Between Hard and Soft Power

Although political debates were for the most part overshadowed by the Corona crisis at the beginning of 2021, this E-Paper wants to address the question of how the European Union could find its place in a more competitive world. The buzzwords of this debate were the concepts of strategic autonomy and strategic sovereignty of the EU. These concepts directed us automatically to another big question: the future of transatlantic relations. To what extent will the EU still need a strong American partner, and where should Brussels go forward on its own? How reliable and credible are US security commitments for Europe in the years ahead?

Also, there was general insecurity about the extent to which the EU can cope with crises in its Eastern and Southern neighbourhood. The overall consent was that the EU could do better, act more coherently and be a more credible power broker. Some ideas on how to improve European external action and some interesting insights into the ongoing debates on the future of Europe can be found in this reader.