*** ERIC PHILIPPART, PASCALINE WINAND (Ed): Ever Closer Partnership. Policy-Making in US-EU Relations. Presses Interuniversitaires Européennes-Peter Lang (Brussels. E-mail: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.net ). "European Policy" series, No. 24. 2001, 477 pp. ISBN 90-5201-938-X.
Ever Closer Partnership is a title that takes on closer meaning and significance in the aftermath of the 11 September attacks. Transatlantic relations between the Old World and the New deserve more attention than they are granted since the United States and Europe are more connected these days than in the past. Is the breaking away that has been so feared on either side of the Atlantic for two decades not actually happening? Probably not, but the arrival of the euro, the planned enlargement of the European Union, the future of Nato, the different views expressed concerning the anti-terrorist fight, or environmental protection, not to mention trade disputes, could well lead one to expect the worse. As the authors of this collection of articles (who come from both sides of the Atlantic) stress, however, the relations between the United States and Europe have never before been monitored so closely. Neither have the two continents, which are so close and so distant at one and the same time, ever had so much need to find (or re-locate, at least) a common throne. The authors place great emphasis on the fact that this approach is quite complicated given the very nature of the European Union - a state being formed or a non-state being created and in a state of constant flux, Europe is not an easy subject for its American ally. Some Member States are also members of Nato and can therefore either individually or collectively oppose Washington on subjects as diverse as they are sensitive, from the question of common security to social and environmental policies.
Co-ordinated by Eric Philippart and Pascaline Winand (both lecturers at the Université libre de Bruxelles, Eric Philippart also being Professor at the European College in Bruges), the book addresses a dimension that has not attracted much attention in the relations between the United States and Europe, which is the New Transatlantic Agenda (signed in 1995 and signalling the formal recognition of the European Community as a partner in its own right). First of all, Philippart and Winand outline the process that led to mature relations, while the second part focuses on the stakeholders and interests involved in the process with the authors reviewing the institutional mechanisms and political objectives of the national and supranational stakeholders (Antony Gardner, European Affairs Director at the National Security Council from 1994 to 1995); the way the US Mission to the European Union and the Commission Delegation to Washington manage the New Transatlantic Agenda (Winand); the impact of the US Congress on EU/US relations (John Peterson of the University of Glasgow); the role of metropolitan zones in terms of creating a new Atlantic Community (Alan K. Henrikson of Tufts University); business dialogue (Maria Green Cowles of American University); the relationship between public strategy and private interests (Michael Smith of Loughborough University); "European unity in transatlantic trade diplomacy" (Youri Devuyst for the Vrije Universiteit Brussels); and the processes and procedures characterising foreign policy on either side of the Atlantic (Thomas Frellesen, member of DG Foreign Relations at the Commission). In the third part of the book, the authors (Philippart and Winand again, with Roy H. Ginsberg from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, and René Schwok of Geneva University) study recent developments and challenges and formulate suggestions for improving relations between the two regions.
Michel Theys
*** RICHARD BRÜTTING, SVETLANA KOKOSKINA, SERGIO SACCO (Ed.): Konflikt und Konsens - Conflitto e Consenso. Deutschland, Italien und Russland auf dem Weg zum vereinten Europa - La Germania, l'Italia e la Russia verso l'europa unita. Peter Lang GmbH (15 Jupiterstrasse, Postfach 277 CH-3000 Berne 15. Fax: (41-31) 9402131). "Italien in Geschichte und Gegenwart" series, No. 16. 2001, 258 pp. ISBN 3-631-36328-1.
This collection of articles in German, Italian or Russian (with a summary in the other two languages) demonstrates once more that the road towards a united Europe is still barred by barriers going by the name of stereotypes, misunderstandings and uncertainties, which makes it all the more praiseworthy that German, Russian and Italian experts have dedicated themselves to how Russian and East European culture is seen in the literature of the experts' countries. As Hans-Jochen Schmidt (Germany's General Consul in St Petersburg) highlights, literature has the privilege of being able to put across ideas that can only be raised with circumspection in official diplomatic circles and relations.
The first part looks at great writers who have carried out a political mission through their writing (Leone Ginzburg, Davide Bertolotti and Thomas Mann). This is followed by a series of articles on European art and literature and European religious cultures. The last part of the book looks at social and political changes in Europe and has several particularly interesting chapters. One of them gives a summary of the Italian daily media, shedding light on what is different from the other countries. Another subject raised is the image Germans have of Italians and vice versa - images that are profoundly influenced by ancient traditions that are strongly rooted in the collective memory of the two countries (a leading journalist, Indro Montanelli, said in 1957 that for Italians, Germans were "strange beings with angelic faces wearing military boots"). To reconstruct the image, the authors carried out research into sociological and psychological stereotypes, and an analysis of literary texts, newspaper articles, essays and letters. The book ends with a study by Russian intellectuals of the European Union, which leads them to doubt the sincerity of west European policy vis-à-vis Russia and demonstrates the Russian feeling of having been let down by a world only interested in making a profit and enlarging its own sphere of influence.
