On February 17, 2022, the European Institute of Romania (EIR), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), organized the debate: “The EU in the world: The relationship between the European Union and the USA in the context of post-pandemic recovery and of global challenges” (online format – Zoom). The event was part of the series dedicated to the Conference on the Future of Europe and aimed to increase citizens’ awareness of the role involved by the cooperation between the European Union and the USA in supporting a world worder based on rules, democracy and human rights, values and common interests that the two partners have.
The main ideas presented during the debate were:
- During the last years, the transatlantic relationship have evolved from a state of cleavage to one characterized by the common desire to revitalize the ties using predictable and stable bases; 2022 is a very important year for the transatlantic relationship, reaffirming the partnership established between the United States of America and the EU’s member states both within NATO, which continues to guarantee the collective defense and security in Europe and throughout the Euro-Atlantic space, and in the partnership between EU-NATO and EU-USA; the EU-USA relationship is marked by a realignment of common interest areas’ objectives, being defined by an open partnership (called open relationship);
- The way the EU relates to the United States of America is a priority for the European citizens. This aspect can be easily noticed if we analyze the projects and the ideas presented during the Conference on the Future of Europe;
- The topics that have become the object of hostile propaganda actions in the last period are the following: a) “The EU is weak, thus we no longer need to make efforts to discuss with it”; b) the wannabe lack of humanity that exist in the transatlantic world and the exploitation of a divided/polarized public speech; it should be noted that none of the narratives passed the test of reality, although they were disseminated by certain representatives of the public opinion;
- Hybrid conflicts will continue to fuel certain tensions and fragmentations in the society; as a result, it is important to (re)learn how to live together in communities marked by different experiences and opinions;
- As far as the geostrategic environment is concerned, the accentuated rivalry between the USA and China, respectively the threat imposed by the Russian Federation, still represent elements which will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the structure of the transatlantic relations;
- We need a close cooperation with our transatlantic partners, both in a global context – to counteract the effects of the pandemic – and in terms of strengthening an international system based on rules, respectively complementary measures towards a sustainable and technological development;
- In areas of utmost importance such as environmental protection and climate change, the environmental security and the international trade are in a continuous process of realigning their visions and objectives; despite the efforts, there are still divergent perspectives that must be overcome. The latter are related to the assumed targets regarding the energy transition, the level of commitment to common assertive views and to the perspectives on agriculture and digital services;
- Both Romania and Central and Eastern Europe countries have always had two pillars: EU and NATO membership; Romania, as one of the USA’s strongest allies in the region, consistently supports, in Brussels, a intensified cooperation with the USA; more than that, Romania plays a key role in the field of security at the EU and NATO level, promoting a common approach, at NATO level, regarding the Black Sea or the issue of the frozen conflicts existing in the proximity of the EU borders.
- Joint transatlantic action is needed to promote the fundamental rights and freedoms in the EU’s neighbourhood, as well as globally; we need a renewed agenda if we take into consideration the integration of Western Balkans countries; as a matter of fact, the cooperation between the UE and the USA is increasingly articulated;
- A concrete example is represented by the transatlantic cooperation whose main goal is to mitigate the security threats in the Eastern neighbourhood;
- The implications of the pandemic for both the EU and the USA have brought about new arguments in favour of the development of a more effective multilateralism; as a part of the EU and the transatlantic partnership, Romania has quite significant chances and operability potential;
- The EU fails to be a unified global actor in the foreign policy by reason of many divided views (generated by different perceptions on the existing threats and objectives and by the risk of duplicating or weakening other dimensions essential to the members’ security);
- One of the most efficient way of strengthening the transatlantic partnership is the youth, they promoting the transatlantic values in their communities by participating in educational exchanges, scholarships, citizens’ initiatives and in other civic engagement projects; the regulatory standards in the digital field, the combat of disinformation through education, media or means to endure a fair green transition are interesting discussion topics for young people living in the EU and the USA;
- One of Romania’s competitive side may be represented by an advocacy campaign which promote the cooperation between the EU and the USA (joint study programmes, wide recognition of studies/diplomas, scientific exchanges);
- Research shows that social trust in advanced economies is lower among youth and those with a basic level of education, hence promoting educational exchanges represents one of the most efficient way youth can achieve new perspectives and knowledge, contributing significantly to autocratic trends’ turnaround.