*** NICOLE GNESOTTO (Ed.): La politique de sécurité et de défense de l'UE. Les cinq premières années (1999-2004). Institut d'études de sécurité de l'Union européenne (43 av. du Président Wilson, F-75775 Paris cedex 16. Tel.: (33-1) 56891930 - Fax: 56891931 - E-mail: institute@iss-eu.org - Internet: http: //http://www.iss-eu.org ). 2004, 322 pp, 10 euros.
In this publication, the Institut d'études de sécurité de l'Union européenne makes a preliminary detailed and critical assessment of the achievements and acquis of the European Union since the decision by the European Council of Cologne in June 1999 to establish a Common Security and Defence Policy. What are the EU's ambitions in terms of defence and security? What differences are there in sensitivity between the twenty-five Member States regarding the future of European defence? What relations should be promoted with NATO and the United States? What does the Constitutional Treaty provide in terms of developing the EU's role in the world? These are some of the questions underlying this two-part book. In the first part, researchers from the Institute analyse the different aspects of the CSDP from the moment it was created, and set out the various possibilities for future development. The second part includes essays by a series of figureheads who have been actors in the CSDP (like former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari, Michel Barnier, Carl Bildt, Lamberto Dini and Elmar Brok) or well-informed commentators on the CSDP like Ferdinando Riccardi, who provides a fully nuanced analysis of the policy.
A book of this type is, of course, too rich for me to claim to summarise it without betraying its essence. Reading the preface by Javier Solana is, however, sufficient to grasp the sheer scale of the path that has been travelled in this very brief period of time and get an idea of the challenges which remain to be tackled. In the view of the EU's High Representative, progress first started to be made at the time of the Kosovo tragedy - "which gave rise to a common desire among Europeans to act together and construct (…), within the framework of the Union, all the tools needed for appeasing crises" - followed by the fact that "the EU's security and defence policy is no longer an option, it is now a necessity" because of the international crises and instability that form the EU's strategic environment, and also because, "in a world of chaos and globalisation, it is no longer possible (…) to artificially separate off prosperity from security, without living in a dream world". Not to mention "the unavoidable nature of multilateralism in managing international crises". From this starting point, Javier Solana draws some decisive lessons for the future of the European Union's international role. First of all, the EU must tackle the complex nature of the world, since "reducing the international system to a binary clash between two groups, dealing with the crises of the planet starting only from their military dimension or, conversely, counting mainly on trade and economic aid to reduce the sources of conflicts and pacify the world, are all dead-ends". Finally, aware that "coherence is the key to all success", the right balance has to be struck between European nations and institutions, since ignoring national differences in the name of the principle of equality among Member States (one country, one veto) or, conversely, magnifying differences in power in the name of the principle of relative effectiveness of leadership by the big Member States are "frequent, but unrealistic, temptations". Consequently, "the more the Union enlarges and diversifies, the more efforts and vigilance will have to be stepped up to ensure the defence policy remains both common and effective, egalitarian and differentiated". The High Representative ends by calling for changes in EU-US relations "in the light of changes in the world and in each of the partners ".
Michel Theys
*** SVETLANA ZAŠOVA: Macédoine. De la FORPRONU-Macédoine à la FORDEPRENU (1993-1999). Editions Pedone (13 rue Soufflot, F-75005 Paris). CEDIN series: "L'ONU et les opérations de maintien de la paix". 2004, 228 pp, 22 euros. ISBN 2-233-00449-3.
This legal research describes and analyses the mission of the UN Protection Force in Macedonia, setting it against a historical and political backdrop. Studying for a doctorate in international public law at Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, the author considers the motives for establishing the Protection Force and the regionalisation of international peace-keeping missions. Macedonia became independent without armed conflict. The United Nations organisation, however decided to send in a military force in 1993, fearing that Macedonia would succumb to the conflict of nationalities that was being seen throughout eastern Europe. This UN force was the first peace-keeping force in the history of the United Nations. A year on from the declaration of independence of Macedonia, a unit of the United Nations Protection Force was sent to Macedonia to prevent any extension of the conflict in Yugoslavia. UN troops were sent to all the countries in former Yugoslavia, but was soon divided into three parts, with the unit in Macedonia being known as the UN Protection Force. The author writes that the UN Protection Force has indeed helped to keep calm and prevent the escalation of conflict, but has failed in part because it was withdrawn at the wrong time and failed to prevent new ethnic conflict from emerging.
(VCo)
*** Revue politique et parlementaire. Mediax (6 rue Labrouste, F-75015 Paris. Tel.: (33-1) 45315805 - Fax: 45311879). January/February/March 2004, No. 1028, 111 pp, 20 euros. Annual subscription: 61 euros (France) or 75 euros (elsewhere).
