'The State of European Foreign Policy' with Robert Cooper

Описание: with Robert Cooper, Visiting Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science

Europe is surrounded by an arch of instability. Russia's aggression in the East and the spread of radicalism, fundamentalism and instability in the Sahel, North Africa and the Middle East threaten Europe's security and interests. The European Union's diplomatic, economic and low-key crisis management responses to these situations has been denounced in some quarters, even if some of the member states - such as France in the Sahel - have shown resolve and purpose. How can the EU better respond to its neighbourhood and its global responsibilities?

Sir Robert Cooper is a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. During a long and distinguished career in the UK Foreign Office, Cooper served as Head of the Policy Planning Staff and as the UK’s Special Representative in Afghanistan. In 2002 he began his career with the European Union, first as Director-General for External and Politico-Military Affairs at the Council of the EU, and as a Counsellor with the European External Action Service. He is also the author of The Breaking of Nations: Order and Chaos in the Twenty-First Century (Atlantic Press, 2003).

This was the opening lecture of the Autumn Lecture Series 2014 entitled "The Future of European Geostrategy", which was jointly organised by the Institute for European Studies-VUB and the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations. To tweet about this lecture use the following hashtag: #EFSP14.