the EU and the US Flashcards
EC-US Cold War Relations
US support integration
US underwriting of European security
Progressive development of competitive
economic cooperation
Evolving security tensions e.g. Reagan’s
SDI & 2nd Cold War
Deep economic and security interdependence
EU-US relations after the end of Cold War
Helped shape post-Cold War Europe e.g.
German unification
Continued economic interdependence e.g.
2007/8 financial crisis
US continues to underwrite European security
e.g. c.75% of NATO spending
BUT:
Strategic drift
Tensions over burdensharing, modus operandi (a particular way or method of doing something.) etc
Americans are from Mars, Europeans are from Venus?
Robert Kagan (2003) argued that US &
Europe are fundamentally divided
European approach – multilateral,
engagement, socialisation & use of soft
power
US approach – more unilateral,
confrontational, strategic threat & use of hard power
Caricature hides differences within Europe
& US but still influential
tensions
Diverging geo-strategic focus
Friction over relationship between NATO and the EU’s military capabilities
US critical of EU unwillingness/inability to ‘burden share’
EU critical of US unilateralism (deciding a policy or action without involving another group or country) , especially
military interventionism
Differences over CTBT (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty) , Kyoto, ABM Treaty (anti ballistic)
The Post-Cold War Economic Relationship
Total US investment in the EU is c. three times higher than in all of Asia.
EU investment in the US is around eight times the amount of EU investment in India and China together.
EU and the US economies account together for about
half the entire world GDP and for nearly a third of
world trade flows (2022 c. $7.1 trillion economic
relationship).
Failure of Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership
Trump presidency
“The election of Trump poses the risk of upsetting
intercontinental relations in their foundation and in their
structure,” (EU Commission President)
America first:
– greater protectionism / trade aggression. E.g. fate of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement.
- Climate policy change e.g. w/d Paris climate agreement.
Non-traditional approaches
- Israel and Jerusalem; NATO policy; public stance on
European integration
Biden Presidency
Re-engagement of multilateralism e.g. rejoin the World Health Organization and the Paris Agreement on combating climate change.
Easing of Trump protectionism e.g. 2021 reduction of tariffs on aluminium and steel
Strong commitment to Ukraine e.g. coordination of
EU-US sanctions on Russia
Re-endorsement of NATO
Continued differences e.g. China.
European fears US political polarisation
conclusion
Biden smoothed EU-US relations
Ukraine crisis largely cohering transatlantic relations
But:
Continuing trade disputes and impact of China
US tension between ‘burden-sharing’ and ‘leadership
sharing’
Key differences in EU-US approaches to international
relations
Diverging strategic priorities
Return of Trump
economic ties
The EU-U.S. economic partnership is the single-most important driver of global economic growth, trade, and prosperity
The EU and United States are each other’s main trading partners and account for the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world.
The EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) serves as a forum to coordinate approaches to key global trade, economic, and technology issues, and to deepen transatlantic trade
history
Truman Administration decided that a prosperous Europe would be a stable Europe. The infamous Morgenthau plan to deindustrialise Germany was rejected
marshall plan
From the beginning, Americans supported European integration because US officials believed that this process would bind
together former enemies and prevent another war among western European countries.
By the end of 1996, the EU had more than $370 billion invested in the U.S., and the U.S. had more than $348 billion invested in the EU.
eu integration from washington perspective
The Obama administration’s dominant foreign policy slogan has been its “pivot to Asia.”
Since 2010 US macroeconomists have overwhelmingly opposed the eurozone’s policy choices, calling for more fiscal and monetary stimulus in Europe
Many influential Americans see China and other emerging authoritarian powers, which do not share Western values of democracy, freedom, market economy and rule of law, as a threat to the West. They want the West to unite. A common statement is that the question is whether the West or China will set the standards. The US-inspired Trans-Pacific Partnership among twelve transpacific countries was an important first step. The situation in Europe is of concern to the US administration. The worst nightmare would be a Brexit, which in all probability would paralyze EU policymaking for years.
the Obama administration has launched a major European initiative, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), between the EU and the US
