EU International Relations Overview: Partnerships and Conflicts

1. International relations of EU. Conflict and Co-operation, Returning to a global role

2. About European Union • ITS a political-economic union of 28 members states; • It covers an area of 4.344.782 km2 and its population is of over 508 million; • Their values are based on equality, democracy and respect for Human Rights.

3. Historical Events • 1945-1959: A peaceful Europe • 1960 - 1969: The Swinging Sixties • 1970 - 1979: The first Enlargement • 1980 - 1989: The changing face of Europe • 1990 - 1999: A Europe without frontiers • 2000-2009: Further Expansion

4. International Relations of EU • Contributor to peace; • A responsible neighbor; • Development partner; • Human rights defender; • Partner to the United Nations; • Force for global security; • Trading bloc; • An expanding union.

5. United States of America • The biggest trade partner of the European Union are the USA; • Both systems are the democracy symbol; • They are two of the biggest power systems in the world; • They play the biggest role in International Organisations nowadays;

6. United States of America • Transatlantic Economic Partnership (TEP); • Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); • Transatlantic Consumer's Dialogue; • Transatlantic Business Council; • Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue; • EU-US energy control, • EU-US Policy Educational Forum; • EU-US Task Force on Biotechnology.

7. United States of America • Support democracy; • Safeguard peace and promote international security; • Sustain economic growth with low inflation; • Promote multilateral trading system; • Help countries in development;

8. China • China is the EU’s biggest source of import; • And second source major trading partner; • Major Agreement: High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HED); • Major Conflicts: China taking advantage of European debt crisis and Textiles conflict. Closer partners, growing responsibilities

9. India • One of the first countries ever to create a relation with the European Union; • Historical Co-operations: • The Joint Political Statement; • Cooperation Agreement; • Joint Action Plan. • The trades between EU and India have been growing at an incredible speed;

10. Japan • Their relation are based on shared values of democracy, human rights and market economics; • Strong political and trade relationship; • Political dialogue issues: • The UN reform; • Energy supply; • Security in terrorism. • Major Agreements: • Joint declaration (1991); • Action plan for EU-Japan cooperation (2001); • Free Trade Agreement (2011).

11. South Korea • This relation began in 1997 with the South Korea agreement on Co-operation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters; • Framework Agreement on Trade and Co-operation (2011), increased cooperation in: • Transport; • Energy; • Science; • Technology; • The FTA (2010), it was the first time that EU removed almost all tariffs.

12. Russia • Russia is the third biggest trading partner because of its gas supply; • Their relations weren’t only conflictuous and they´ve already made profitable co-operations: • The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) ; • EU-Russia Common Spaces: • Common Economic Space; • Freedom, Security and Safety; • External Security; • Research, Education and Culture • New Basic Agreement (NBA)

13. Russia • The issues that EU and Russia have had throughout history were because of: • Different cultures; • Different political systems; • Different economic points of view. • Key conflicts: • Gas disputes – 2009; • Tensions over Association Agreements – 2013; • Development of Russian political influence and financial links – 2014; • Allegations of Russian intimidation and destabilization of EU states – 2014; • Crimea Crisis - 2014

14. Russia • EU-Russia relations are going through challenging times; • Acceptance problems of EU in respect of Eurasian integrations; • Russia and the EU have not yet attained the level of a true strategic partnership; • The Ukraine crisis has highlighted the urgent need to jointly elaborate a model of EU-Russia relations;

15. SouthAmericaandCaribbean • The first summit was in 1999 and the agreement was to establish a Strategic Partnership; • EU-CELAC are facing major challenges, nowadays; • EU-CELAC met, this year, to discuss deeper the ties: • Drive trade and investment to create jobs and growth; • Share identity and values; • Protect citizens from dangers;

16. Australia • Australia and European Union have throughout history a good and strong relations; • Major Agreement- Partnership Framework (2008): • Shared foreign policy and global security interests; • Incorporate a bilateral trade and investment relationship; • Cooperate in energy issues, climate changes fisheries and forestry.

