which demands also from Europe to rethink its place in it. Does the European Union need a new global strategy as a response to the new challenges? Will the December EU summit dedicated to security and defense policy contribute to breaking the deadlock in the development of Europe's capacity to act? Is Poland able and keen on giving a shape to a more ambitious EU policy in the world and what could be Poland’s contribution?
The debate will be held in Polish and English (simultaneous translation will be provided).