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	European Policy Summit report Bringing the Balkans into Mainstream Europe Despite the prospect of EU accession bringing an element of solidarity to the countries of the region, internal tensions remain on the agenda. The unresolved issues of Kosovo and Montenegro are never far from people’s minds. The creation of a unified Europe will require a fundamental shift in the positions of regional players and of the EU itself. How many of the players are willing to move? These were just some of the questions posed at Friends of Europe’s sixth Balkans European Policy Summit, which was one of the most exhilarating to date. Key speakers included Ollie Rehn, European Commissioner for Enlargement, Boris Tadic, President of the Republic of Serbia, Mladen Ivanic, Foreign Affairs Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Carl Bildt, International Commission on the Balkans. Thursday, December 08, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Is Europe on the road to greater transport efficiency? Transport needs to be seen in the light of the whole range of European policy-making and political reality according Dorette Corbey MEP, Member of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, opening the debate organized by Friends of Europe at the Bibliothèque Solvay on European transport policy. Corbey noted that following the results of the constitutional referendum in the Netherlands and France, Europe needs to urgently deliver on several policy issues, the most important being jobs and protection of the environment. Wednesday, November 30, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Protectionism vs Liberalisation: The outlook for trade talks For the Commission, Karl-Friedrich Falkenberg, Deputy Director General for Trade, argued that if the Hong Kong talks failed there was a real probability that the EU would take the blame. That was due less in substance than to the EU’s structure – 25 Member States and 25 opinions. No other negotiating partner had to contend with that kind of handicap. Earlier, Mr. Falkenberg had struck a positive note, stating that the various WTO rounds had led to more open international trade than ever before. He described the trade negotiations as a gradual process, within which incremental progress was essential to avoid falling back into protectionist policies. Monday, November 28, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Closing ranks: What future for European defence? The latest of the Bibliothèque Solvay’s debates, held under the auspices of the Fondation Robert Schuman, the New Defence Agenda, Friends of Europe, and the Hans Seidel Stiftung, looked at the future of the European defence policy. Based on the level of agreement reached by the main speakers, that future is extremely promising. The only hint of disagreement came when, rather like Banquo’s ghost, the spectre of the Constitution arrived. High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana saw the EU caught in a vicious circle, where it could only become efficient (and take rapid decisions) if it changed its structure, and it could not make those changes without first convincing the public that it was an efficient body. He wanted an EU that acted quickly, one that was far removed from a Union that took decisions at monthly meetings. Monday, November 21, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Has the EU's transport policy yet delivered results? Friends of Europe’s latest Café Crossfire turned its gaze on the EU’s transport policy. With volumes of road traffic increasing, concerns were expressed about future congestion and the impact on climate change. The Commission was pinning its hopes on the results of the White Paper’s mid-term review but it was obvious that much more was needed. A large dose of political will was the number one requirement, as the Commission could not be expected to deliver all the answers on its own. For Zoltan Kazatsay, Deputy Director General for Energy and Transport at the European Commission, the priority was to reach a decision on who would be paying for the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T)1, essential infrastructure estimated to cost in the region of € 600 billion. Tuesday, November 08, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report Beyond Kyoto: Searching for a sustainable energy/environment balance Something has to be done: This was the general tenor of the most recent Friends of Europe policy summit on energy. Andris Piebalgs, the EU’s Energy Commissioner, set the scene, outlining the EU’s energy policy, which is based on three parallel objectives: the production of competitive energy prices; a guaranteed and secure supply of energy; and a limit on the impact of energy on the environment. Piebalgs preferred approach was to use the carrot rather than the stick, and he described how he aimed to secure essential energy supplies, via strategic partnerships, and the use of incentives to reduce future demand. Tuesday, October 18, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report The State of Europe 2005 When debating a crisis in the European Union, participants in that debate can do no more than take a snapshot of the situation at that time. Thus the following pages record the views of an interesting and influential group of people as they discuss, in early October of last year, the difficulties surrounding both the EU’s stalled constitutional treaty and its lacklustre Lisbon Agenda for overhauling and streamlining the Union’s economic development. The occasion was Friends of Europe’s 2005 State of Europe roundtable, which brought together some 45 heavy-hitters from around the EU for a day long debate on the Union’s outlook at a time when its stock both in terms of public opinion and political achievement seemed to have sunk to the lowest level in many years. Wednesday, October 05, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire After the 'No's: Getting Europe Back on Track "After the "No's": Getting Europe Back on Track" offers ideas for breaking out of the political crisis that has gripped the EU since mid-year, when the French and Dutch referendums saw voters reject the Constitutional Treaty. Like a number of our earlier reports, this one does not set out a common text that all of its authors have been able to agree on. Instead, it presents in Part I an assessment by Friends of Europe of the broad areas of consensus they share, while their individual views are presented in Part II. Saturday, October 01, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Robert Cox, Giles Merritt and Keith Richardson