17. New Zealand • New Zealand's government thinks that the relation that they have with European Union is one of the most important; • Major cooperation- The EU-New Zealand Joint Declaration on Relations and Cooperation: • Facilitate EU market; • Reduce exports costs. • Nowadays, New Zealand are encouraging further reform of the EU's common Agriculture Policy.

18. Canada • Canada is one of  European Union’s oldest and closest partners; • All the co-operations between EU-Canada: • Agreement for Cooperation in thePeaceful Uses ofAtomicEnergy; • Framework AgreementofEconomicCooperation; • DeclarationonTransatlanticRelations; • JointActionPlan; • EU-Canada Partnership Agenda; • ComprehensiveEconomicandTradeAgreement (CETA); • TheStrategicPartnershipAgreement (SPA).

19. Ukraine • The current situation of Ukraine is socially and politically a tough one; • Thousands are protesting after changes in Ukraine’s socio-political system; • Much of this happen because of the presence of illegally armed groups and Russian military; • EU Council condemned the violent acts and sanctioned Russia and Ukraine;

20. Ukraine • On the 17th April, the EU, US, Ukraine and Russia gathered and issued a joint statement; • The new Ukraine’s government were more able to carry political and economical agreements with EU; • Nowadays, relation EU-Ukraine is on its way, still on improvement; • Major Agremeent: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)-1974

21. Turkey • Turkey could be one of the most important countries nowadays for EU: • Could reinforce the European Union position against Russia; • Makes frontier with Syria and Iraq, which are two big energy suppliers; • The relations between EU and Turkey have always been characterised by cooperation and conflict.

22. Turkey • Key historical factors: • The Ankara Agreement was signed (1963); • First attempt of Turkey for a full membership (1989); • The Custom Union was created (1996); • Because of Turkey’s reforms, European Union concluded that Turkey sufficiently fulfilled the political criteria and that accession talks could begin (2005); • Turkey frozen negotiations because of Cyprus’s president (2013); • Negotiations started again (2014); • The European Council, in 2015, said that is very likely that Turkey joins EU in 2023.

23. African Union • Sustained by two agreements • African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries • Joint Africa-EU strategy • Yearly Summits • Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace • Peace and Security • Democracy • Good Government • Human Rights • Future programmes • Plans until 2017

24. South Africa • Biggest trading partner in Africa • Shift from commodity product to diversifyed products • Investment increase • Foreign Direct Investment multiplied by 5 • Important political partner • Crucial impact on the whole African Continent • Important Economical Decisions

25. Europe´s Debt Crisis • Began in 2008 • Lost of trust in the Euro • Bail-out Programmes: • Portugal • Ireland • Italy • Greece • Doubt on Euro maintenance

26. Refugee Crisis • Situation in Syria • Civil War creating Human Rights violations • Millions escaping their homes • Mediterranean Crossings • Increase in crossings • Thousands of drownings • Uncontrollable flow of migrants • Fighting ISIS • War involving NATO, Russia, China • Paris terrorism attacks

27. Overflow of migrants and Aid • Refugee camps in Europe • 2014 had 552.000 asylum seekers • Aid provided • Germany 143 EUR monthly • Sweden 60-225 EUR monthly • France 90-718 EUR monthly • Over 1.2 billion EUR spent

28. Dublin regulation • Stay in the country they arrived in • Get registered (fingerprints) • Apply for refugee status • Get permit to travel in Schengen Area • Distribution quotas • EU distribution around countries, according to their area and GDP • Countries rejecting it • Poland • Hungary • Finland • Romania • Czech Republic

29. Conclusion • Trading/Investment partnerships • USA • China • Rusia • Conflicts • Ukranian Revolution • Migrant crisis • European debt crisis • Light on the end of the tunnel • Greece´s future recovery • Prospects on the future • Uncertainty • Maintenance of the Euro