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	European Policy Summit report The State of Europe at 50: Looking to the next 50 years Friends of Europe’s VIP policy summit “The State of Europe at 50” on 4 October 2007 saw a high-level roundtable discussion of what Europe has achieved in half a century, and how the EU should tackle the domestic and global issues it now faces. The roundtable was held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, and coincided with the 75th birthday of Viscount Etienne Davignon, President of Friends of Europe. Our support and involvement in this event is a mark of our commitment to the European project. Thursday, December 20, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Development Policy Forum Should Climate Change Alter Development Policy Thinking? On December 4, Friends of Europe launched its Development Policy Forum (DPF) with an evening debate entitled “Should climate change alter development policy thinking?”. Whether or not the thinking on development policy has evolved to accept the reality, no one can argue that climate change is not already affecting delivery of that policy. On the one hand, natural hazards such as droughts, freak weather events and flooding are undermining existing aid efforts. On the other, any development programme which has not been ‘climate-proofed’ may well be exacerbating these impacts. With one-third of current aid going to areas that face climate change risks, there are signs that this aid is increasingly being diverted into disaster relief. Emergencies are eating up cash intended to help countries meet long-term goals, threatening development. International institutions, donors and NGOs are well aware that money is being wasted as long as they fail to address this. Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Does the European economy need more migrant workers? The question of whether the European economy needs more migrant workers covers a multitude of issues: immigration, employment, economic growth, labour shortages, the plans for an EU 'Blue Card', and even development policy. All of these topics were touched upon during the ‘Café Crossfire’ lunch debate. The results of the discussions can be read in this Summary of Debates. Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report Africa Unbound: Development, Health and Investment Strategies 2010-2020 There has been widespread consensus that Africa’s structural political weaknesses and the debilitating effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic were set to prevent it from enjoying the fruits of today’s rapidly globalising world economy. Yet the IMF now points to sub-Saharan Africa as a new growth area, and the creation by China of major investment and trade links is spurring fresh interest in Europe and the US. How high on the rich countries’ priority lists is Africa set to rise, and to what extent is health policy being seen as a fundamental element in their strategies? What role can private investors in Africa play in promoting growth and addressing health challenges? Organised ahead of what is only the second EU-Africa Summit that took place Lisbon, the two-day international conference “Africa Unbound: Development, Health and Investment Strategies 2010-2020” addressed the issues of EU and Africa relations, meeting the Millennium Development Goals, health and health services infrastructure, the role of the public-private sector in the developing world, as well as investment into the African continent and good governance. Thank you for your patience while downloading this report Monday, December 10, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Separating fact from fiction in Euope's biofuels debate? Biofuels jumped to the top of the political agenda this year when EU leaders committed to raising their share in transport fuels from current levels of less than 2% to as much as 10% by 2020, in order to reduce Europe’s oil dependency and address concerns over rising oil prices, security of energy supply and climate change. However, no sooner was the target set than arose all sorts of questions and doubts about the feasibility of biofuels’ widespread development and commercialisation, their sustainability, their impact on agriculture and global trade and their capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A dinner debate, co-organised by General Motors Corporation at Friends of Europe on 16 October, gathered stakeholders from all horizons in an attempt to provide answers to some of these questions, with its results to be read in this report. Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire What ideas does the food industry have for the EU's anti-obesity drive and for making healthy options available? Obesity is a problem that is affecting many developed societies and if the everincreasing numbers of those who can be defined as obese cannot be reduced shortly Europe will pay in many ways including spiralling health costs, disease and increased mortality. The question put to the guest speakers and the audience at the Friends of Europe Café Crossfire event on 4 October 2007 was what the food industry has done to help combat the EU’s anti-obesity drive. Tuesday, October 09, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report Water Security - Does Europe have a Strategy? Europe may as yet not have a fully fledged water security strategy, but it certainly has the building blocks to develop one that will fortify it against the threats to water posed by climate change. That was the tenure of a day of intense discussion between EU and national policymakers, NGOs and industry leaders gathered in Brussels for the European Policy Summit on the challenges being created by climate change and inadequate water management, which was co-organised by Friends of Europe and the European Water Partnership on 7 June. Monday, October 01, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Atlantic Rendez-Vous report Horizon 2020 / Green Week Climate change, energy efficiency and carbon markets are critical issues on both sides of the Atlantic. Trade