(CB)
*** GERRIT MANSSEN, BOGUSLAW BANASZAK (Ed.): Minderheitenschutz in Mittel-und Osteuropa. Peter Lang (see above). 2001, 259 pp. ISBN 3-631-37922-6.
Everyone knows these days that - unfortunately - the collapse of the Communist system in Eastern Europe led to the formation of states that see themselves as nation states even though a number of them are, in reality, states made up of more than one nationality. This state of affairs gave rise with unexpected momentum to the problem of minorities and how to protect their rights. The prtoection of minority rights issue is an area of international law that is changing constantly. Material criteria only exist in a very sketchy format in agreements under international law, even if minorities are not completely lacking in protection under the law. Instruments like the European Convention of Human Rights can provide protection for minorities, for example and application mechanisms have developed in the past decade. Their political importance should not be overlooked and this book looks into how they apply to the national legal systems of Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Russia.
(CB)
*** R EINHARD LAUER (Ed.): Die literarische Avantgarde in Südosteuropa und ihre politische und gesellschaftliche Bedeutung. Südosteuropa-Gesellschaft (49 Widenmayerstrasse, D-80538 München. Tel: 49-89) 212154-0 - Fax: 2289469 - E-mail: Suedosteuropa-Gesellschaft@t-online.de). "Südosteuropa-Jahrbuch" series, No. 31. 2001, 286 pp, 76 DM. ISBN 3-925450-91-2.
The avant-garde literary and artistic movement before and after the First World War is the subject of this book. The movement reinforced and opposed modernism at the same time, proving particularly interesting in South-East Europe, a region whose characteristics enriches the multi-faceted and hectic European avant-garde. Often with gaps in the sequence, the Avant-garde spread from Slovakia and Hungary to Serbia and Bulgaria via Croatia and Romania. Literature reached its apex in all these countries with the formation of the Avant-garde and this is demonstrated in the book, with the authors highlighting how the East European avant-garde currents form part of a European movement promoting a radical renaissance of not just artistic relationships, but also the human and social side.
(CB)
*** SILVIO GAMBINO (Ed.): Europa e Balcani. Stati, Culture, Nazioni. Cedam (Padua). 2001, 319 pp, EUR 20.66, 40,000 lira. ISBN 88-13-23383-3.
Professor in Italian constitutional law and comparative law at Calabria University, Silvio Gambino has gathered together in this book the proceedings of an international congress held in spring 2000 at his university on the theme "States, Culture, Nations: Europe and the Balkans". Through a comparative and multidisciplinary (legal, historical, political and philosophical analysis, the various authors consider the way states are asserted legally in Europe on the one hand (Italy and Spain are focussed on in particular as examples of constitutions); and on the uncertain state experience of the Balkans on the other. Taking as their starting point the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, the authors look into the experience of modern state formation and consolidation in Europe, criteria for success and the conditions for a democratic state to affirms its integration capacity.
(CB)
*** ANTON KUMER, MIROSLAV POLZER, ANSELM SKUHRA (Ed.): Europäisierung versus Nationalismus. Der ex-jugoslawische Raum auf der Suche nach Stabilität. Peter Lang (see above). 2000, 213 pp. ISBN 3-631-35885-7.
After the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991 characterised by extreme nationalism, the countries that followed in its wake and their populations have been confronted with the option of plumping for either the "national principle" (separatism) or the concept of "integrated Europeanization". The Austrian authors (who originate from the former Yugoslavia) use a multidisciplinary approach in this book to outline various aspects of the national question. The societies in question have been subject to many changes, and Europeanization is an area of conflict for people caught between Europeanization and nationalism. By Europeanization they mean moving closer in terms of adopting values and standard such as democracy, tolerance, freedom, the respect of human rights, and also a free market economy. The authors wrote the book in the hope that in the long term, the development of states to succeed Yugoslavia would be determined by the attractive nature of the European project, that justice and welfare pull the rug out from under nationalisms and that sustainable peace and stability be assured in the former Yugoslavia.
(CB)
*** ASTRID PFENNIG, THOMAS BAHLE (Ed.): Families and Family Policies in Europe. Comparative Perspectives. Peter Lang (see above). 2000, 359 pp. ISBN 3-631-37078-4.
Astrid Pfennig and Thomas Bahle, sociologists at Mannheim University, directed the research programme entitled "Training and Mobility for Young Researchers" into the family and the welfare state in Europe organised under the European Commission's 4th Research Framework Programme. From October 1996 to September 2000, the programme brought together more than 30 young researchers from twelve countries in Europe who produced very detailed comparative research, the results of which are promising and interesting in equal measures and are published in this book.
