*** MARIO TELÒ (Ed.): The European Union and Global Governance. Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group, 130 Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4SB, UK. Tel: (44-1235) 400400 - Fax: 400401 - email: book.orders@routledge.co.uk - Internet: http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk ). "Europe in the World" series. 2009, 353 pp, £70. ISBN 978-0-415-46506-9.
What influence does the European Union have in the world? In what way and to what extent is it helping a new global governance come into being? To what extent should it be seen as a "global player" and an "international power in the making"? These and many other questions are answered by leading European scientists in a highly rigorous and reasoned manner in this decidedly multidisciplinary book combining politics, economy, law, philosophy and history in the move to enlighten the reader, with both sides of the argument being set out in the book. In the introduction, Prof. Telò admits that the authors "share the conviction that the EU's weight in the world is rooted in its very existence, as a mature form of multilateral governance of national and local diversities towards increasing regional convergence at the European level”. Telò, who presides over destinies at the 'Institut d'Etudes Européennes' at the 'Université Libre de Bruxelles,' explains that the book's contents certainly do not give way to Eurocentric euphoria in any way because the essays set out both the successes and the failures and negative aspects of the EU's influence in the world.
The book is divided into three, equally interesting sections. The first looks at the impact outside its borders of the European Union's domestic policies and action. Political analysts Paul Magnette (currently Belgium's climate and energy minister) and Kalypso Nicolaidis (director of Oxford University's European Studies Centre) point out, for example, that the EU can now be viewed as an "international democratiser” because it is a reference point for democracy both within states and among states. Legal expert Jean-Victor Louis examines the international dimension of European monetary integration, personified by the euro, by looking at how it has impacted on the International Monetary Fund. Louis is an erstwhile advisor to Belgium's national bank. He points out that “given the limited role of the EU within the Bretton Woods institutions, where Europe is only represented through its Member States, the role of the European Central Bank and the euro are the only way for the EU as such to exert an albeit indirect role within global financial governance.” The impact of European competition policy (Mathias Dewatripont and Patrick Legros) and the Lisbon Strategy (Maria Joao Rodrigues) are discussed in the same spirit. The second part of the book looks at the “external policies of the multidimensional actor-in-the-making". Marianne Dony discusses the overall coherence of the EU's foreign policies that are generated by an extremely varied, if not downright disparate, array of decision-making procedures and implementation mechanisms. Other writers examine trade policy (Paola Conconi asks to what extent the EU could further encourage the WTO to become a stronger regulatory regime without reforming relevant internal policies), development cooperation policy and its very useful cross compliance mechanism, environment policy and its links with a hesitant energy policy (in order to take on the climate change challenge, Sebastian Oberthür points out that the objective of sustainable development will have to be asserted more consistently and coherently as a priority in numerous EU domestic policies), the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, the common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Security and Defence Policy. The third section of the book measures the health of the EU as a 'global actor-in-the-making' in the light of EU enlargement and the European Neighbourhood Policy (which, Reimund Seidelmann points out, clearly lacks any 'comprehensive strategic design'), the inter-regionalism that is developing on a global level and also the historical heritage left by Europe from its days of empire. Philosopher Jean-Marc Ferry provides reflections on European integration as a way of giving birth to a cosmopolitan world.
It goes without saying that it is not possible to give a full picture of a book of this ilk. Even by introduction by Mario Telò is too rich to be adequately summarised. By way of conclusion, I would simply mention the editor's comment in the light of all the essays in this book, that the European Union is “at once more and less than a classical power,” and “is indeed an understated power by default (given the possibility of amassing a classical power through a federal state with appropriated military capabilities) and a provocation for the traditional realist understanding of international relations which linked international power to a hierarchy of capabilities wherein military force maintained a clear primacy”.
Michel Theys
*** SEBASTIAN SANTANDER: L'émergence de nouvelles puissances. Vers un système multipolaire? Editions Ellipse (32 rue Bargue, F-75740 Paris. Internet: http://www.editions-ellipses.fr ). 2009, 250 pp. ISBN 978-2-7298-5022-7.
Arising from research carried out by the international relations research unit of the politics department of Liège University in Belgium under the leadership of the book's editor, Prof. Sebastian Santander (who also penned one of the essays), this book looks at multipolarity in the new world order in the light of the shuffling of the cards that occurred at the end of the Cold War and the stratification of the world order, examining the so-called emerging powers. Belgian and Canadian scientific experts look in turn at the power strategies of South Africa, Brazil, India, China, Mexico and Russia. The cases studies lead Sebastian Santander to argue that these "emerging countries increasingly look like powers." By means of their diplomacy based on energy, their growing international recognition, the flexing of their economic muscle and the current global crisis, they are asserting the legitimacy of an alternative to the G7 in the form of the G20, and are destabilising the status quo in terms of how power is shared in some multilateral bodies, a perfect illustration of which are the changes to the negotiating process at the World Trade Organisation. These countries are therefore involved "in the gradual decentralisation of the world". The book's editor points out that the countries are banking on multilateralism for 'multipolar ends,' utilising mobilising speeches in which they describe themselves as players which can help set up a more balanced world and, also, as flag-bearers for developing countries. In reality, however, they are busy conquering new markets, which means that they adopt an international posture that is not so very different from that of the United States or the European Union in that, as Sebastian Santander explains, they are not planning to "challenge the neoliberal postulates of globalisation arising from Western dominance".