and industrial considerations have played a part in the environmental policy differences between Europe and the US. But with growing consensus across the Atlantic on the speed and seriousness of climate change, now the question is what common goals and agendas for action are taking shape. In this framework, biofuels are playing an increasingly important role in both Europe and America. The Bush Administration has focused on increasing biofuel production to reduce America’s dependency on oil imports. Will EU concerns about both energy security and more environmentally friendly transport systems push European agriculture in the same direction? How should Brussels and Washington be concerting their environmental and agriculture policy thinking to ensure they are working together rather than against one another? Friday, September 28, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Are global safety rules an achievable goal? Just as the EU is nearing achievement of its ambitious REACH programme for making chemicals safer, sights are being set on the global goal of a UN system for worldwide chemicals classification and labeling. Agreed in 2002 at the Johannesburg summit on Sustainable Development, the new GHS system is due to be implemented in 2008. But practical difficulties abound over the consistency of standards and administrative procedures, raising questions about how GHS might be fine-tuned if it is to be globally effective. Wednesday, September 12, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Atlantic Rendez-Vous report Defining the EU-China-US policy triangle This report presents the outcome of the third Atlantic Rendez-Vous (ARV) project in Friends of Europe’s 2006-2007 ARV series. The ARV series is an initiative of Friends of Europe in collaboration with the European Commission Delegation to the US and Gallup Europe. It aims to create a platform for enhanced dialogue and policy debate between the EU and the US on key transatlantic issues. The pioneering transatlantic satellite format that connects Brussels and Washington in a lively TV-style debate, and the contributions of a wide range of American and European experts, make Friends of Europe’s ARV series unique in its genre, represent an unprecedented attempt to create a transatlantic platform for debate Sunday, July 01, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	European Policy Summit report Changing our energy culture The European Commission believes structural reforms to the energy sector are needed and is seeking to split ownership of energy producers and the distribution network so that producers no longer have to worry about grid issues in thinking about their energy mix, to increase the power of regulators and to boost the carbon market – Europe is now the global centre for carbon trade, with a golden opportunity to take global leadership in an area that is going to be of huge importance to the world economy in years to come. Tuesday, June 26, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Atlantic Rendez-Vous report Energy: Security of supply and climate change: are America and Europe energy collaborators or competitors? The global energy landscape has evolved rapidly in recent months and has confronted the EU and the US with a range of problems that threaten their prosperity and the sustainability of their economies. Increased global insecurity and greater scientific understanding of the human impact on the world’s climate have pushed the twin threats of energy security and climate change to the top of the political agenda. As a result, governments around the world have been spurred into action. It is against this background that Friends of Europe publishes this ARV report on energy. Wednesday, June 20, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Did the Commission get the balance right in proposing the aviation carbon cap? The dinner debate co-organised by Deutsche Post World Net at Friends of Europe on 15 May discussed whether the Commission was on the right track with its December 2006 proposal on airline emissions. Air travel contributes roughly 1.5% of total carbon dioxide emissions in the EU. Although this is a small amount, studies indicate that this figure could rise rapidly, threatening to counter progress made by industry to meet the EU Kyoto target of cutting greenhouse gases by 8% in 2012 (compared to 1990 levels). Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Policy Spotlight report Time and Substance: Twin challenges for Portugal's EU Presidency Speaking at the latest Friends of Europe Policy Spotlight, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luís Amado spelled out his country’s comprehensive plans for the next EU Presidency. Describing the urgent need for a new constitutional treaty, Amado said the basis already exists and that Portugal will act quickly if it receives the appropriate mandate in June from the German Presidency. The Minister also set out the case for a greater focus on the EU’s southern borders and for a solid partnership with the African Union. Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Political Cartoons: Where should we draw the line? Cartoons have the ability to cause mirth and merriment for many, but they can also produce violent and angry reactions, like those seen in Denmark after the publication of the illustrations portraying the prophet Mohammed last year. But are cartoonists contributing to a problem that already exists, or are they merely reflecting its existence in our society? Because cartoons can communicate in a language that is more clear and precise than text, how can policymakers harness this power to create a positive symbol for Europe? Friday, May 04, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Friends of Europe discussion paper Road-map To A New Treaty The new report by Friends of Europe argues that a solution is within reach if the leaders set aside the huge text of the Constitution agreed by governments, but rejected by French and Dutch voters, and concentrate on a short treaty designed to make the Union work better by some practical changes to the organisation. The wider use of majority voting and better coordination of decision-making are the essential elements to make the Union both more democratic and more efficient. Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Are vehicle emissions the Achilles' Heel of Europe's climate change strategy? The EU’s recent proposal to introduce binding caps on the amount of CO2 that new cars can emit has created fears within the industry that Europe’s manufacturers will be at a competitive disadvantage with the rest of the world. But how can we reconcile the environmental imperative to cut emissions with the desire to keep European business afloat? Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Is a pan-European postal market now in sight? As the target date looms for the completion of a single internal market in postal services (set for January 2009) the European Commission is optimistic that the groundwork has been laid to meet the deadline. But will postal liberalisation lead to increased competition and more benefits both for the market and for consumers? Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Europe's innovation-driven future - Do we have a road-map? If innovation is the key to Europe’s future, as President Barroso commented at the recent Friends of Europe debate, and we are relying on European talent to help us fight the twin challenges of climate change and security of energy supply, then a co-ordinated strategy on commercialising our research is essential. With a European Institute of Technology and the FP7 Programme for funding research and development activities, we have the tools to begin to close the innovation gap between Europe and its American and Asian competitors. But it’s crucial that any new institutions set up are not rendered inoperable by excess bureaucracy and red tape. Monday, March 26, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Policy Spotlight report François Bayrou's Strategy for Refounding Europe François Bayrou, President of France’s UDF centrist party and candidate in the presidential elections in May, outlined his strategy to address the fundamental crises facing the EU. In his landmark address he outlined how France needs to be at the centre of efforts to provoke a Europe-wide political debate on the EU’s future. Bayrou saw ratification of this new constitution by referendum by the French electorate as the only way to re-establish the link between the French nation and the European ideal. Thursday, March 08, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Can self-regulation cut through the EU's red tape? Red Tape at a European level is often considered a burden on business, so what are the incentives to cut regulation or introduce self-regulation for certain industry sectors? Proponents of self-regulation claim that removing the administrative burden on companies can add to national GDP, and create money for investment in growth and jobs. But the issues of trust and protection of the consumer must also be addressed. Monday, March 05, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire What should be the EU's stance in the global debate on GMOs? Since becoming a major policy issue at the end of the last decade, the debate over the use of GMOs has been dominated by major disagreements on both sides – each one informed by different bodies of scientific evidence. A central question to be answered is how Europe’s stance on GMOs affects policy in other parts of the world – particularly in developing economies whose concerns in the GMO debate are very different from ours in Europe. Tuesday, February 20, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Conference report The World Poverty Agenda: How the IMF Sees It Despite the global economy enjoying one of its best periods for continued economic growth since World War II, the problem of poverty still exists in many parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The prevailing feeling at the recent roundtable discussion was that, although the IMF should have a role in poverty reduction, it cannot act alone to relieve world poverty. International co-operation is crucial to ensure developing countries gain access to trade, can predict levels of foreign aid and are able to achieve political and economic stability. Friday, February 09, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire The European Agencies: Who Needs Them? The first EU agency was set up in 1994 and their numbers have now grown to 32, addressing European policy areas such as airline certification, environment, defence and food safety. But what benefits do European agencies bring to Member States and to European citizens? And how do they fit into the decision-making and legislative process alongside national and EU institutions? Monday, January 29, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Café Crossfire Whetting the consumer's appetite for new EU food labelling rules The labels on food products are the closest that many people get to EU rules and regulations, and offer European policymakers a valuable means of encouraging healthier eating. With the Commission now pondering a revised nutrition labelling directive, what should be the ingredients for a new and unified EU-wide system? What sort of information should consumers be able to find on food labels and packaging, and how should the new directive reconcile scientific rigour with better communication? Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe
	Summary of Debate - Policymakers' Dinner Does Europe yet have the roads that lead to economic prosperity? Europe’s roads, and in particular motorways, are the arteries of the economy, and the EU’s enlargement underlines the wide differences and challenges that already exist in the Union’s roads infrastructure. The European Commission’s revised Transport White Paper is a tool that can be used to address the issues of fatalities on the roads, public/private partnerships and technological challenges – but is it the right tool? Monday, January 22, 2007 Download a copy of the document in: EN Friends of Europe