The aim of the research was to help outline family policy in various geographical regions - Southern Europe and Scandinavia were chosen - and compare them with other European countries. First of all, the researchers looked at Scandinavian countries whose policies take as their priority meeting children's need and stress sexual equality (based on social citizen rights combined with highly developed social services making working life highly compatible with the family). The United Kingdom and Ireland are considered next. Both countries have a liberal, non-interventionist family policy focussing on poor families and children at risk. Then Southern European countries are assessed, which combine a strong tradition of family solidarity with a weak welfare state and inadequate public services and family allowances. The fourth category considered is Belgium and France, European pioneers in family policy, combining both traditional and advanced family policies based on recognition of the family as an important social institution, supported by generous family allowances and social services. Finally, Germany and Austria are considered with their less developed but more conservative family policies. The five groups can naturally not be seen as monolithic blocks, and differences have been taken into account between and within the groups. It all leads the authors to ask what can be reasonably be expected from "trans-European" family policy. They believe that the European Union's contribution to family policy should remain limited, given the heterogeneity of different cultural and institutional traditions in the Member States. Like in other aspects of social policy, the approach taken has always been to co-ordinate rather than harmonise. Is this sufficient in terms of the concept of European citizenship?
(CB)
*** The EUROPEAN COMMISSION (Official Publications Office of the European Communities (L-2985, Luxembourg) has published the following documents:
*** Inforegio panorama. DG Regional Policy (41 av. de Tervuren, B-1040 Brussels. Fax: (32-2) 2966003 - Internet: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/regional_policy/index_fr.htm). October 2001, 16 pp.
Cities have always played a central role in European civilisation as cultural, social, political and economics developments. Nearly 80% of Europeans live in cities these days and 44% in agglomerations of over 50,000 inhabitants. In an enlarged Europe, cities represent more than the paradox of being both the pole of property and area of exclusion, which is why developing cohesion in cities is one of the priorities of Community regional policy. Adopting the European Spacial Development Perspective (ESDP) in May 1999, heads of state acknowledged that it was necessary o make more of what cities could provide to the development of the surrounding suburbs and countryside in order to rebalance economic development. Other subjects covered include the new German Länder, pioneers of eastern development and "Belgium, opening and rehabilitation".
*** Environment for Europeans. DG Environment (Fax: (32-2) 296560 - E-mail: envinfo@cec.eu.int - Internet: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/environment/index_en.htm). October 2001, No 8, 16 pp.
This European Parliament's special decision outlines MEPs' concerns on the environment, with an interview of the business commissioners, the President of the Environment Commission, Caroline Jackson, who is convinced that much still remains to be done in terms of Parliament's involvement. And this in a context where the environment has become a global preoccupation and where enlargement will alter the status quo. Other subjects covered: the European Union's victory in the climate change negotiations, public health, harmony with the environment, the European ecolabel, etc.
*** Reporting environmental measures: are we being effective ? European Environment Agency (6 Kongens Nytorv, DK-1050 Copenhagen K. Tel: (45-33) 367100 - Fax: 367199 - E-mail: eea@eea.eu.int - Internet: http: //http://www.eea.eu.int ). "Environmental issue report" series, No. 25. 2001, 35 pp. ISBN 92-9167-400-1.
"Do we use the most effective way of taking account of environment measures?", asks the European Environment Agency. This question is fundamental, as it happens, for the environment action of the Community, its Member States and the Agency itself, of course. The reports that the Member States provide on the measures they have taken regularly cause problems, often caused by the formulation or interpretation of the terminology which makes it impossible to compare data, despite this being vital. Which is why the Agency calls for a debate on implementation.
*** L'Ampliació. Bulleti sobre l'ampliació de la Unió europea. Patrona Català Pro Europea (50 2n Carrer des Bruc, E-08010 Barcelona. Tel: (34-93) 5672626 - Fax: 5672628 - E-mail: pcpe.barcelona@infoeuropa.org). Fourth quarter 2001, 12 pp.
Given the scale of the enlargement that the European Union is currently preparing, the Catalan public service employers publish a newsletter each quarter looking at the issue of enlargement. Specific information about progress in the negotiations and the reforms carried out by the candidate countries are outlined, along with the potential fallout for Catalonia and the candidate countries themselves. This issue has a special section on Hungary.
*** Hémisphères. Journal de débats sur le développement. Consortium "6 novembre" (25 rue Gratès, B-1170 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 6758327 - E-mail: colophon@online.be).September-October-November 2001, No. 14, 8 pp.
In the editorial of this "Journal de débats sur le développement", Addy Pennewaert notes his conviction that we will need years for the hidden side of the war against the Taliban to come to light one day. In his view, the clash of civilisations is a stubborn fact that will become ever more difficult to overcome unless Western hegemony is challenged. Other issues covered: Chile, an opinion on rules of origin, immigration as a major requirement for human beings, African cinema and more.