(MT)
*** ANNEGRET BENDIEK, HEINZ KRAMER (Eds.): Globale Außenpolitik der Europäischen Union. Interregionale Beziehungen und "strategische Partnerschaften". Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik - SWP (3-4 Ludwigkirchplatz, 10719 Berlin. Tel: (49-30) 88007-0 - Fax: 88007-100 - Internet: http://www.swp-berlin.org ). "Internationale Politik und Sicherheit" series, No. 63. 2009, 237 pp. ISBN 978-3-8329-4310-3.
This several-essay study provides an overview of the European Union's foreign policy. Through analysis of international relations and the EU's strategic partnerships, the book helps readers understand the EU's position on the world stage. The articles cover most regions of the world, forming a type of inventory of the EU's foreign relations. When it comes to Latin America, bilateralism and fragmented dialogue tend to apply, at the same time as a strategic partnership is being developed with Brazil. The essays on Africa focus on the foreign policy mechanisms put to the test in the region by the EU. Although relations have long been based on regionalism, some authors believe it would be a good idea that they become move in the direction of bilateralism these days. In Asia, the EU's relations with China, South-East Asia and Japan shed light on a divergence of approach. The EU's strategic partnership with Canada is seen as bearing huge development potential. A fascinating book.
(EPi)
*** The Federalist Debate. Papers on Federalism in Europe and the World. Einstein Center for International Studies (26 via Schina, I-10144 Turin. Tel/Fax: (+39-011) 4732843 - email: federalist.debate@libero.it - Internet: http://www.federalist.debate.org ). 2009, No. 2, 64 pp. Annual subscription: €15.
This issue of the well-known federalist publication opens with an editorial by Lucio Levi on the way the world might look after the economic and financial tempests of last year. Calling for changes to the UN Security Council and the International Monetary Fund to take account of the need to build a multipolar world, Levi examines the idea mooted by the governor of the Central Bank of China, Zhou Xiaochuan, of introducing a new reserve currency in the world based on the European monetary system to replace the dollar, in other words by extending the series of special drawing rights to the currencies of all major economies and storing a share of countries' reserves at the IMF. Lucio Levy criticises the European Union for failing to take up this matter, putting the failure down to the fact that the absence of a European government encourages EU "subordination" to the United States. Other essays suggest ways of solving the Israeli-Arab conflict and the situation in the Western Balkans.
(MT)
*** Politica Exterior. Editions Estudios de Politica Exterior (49 Nuñez de Balboa, E-28001 Madrid. Tel: (34-91) 4312628 - Fax: 5777252 - email: revista@politicaexterior.com - Internet: http://www.politicaexterior.com ). May/June 2009, No. 129, 169 pp, €13. ISBN 978-0-2136-8500-4.
This new issue of a well-known Spanish review starts with a discussion of several items from the international news, like President Obama's visit to Europe, his speeches to the G20 and NATO and the potential special interest for the European Union of the United States' new political line. The review then studies issues connected with Spain's foreign policy, focussing on the war in Afghanistan, developments in the situation and the strategies that the EU should adopt along with the United States if the war is to be won. The review also includes a reflection on the introduction of a new multilateral financial architecture in the world by reforming the International Monetary Fund and a discussion of the prospects facing the world's poorest countries in this financial crisis. There is a short study of the ASEM cooperation model and suggestions about how to increase cooperation between Asia and Europe.
(NDu)
*** ROMAIN YAKEMTCHOUK: L'islam face à l'occident. Un heurt de civilisations? Editions L'Harmattan (5-7 rue de l'Ecole-Polytechnique, F-75005 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 40467920 - Fax: 43258203 - email: diffusion.harmattan@wanadoo.fr - Internet: http://www.librairieharmattan.com ). 2009, 236 pp. ISBN 978-2-296-09539-7.
The Islamic extremist threat has become a dominant factor in the eyes of the international community since 11 September 2001. Radical fundamentalism is seen by most Muslim countries as merely a virtual danger but some in the West wonder whether the Islamic world itself is not experiencing the first signs of a sustainable clash of civilisations. Emeritus professor at the 'Université Catholique de Louvain' in Belgium and editor-in-chief of the "Studia Diplomatica" review, Romain Yakemtchouk argues in this book for a drawing together of the Islamic and Western civilisations both of which claim to be based on the same values. He provides an overview of the Islamic religion and its expansion from its origins to the present day, and then describes the various forms it is found in throughout the world in order to determine whether the Islamic threat is myth or reality.
(NDu)
*** ALI AMAR: Mohammed VI, le grand malentendu. Dix ans de règne dans l'ombre de Hassan II. Calmann-Lévy (31 rue de Fleurus, F-75006 Paris. Tel: (33-1) 49543600 - Fax: 45448632 - Internet: http: //http://www.calmann-levy.fr ). 2009,334 pp. ISBN 978-2-7021-4010-9.
When King Hassan II of Morocco died, a lot of people in the West believed that the ascension of his son, Mohammed VI, to the throne would lead to a genuine burst of democracy in Morocco and give some breathing space to a country that had so long been governed by an iron fist. The way the journalist who has written this book sees it, the 'Moroccan Spring' has still not arrived, after ten years of King Mohammed VI, and very little has actually changed in Morocco. One of the founders of the “Journal" in 1977, the first independent Moroccan newspaper (that has clashed with the regime on many occasions), Ali Amar demonstrates in these pages that the reign of Mohammed VI, although taking a different form from his father's reign, is still an opulent, business-like dictatorship which plays the security card and uses the excuse of fighting the fundamentalists to justify torture and repression, while presenting the image to the outside world of a young, modern, moderate and open king who is a model of transition that it would be in the full interests of the Arab world to follow.
(NDu)