The EU in 2018 and the global stage

The effects spread by Donald Trump’s successful climb to the White House, as well as the tension stemming from an increasing multipolar global stage are continuing to reverberate across the world. In addition, a series of European national elections have raised serious concerns about the political risks posed by the possible evolutions of the European Union. Nevertheless, after the Juncker’s Commission released a “White Paper” on the future of the EU, Emmanuel Macron’s victory in the French Presidential election, the Franco-German axis revival and the EU’s positive economic performances, Europe’s outlook appears far more reassuring compared to the beginning last year. However, there are still several crucial unknowns on the horizon: at EU level, Germany’s post-election negotiations have raised several doubts on the effectiveness of the French-German couple as a engine; in Italy, notably one of the four largest EU economies, and Sweden, the elections have added further degree of uncertainty on the future of the EU, while Europe’s East-West divide seems to deepen. Whereas, at a global level, the COP23, the Davos and the Munich summits have highlighted already known divergences between Europe and the US with special regard to trade, climate and foreign policy. In this context, emerging countries such as China, as well as Russia are adapting and sometimes taking advantage of the current European & North American political and economic setting.

Trump’s Presidency, Europe and Trade

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