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Can Europe close the education gap? With growth, competitiveness and jobs on everyone’s minds, the latest Café Crossfire looked at the one factor most likely to impact all three – education. With Europe seemingly lagging behind the US and Asia in the education stakes, the debate focussed on the actions that had to be taken to close the gap. It was agreed that Europe could learn from the US but, equally, that it should not ape its transatlantic cousin. Educational establishments had to be of a high quality in order to compete globally and that meant being more open and more flexible. There is, indeed, a case for lifelong learning. Tuesday, September 27, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Are the developed countries hitting the Millennium Development Goals? A recurring theme during the debate was that maintaining the currently trendy mantra of pure economic liberalisation to boost growth could be a recipe for disaster for African countries struggling to reach a sustainable level of economic and social development in a globalised world. Most speakers and participants appeared to agree that key development goals cannot be met simply via liberalisation alone. At the same time, a move away from traditional top-down aid schemes and IMF-style structural adjustment programmes was advocated by several speakers. Creating a real sense of 'ownership' on the ground and promoting good governance were moreover highlighted as the most effective ways to foster real progress. Thursday, September 22, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner What will REACH look like after the European Parliament has had its say? The lunchtime debate organised by Friends of Europe debated the outlook for the controversial REACH chemicals directive as it approaches a crucial vote in the European Parliament on October 4. MEPs, representatives from industry and environmental NGOs taking part agreed that the consumer’s right to information must be kept at the heart of the proposed new laws on chemicals testing. And there was a broad consensus that consumer confidence in chemicals must be won back. REACH, (the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) had been conceived to do that. But ongoing disputes over the scope of the directive and the role of a new Central Chemicals Agency will leave EU legislators with the difficult task of balancing the protection of consumer health with ensuring competitiveness for European industry. Tuesday, September 20, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Making sense of the debate on protecting Intellectual Property Within two years, the EU-25 should be implementing a new Directive for strengthening, streamlining and harmonizing European rules for protecting intellectual property, ranging from industrial products and processes to artistic and creative copyright. Europe also continues to play a leading role in fashioning a global rulebook on intellectual property protection. But is the EU's IPR strategy correct? Friends of Europe's debate examined how Europe is reconciling demands such as access to medicines whilst protecting the IPR behind new technologies that are the fruit of private investment and development. Participants discussed the social, political and economic context behind new legislation and IPR in general. The debate also noted the complex nature of the balance between consumers' rights and the need for producers to be protected against counterfeiting. Monday, June 20, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Could older people give the European economy a new dynamic? Europe has an ageing population. In France, by 2050, there will be less than two employed people for each pensioner, compared with four workers in 2003. The figures are more dramatic in Italy. It is forecast there will be more pensioners than workers in the same timeframe – an increase from the current one and a half workers per pensioner. Across Europe, rates vary but the trend is consistent - more pensioners, less workers. With the additional problem of a declining birth rate, the European Commission forecast that “Europe will lack 20.8 million people of working age” within 25 years. With the EU’s economy on the line, it will undoubtedly be necessary for “older people” to prolong their working lives. Many of these experienced workers do want to contribute productively to society, but they are meeting barriers. This is the background to the joint Friends of Europe – Allaince for Health in the Future debate on “ageing and employment in Europe”. Tuesday, June 14, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report The Environmental Challenge of Global Transport The EU has begun reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and now needs to develop its medium- and long-term strategies for winning the battle against climate change, inside Europe and in cooperation with the international community. The two-day Friends of Europe Press and Policymakers’ Roundtable, 1-2 June 2005 during the European Commission’s Green Week, provided an invaluable opportunity for stakeholders, including NGOs, industry, journalists, politicians and policymakers, to come together and debate how best to meet the challenges of global warming. Wednesday, June 01, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Does Europe have a gas strategy? Enlargement, with ten new members entering the Union in May 2004, has accelerated the switch towards greater dependence on gas. By 2020, gas