This issue of the Revue politique et parlementaire focusses on the question of international security in the aftermath of the Madrid attacks. The idea of terrorism is widely discussed, particularly in an essay by François Thuillier, lecturer at the Centre d'études diplomatiques et stratégiques, in his analysis of typology. An article by Mikhaïl Lebedev, General Delegate at the Centre de politique internationale de la Sorbonne, extends this analysis of terrorism to the European continent, describing the enlargement of both the European Union and NATO as a 'big bang', attempting to identify their impact on European security. Taking an even broader backdrop, the authors consider peace, with the President of the Centre de politique internationale de la Sorbonne, Charles Zorgbibe, looking at the culture of peace and inter-cultural dialogue, while Claude Polin, lecturer in political philosophy at the Sorbonne, attempts to shed light on the preconditions for collective peace. By providing greater understanding of terrorism, these essays aim to lay the first stone of the path to peace.
(MAu)
*** PETER CALVERT (Ed.): Border and Territorial Disputes of the world. John Harper Publishing (27 Palace Gates Road, London N22 7BW, UNITED KINGDOM. Tel: (44) 2088814774 - E-mail: jhpublish@aol.com). 2004, 553 pp. ISBN 0-9543811-3-0.
This book (in its eighth edition) provides a detailed, analytical and chronological list of all border and territorial disputes in the world. The authors include the most recent conflicts along with long-lasting border disputes and conflicts which are dormant for the moment but which could rise up again since the reasons behind them are unresolved. Border and territorial disputes still plague many parts of the world. When the first edition of this book was published in 1982, they tended to afflict developing countries. With the collapse of the Communist bloc, the spectre of renewed conflict was re-introduced to Europe. Many intestinal battles remained unresolved at the end of the Cold War, as is demonstrated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Cyprus and Kashmir, North vs South Korea and China's claims on Taiwan. All these trouble spots are analysed in detail in the book.
(STu)
*** BOGDAN SZAJKOWSKI (Ed.): Revolutionary and dissident movements of the world. John Harper Publishing (see above). 2004, 562 pp. ISBN 0-9543811-2-2.
This book, which is in its fourth edition, analyses the spread of revolutionary and dissident movements around the world, country by country. It describes the past and present activity of organisations aims to challenge the stability of a state through extra-legal, usually violent, means. The book therefore covers autonomist and separatist movements, far left and far right groups active outside the constitutional framework, banned parties, governments in exile, and pan-nationalist terrorist organisations. Several decades after the post-colonial conflicts, the main sources of conflict in Africa arise in states that emerged from the anti-colonial conflicts whose minority populations want independent or autonomy, rejecting the carving up of borders on the colonial chessboard. The book does of course tend to focus on the challenge to the West and to Muslim states by the rising power of Islamic movements.
(STu)
*** FRANÇOIS GUILLAUME: L'agriculture, levier de développement du Sud. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (Kiosque de l'Assemblée nationale, 4 rue Aristide Briand, F-75007 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 40636121 - Internet: http://www.assembl ée-nationale.fr). "Rapport d'information", No. 1371. 2004, 95 pp, 3.50 euros.
Eighty million people currently suffer from malnutrition in developing countries. Facing the scourge of malnutrition, division between the rich North and the poor South is growing ever wider. French parliamentarian and former farm minister François Guillaume believes the time has come for the international community to act and find ways to provide the right to food for all. This report analyses the stakes at play in this challenge which has a very broad influence on the stability and prosperity of the planet. Pointing out that farming is the economic and social basis of development, the author highlights that poor countries have to be given authorisation to protect and develop their farming in order to be able to make a success of joining world trade. Through a detailed analysis, the author describes weaknesses in the global farm trade that hold poor countries back. He then suggests a solution, arguing that farm trade is destabilised by a lack of regulation, with unfair trade and fluctuations in commodity prices putting farmers in poor countries out of business. Without safeguards, free trade leads to injustice. For this reason, the author suggests establishing 'food exceptions', in other words a regulatory framework for farm trade based on genuine equality among competitors. This framework would allow foodstuff agriculture to be developed within regional common markets and would enable basic product prices to be stabilised.
(GRu)
*** Agri.Med. Agriculture, pêche, alimentation et développement rural durable dans la région méditerranéenne: rapport annuel 2004. Centre international de hautes études agronomiques méditerranéennes (11 rue Newton, F-75116 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 53239100 - Fax: 53239101 - E-mail: lrobert@ciheal.org - Internet: http://www.ciheam.org ). 2004, 292 pp. ISBN 2-8535-283-0.
The CIHEAM annual report describes in detail recent changes in the agricultural economies and agri-food industries of Mediterranean countries. The first part looks at reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy and enlargement of the EU, and how they impact on countries in the Mediterranean. The report highlights, for example, that tough competition is on the horizon for the rare financial resources which the EuroMed integration process will no doubt not have access to because of high demand for funding concerning enlargement. The second part of the book looks at national farming, sector by sector, proving analyses of the agri-food and fishing industries of the CIHEAM member countries. The third part of the book examines the development of agri-food policy in the region, highlighting a series of possible strategies for local companies and how they can co-habit with multinationals, pointing out that business considerations should not lead one to lose sight of the fact that nutrition is a public health issue requiring the establishment in every Mediterranean country of genuine agri-food policies. The report ends with major indicators of farm and food development in Mediterranean countries.
(STu)
*** PIERRE STASSART: Produits fermiers: entre qualification et identité. Presses Interuniversitaire Européennes - Peter Lang (1 av. Maurice, B-1050 Brussels. E-mail: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.net ). "EcoPolis" series, No. 3. 2003, 424 pp ISBN 90-5201-108-7.
