17th European Forum Berlin

November 10–11, 2011, Berlin

Europe in the Global Arena – New Challenges for the Economy and Politics

The transatlantic partnership has long since lost its importance as the driving force behind the global economy. As a result of the global crisis, the United States is struggling with stagnating growth rates, rising unemployment, record budget deficits, and excessive foreign debt. At the same time, Europe strives to bridge the divide between the ailing states in southern Europe, which are on the verge of bankruptcy, on the one hand and the stability- and export-oriented northern countries of the eurozone on the other hand. The rapidly growing BRIC states, in particular China with its immense dollar and euro reserves, its industry’s export orientation, which is boosted by currency advantages, and its unabated, expansionist hunger for resources, benefit from the weak U.S. economy and the asymmetries within the EU. How will Europe respond to this shift of power towards the East? This was the key question addressed by the first panel on “Global Shifts of Power – What Leeway for Europe?”

In Greece, the imposed austerity measures do not (yet) bring about economic stabilization, in Italy companies threaten to relocate abroad because of a decade-long reform stalemate, Germany is experiencing a strong economic boom, and the financial industry in the UK is picking up again. Given such disparate developments, how can Europe as a whole strengthen its competitiveness? This was the main focus of the second panel entitled “Europe’s Quest for More Competitiveness – Opportunities after the Crisis.”

The third panel’s attention dealt with the possible “Changes in Europe’s Energy Policy after Fukushima.” The nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima has led to a political paradigm shift in Germany. Across all political parties, the gradual move away from nuclear power and the promotion of renewable energies are proclaimed as the new goals. Some of Germany’s economic and political partners such as France, the United States or Great Britain, however, continue to invest in nuclear energy, using the argument of national energy security. Will the gigantic bet on boosting innovation through renewable energies ultimately pay off for Germany and other European countries and thus lead to a re-orientation of European energy policy as a whole?

The video-recordings of the event are available here.