may account up to a third of the Union’s energy consumption. With the increasing role of non-European gas imports, political debate in Europe over future policies for the gas sector must show greater results. Gas sector investment policies, too, face growing demands. Essential elements of EU gas strategy must include increasing the variety of sources, promotion of energy efficiency, renewables and improvement in the functioning of the internal market for gas. Speakers noted that the current strategy, as outlined by Energy Commissioner Piebalgs, does underscore these elements, even if continuous adaptation to the market and other circumstances is necessary. This dynamic gas strategy must also take account of concerns over global climate change that has already begun to influence business and political agendas. Wednesday, May 25, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Who's next in the Commission's anti-trust firing line? Reform of the EU competition policy will almost certainly have long-lasting effects on companies, consumers and governments. Reform has decentralised some anti-trust powers of the Competition Commission and allowed national authorities to play a greater role. The Commission has also abandoned the burdensome “notification system” that required it to sign off on every agreement between companies that might restrict competition. The new rules are expected to strengthen the Commission's investigative powers and allow it to focus on cartels and other serious challenges to competition. Monday, May 02, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Atlantic Rendez-Vous report What lessons in the war against terror can the EU and US exchange? Co-operation across the Atlantic is ever more important in the fight against terrorism and requires greater understanding between EU and US policymaking communities. But what key challenges in security cooperation remain? Different sources of competence remain complicated for US policymakers. On the other hand, how can the EU have a common approach if Member States retain the final say and remain responsible for implementation? Monday, April 25, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report Charting China's Impact on the World Economy Participants underlined the positive nature of the China-EU relationship, not just for the two partners, but for the world. These positive aspects include greater scientific, economic and cultural cooperation between China and the EU. They are most spectacularly evidenced by a two-way trade volume that has grown to 200 billion euros or 72 times its volume in 1975. Despite the immense progress in relations, there is a continued need for dialogue and further analysis of a wide range of issues. The numerous concerns discussed by participants included human rights, China's tense relations with Taiwan and Japan, protection of intellectual property, stability of the banking system, market access, market economy status for China as well as the rise in Chinese textile imports. Differences, though, are to be expected between partners with such diverse economic, political and cultural traditions. The only way forward, participants noted, is through dialogue exemplified during the numerous China-EU summits. Tuesday, April 19, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Private Lunch with Commissioner Wallström - Summary of discussions Continuing a long tradition of examining the communication strategy of the European institutions, Friends of Europe together with Vice-President of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, invited an impressive gathering of communication specialists and Friends of Europe VIPs to a lunch debate on the emerging EU information and communication strategy of the Barroso Commission. Launching the debate, Commissioner Wallström stressed it was a listening exercise aimed at testing strategy and receiving input. She detailed some of the preparations behind Commission's new Communication strategy. Participants pointed to many issues including the urgency of a better communication strategy with clearer Eurospeak, a more national and local focus on the information, as well as a more powerful branding of Europe. The European project is difficult to communicate and certainly more complicated than that of communicating a major corporation or organisation. There also needs to be more cooperation and synchronisation with different EU institutions. Monday, April 18, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire L'Europe de la culture, une Europe pas comme les autres? Le thème de la culture européenne, l'un des piliers du sentiment d'appartenance des citoyens à une collectivité, apparaît particulièrement propice alors que l'UE est en plein débat sur son avenir et qu'une partie de ses citoyens la remettent en cause. Pour discuter du thème "L'Europe de la culture, une Europe pas comme les autres?" étaient présents Jacques Rigaud, Président de l'Association pour le Développement du Mécénat Industriel et Commercial (ADMICAL), Bernard Focroulle, Directeur Général de la Monnaie et Nikolaus Van der Pas, Directeur Général de la DG Culture et Education à la Commission européenne. Monday, April 11, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: FR Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Could the EU's looming budget row split into 'haves' and 'have-nots'? Two decades ago budgetary wrangling, notably over the British rebate, cast a long dark shadow over relations between EU Member States. Today, fierce disagreement is again raging between those countries seeking to limit EU spending to one percent of GNI, and those supporting the European Commission's case for 1.14 percent. The Friends of Europe 'Café Crossfire' debate on the Financial Perspectives sought, then, to clarify the most likely outcome. Participants examined which countries stand to win or lose the most, what aspects of the EU budget must be maintained, and how far new EU member states will be disadvantaged. There is a serious risk that the negotiations over the EU financial perspective 2007-2013 