Written by a doctor of environmental science and an agricultural engineer, this book makes a preliminary 'ecology' of food quality. Head of research at the Luxembourg University Foundation, Pierre Stassart starts by looking at the socio-technical construction of quality through an in-depth analysis of a cooperative farm project active in livestock farming among others. Firstly, the author considers the limits of a supply-based approach in line with the model developed by the Common Agricultural Policy in the 1960s. He then notes how farmers have developed relations with consumers, the supply-based logic being forced to give way to demand. The third part of the book considers the building of credibility for a product. In this connection, the author approaches a topic that has dominated - socially, economically and politically - new forms of agriculture, namely the management of food health risks. Prof. David Goodman (of the University of California in Santa Cruz) comments that this research is highly relevant in this time of mad cow disease to underline the diversity and pluralism of agri-food networks and their coordination mechanisms, whether of the dominant type or more alternative. Or, in the words of Michel Callon of the Centre de sociologie de l'innovation of the Ecole des Mines in France, this research "shows that solving the problems raised by a society of risk requires the establishment of a genuine high quality economy".
(LD)
*** The EUROP EAN COMMISSION (Official Publications Office of the European Community, L-2985 Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following document:
*** Stratégie pour le marché intérieur: Priorités 2003-2006. 2004,52 pp. ISBN 92-894-6975-7.
This communication is destined for the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. The Commission believes the common market has led to the creation of 2.5 million jobs and the creation of an additional 900 bn euros of wealth. It points out, however, that the impact of the common market do not go as far it could and therefore notes the need to improve operations in the common market to meet the challenges facing the European Union in the next few years, like the ambitious Lisbon targets, an ageing population and the structural reforms required to ensure competitiveness. For this reason, it describes to the above-mentioned bodies the priorities it has identified, like better integration of markets for services, simplifying the regulatory framework, and action to be taken. Some of the action described has already been implemented, other action is described in detail and listed according to whether it should be adopted and implemented in the near future, or whether it requires further debate or implemented by the Member States.
*** Revue d'Allemagne et des pays de langue allemande. Société d'Études Allemandes (CNRS -Bâtiment 40, 23 rue du Loess -BP 20. F-67037 Strasbourg Cedex 02. Tel: (33-3) 88107316 - Fax: 88106482 - E-mail: christiane.weeda@misha.u-strasbg.fr). April - June 2004, No. 2, 264 pp. 16 euros. Annual subscription: 56 euros.
This issue looks at warmongering nationalism and the move to surpass boundaries and churches' involvement in the construction of Europe from 1914 to 2004. It takes us from the First World War when churches in both France and Germany preached the cause of a Holy War, considering the First World War (in the beginning at least) as a way of purifying a decadent society, to the European project, via figures like Cardinal Faulhaber, whose views vis-a-vis the Nazis are still under discussion today, compromise in Germany vis-à-vis secular and religious life, the link between the European project and churches, with their universal vocation but whose fields of action and philosophy can often be very territorial.
*** Kangaroo Group Newsletter. Kangaroo Group (9 Rond Point Schuman Bte 4, B-1040 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 5410330 - Fax.: 5384980 - E-mail: info@kangaroogroup.org - Internet: http://www.kangaroogroup.org ). September 2004, No. 37, 16 pp.
In the editorial, Alain Lamassoure describes the progress for the European Union of the Constitution, highlighting the obstacles remaining in its path. The future challenges and those which have not yet been overcome must be tackled through three 'political miracles', namely consensus at the Convention, agreement by governments, and (the most difficult to achieve) success in referendums in different countries. Other articles look at new patent regulations and copyright, mutual recognition of legislation to lift many obstacles to the free circulation of goods, and 'competition' in terms of company taxation and the reaction to proposals to harmonise company taxation.
*** Liaisons sociales Europe. Groupe Liaisons (1 Avenue Edouard-Belin, F-92500 Rueil-Malmaison. Tel: (33-8) 25800929 - Fax: (33-1) 44722027 - Internet: http//http://www.liaisons-sociales.com ). September 2004, No. 111, 12 pp, 32 euros. Annual subscription: 867.85 euros.
Liaisons Sociales Europe looks at company relocation, a hot topic among French politicians and society at the moment. Some commentators believe relocations can be slowed down but cannot be stopped, and one way of combatting them might be to carry out an audit of companies to identify factors encouraging them to relocate. 'Unfair tax competition' in the ten new EU Member States, described by Nicolas Sarkozy, is probably not the heart of the issue. The Lisbon Strategy is commonly mentioned again as the tool par excellence. This issue of the review also looks at the reaction by the various social partners to the Commission's new Communication on social dialogue, and includes the second part of the listing of major social legislation of the year 2004.
Review in brief
***Art. 88-4 de la Constitution -Textes soumis du 10 avril au 3 juin 2004. Délégation de l'Assemblée nationale pour l'Union Européenne. 2004, No. 1666, Paris. This report by the French National Assembly looks at the proposals of the European institutions unveiled from 10 April to 3 June 2004.