may well not be completed during 2005. This may cause a re-evaluation of such key European policies as the Common Agricultural Policy, Research and Development and also areas like cohesion policy. For many participants, such an outcome would open the risk of creating a Europe of have's and have not's rather than implementing promised cohesion. Wednesday, April 06, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Is transport in Europe a problem or a solution? With the European Commission turning its focus to an upcoming mid-term review of European Union transport policy, Friends of Europe invited key stakeholders to a dinner debate examining what should be the key findings of the mid-term review due in December 2005. The debate also examined issues such as the de-coupling of economic growth from demands for transport and the new Barroso Commission's re-think on EU transport policy. The major conclusion was that more efficient transport, including road transport, is essential to maintaining global competitiveness of the European economy. Monday, April 04, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire How will the EU's R&D boost help meet the Lisbon Agenda? On the eve of adoption of the Seventh Research Framework Programme, the main financial and legal instrument behind the implementation of a European Research Area (ERA), Friends of Europe, together with the Swiss Mission to the EU turned attention to the role of research and development in attaining the goals set by the Lisbon strategy. Participants, stakeholders from industry, research and European institutions, stressed a number of major points that Europe needs to address. These points included increasing EU research funding, creating European Centres of Excellence, and establishing a European Research Council to stimulate basic research. Europe needs to be more attractive for researchers by establishing a European Research Area, financing basic research that attracts the best and most innovative minds. European policy-makers must also ensure that increased public-private partnership serves to boost private R&D spending. Wednesday, March 23, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe,
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire How can Europe overcome the pensions crisis? The crisis over the chronic under-funding of pensions across Europe has pushed the issue of retirement benefits towards the top of the EU's priority list. How well are EU countries doing in tackling the "pensions time-bomb" at a national level, and what is the outlook for schemes that would fully promote labour market flexibility across Europe? These were the questions that brought together some 100 participants from various horizons, financia l and insurance representatives, national and EU institutions officials and social partners at la Bibliothèque Solvay. Tuesday, March 08, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Will REACH be enough to reassure Europe's consumers? Fine-tuning the REACH programme to ensure chemical safety in Europe is well-underway, but to what extent will it reassure consumers in their use of chemicals and chemical products? Friends of Europe, with the support of Unilever, examined this question at an exclusive lunch debate on 2 March 2005. A wide range of stakeholders discussed the need to provide consumers with the necessary information so as to manage risk safely and effectively. Wednesday, March 02, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Joint Friends of Europe and Gallup Europe Poll Europe - The Way Ahead in 2006 Responding to a special ‘EU Leaders Poll’ conducted by Gallup Europe in partnership with Friends of Europe, some 100 politicians, journalists, officials, NGO chiefs and top businessmen have set out their views on how the Union should address the crisis over its failed Constitution. By a wide margin of 77% they thought EU leaders should re-introduce its most important elements. Tuesday, March 01, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Is the EU doing enough to promote the cashless single market? Secretary General of Friends of Europe Giles Merritt opened the dinner debate on progress toward a cashless single market by noting the remarkable cross-section of opinion and experience in banking and financial services present in the Bibliothèque Solvay. This breadth of experience in the financial services sector, said Merritt, was also evidenced by the three introductory speakers. Monday, February 14, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Atlantic Rendez-Vous Finding common ground on the Greater Middle East The years 2003 and 2004 were tumultuous ones for EU and US relations with the Middle East – not to mention the EU-US relationship itself. The Iraq crisis drove a wedge between the old allies over pressing Middle Eastern issues: Palestine; dealing with terrorism, such as in Iraq, and with weapons of mass destruction and nuclear proliferation, such as in Iran; creating peace and stability and spreading democracy. A Friends of Europe Atlantic Rendez-Vous policy debate brought together policymakers, experts and large audiences in both Brussels and Washington DC via satellite link for a lively reassessment of these issues. Monday, January 24, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Stephen Gardner
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Fuelling tomorrow's road transport: From well to wheel Carbon-based fuels in transport have driven economic development. However, an increasing amount of data points to negative effects and to how the carbon-based economy may be drawing to an end with increased instability of supplies, higher costs, and growing needs of new powers such as China and the Asian tiger economies. These factors have engendered a vigorous debate on alternative fuels amongst policy-makers. They also prompted a Café Crossfire debate on Monday, 17 January 2005 on “Fuelling tomorrow's road transport: from well to wheel”. This is the report of the debate’s proceedings. Monday, January 17, 2005 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe