G7 Statement

 2021 G7 Leaders' communiqué: Our shared agenda for global action to build back better

We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, met in Cornwall on 11-13 June 2021 determined to beat COVID-19 and build back better.  We remembered everyone who has been lost to the pandemic and paid tribute to those still striving to overcome it. Inspired by their example of collaboration and determination, we gathered united by the principle that brought us together originally, that shared beliefs and shared responsibilities are the bedrock of leadership and prosperity.  Guided by this, our enduring ideals as free open societies and democracies, and by our commitment to multilateralism, we have agreed a shared G7 agenda for global action to:

End the pandemic and prepare for the future by driving an intensified international effort, starting immediately, to vaccinate the world by getting as many safe vaccines to as many people as possible as fast as possible. Total G7 commitments since the start of the pandemic provide for a total of over two billion vaccine doses, with the commitments since we last met in February 2021, including here in Carbis Bay, providing for one billion doses over the next year. At the same time we will create the appropriate frameworks to strengthen our collective defences against threats to global health by: increasing and coordinating on global manufacturing capacity on all continents; improving early warning systems; and support science in a mission to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, treatments and tests from 300 to 100 days.

Reinvigorate our economies by advancing recovery plans that build on the $12 trillion of support we have put in place during the pandemic. We will continue to support our economies for as long as is necessary, shifting the focus of our support from crisis response to promoting growth into the future, with plans that create jobs, invest in infrastructure, drive innovation, support people, and level up so that no place or person, irrespective of age, ethnicity or gender is left behind. This has not been the case with past global crises, and we are determined that this time it will be different.

Secure our future prosperity by championing freer, fairer trade within a reformed trading system, a more resilient global economy, and a fairer global tax system that reverses the race to the bottom. We will collaborate to ensure future frontiers of the global economy and society, from cyber space to outer space, increase the prosperity and wellbeing of all people while upholding our values as open societies. We are convinced of the potential of technological transformation for the common good in accordance with our shared values.

Protect our planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs, cuts emissions and seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. We commit to net zero no later than 2050, halving our collective emissions over the two decades to 2030, increasing and improving climate finance to 2025; and to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of our land and oceans by 2030. We acknowledge our duty to safeguard the planet for future generations. 

Strengthen our partnerships with others around the world. We will develop a new partnership to build back better for the world, through a step change in our approach to investment for infrastructure, including through an initiative for clean and green growth. We are resolved to deepen our current partnership to a new deal with Africa, including by magnifying support from the International Monetary Fund for countries most in need to support our aim to reach a total global ambition of $100 billion.

Embrace our values as an enduring foundation for success in an ever-changing world. We will harness the power of democracy, freedom, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights to answer the biggest questions and overcome the greatest challenges. We will do this in a way that values the individual and promotes equality, especially gender equality, including by supporting a target to get 40 million more girls into education and with at least $2¾ billion for the Global Partnership for Education.

We shall seek to advance this open agenda in collaboration with other countries and within the multilateral rules-based system. In particular, we look forward to working alongside our G20 partners and with all relevant International Organisations to secure a cleaner, greener, freer, fairer and safer future for our people and planet.

U.S.-EU Summit Statement

JUNE 15, 2021

Towards a Renewed Transatlantic Partnership

1.      The United States and the European Union represent 780 million people who share democratic values and the largest economic relationship in the world. We have a chance and a responsibility to help people make a living and keep them safe and secure, fight climate change, and stand up for democracy and human rights. We laid the foundations of the world economy and the rules-based international order after World War II based on openness, fair competition, transparency, and accountability. Some of the rules need an update: to protect our health, our climate and planet, to ensure democracy delivers and technology improves our lives.

2.      We, the leaders of the European Union and the United States, met today to renew our Transatlantic partnership, set a Joint Transatlantic Agenda for the post-pandemic era, and commit to regular dialogue to take stock of progress.

3.      Together, we intend to: (i) end the COVID-19 pandemic, prepare for future global health challenges, and drive forward a sustainable global recovery; (ii) protect our planet and foster green growth; (iii) strengthen trade, investment, and technological cooperation; and (iv) build a more democratic, peaceful, and secure world. We are committed to uphold the rules-based international order with the United Nations at its core, reinvigorate and reform multilateral institutions where needed, and cooperate with all those who share these objectives.

I. End the COVID-19 pandemic, prepare for future global health challenges, and drive forward a sustainable global recovery

4.      Ending the COVID-19 pandemic through global cooperation is our first priority. We promote equitable and affordable access and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics through the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator. We commit to continuing to support the COVAX Facility and encourage more donors to make 2 billion vaccine doses available worldwide by late 2021. We aspire to vaccinate at least two thirds of the world’s population by the end of 2022.

5.      A Joint U.S.-EU COVID Manufacturing and Supply Chain Taskforce has been established to deepen cooperation and identify and resolve issues around expanding vaccine and therapeutics production capacity, including by building new production facilities, maintaining open and secure supply chains, avoiding any unnecessary export restrictions, and encouraging voluntary sharing of know-how and technology on mutually-determined terms including through the ACT-A. We are committed to strengthen global health security, pandemic preparedness, and response to health emergencies and future outbreaks. We plan to leverage our strengths to help countries build the capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats.  We intend to work together with like-minded countries this year to explore options towards sustainable global health and health security financing, supported by strengthened global accountability, tracking and allocation of global health security financing, including the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR) recommendation toward a Global Health Threats Council.

6.      We resolve to reinforce cooperation to reform the World Health Organization (WHO), including advancing sustainable financing and improving its internal operations. We welcome the “Rome Declaration” principles endorsed at the G20 Global Health Summit and the outcomes of the World Health Assembly, including the establishment of a Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies that will prioritize the assessment of the benefits of developing a WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response and provide a report to be considered at the special session of the Health Assembly in November 2021. We will continue to engage in health research initiatives, including to develop medical countermeasures in a much shorter period of time, to support the regional surge capacity to produce them, and to facilitate trade in essential medical goods. We call for progress on a transparent, evidence-based, and expert-led WHO-convened phase 2 study on the origins of COVID-19, that is free from interference, and we commit to working together toward the development and use of a swift and independent means for investigating such outbreaks in the future.

7.      We welcome G7 discussions to build back better for the world—orienting development finance tools toward the range of challenges faced by developing countries, including in resilient infrastructure and technologies, addressing the impact of climate change, health systems and security, developing digital solutions, and advancing gender equality and education. We intend to jointly drive forward a sustainable and inclusive global recovery, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that leaves no one behind and prioritizes the most vulnerable and marginalized, protects our climate and planet, protects human rights, empowers women and girls and creates decent jobs. We will enhance our cooperation on sustainable connectivity and high-quality infrastructure. We intend to continue providing assistance to countries in need, address debt vulnerabilities, and stimulate domestic reforms and increased private investment.  To address the problem of unsustainable debts faced by many countries in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to promote the swift and transparent implementation of the G20 Common Framework for debt treatment and explore innovative instruments such as debt swaps. Recognizing the increase in food insecurity and malnutrition projected, including as a result of the pandemic, we commit to building resilient food systems.

8.      We resolve to support efforts to ensure safe and secure global mobility. We will establish a joint U.S.-EU Experts’ Working Group to exchange information and expertise to reinitiate safe and sustainable travel between the EU and the United States. We welcome progress made by the United States and the EU toward additional EU member states meeting the requirements necessary for visa-free travel to the United States and intend to continue our dialogue towards visa waiver travel.

II. Protect our planet and foster green growth

9.      Climate change, environmental degradation, and the loss of biodiversity are mutually-reinforcing, extraordinary threats to humanity. We plan to continue and strengthen our cooperation to tackle climate change, environmental degradation and the loss of biodiversity, promote green growth, protect our oceans, and urge ambitious action by all other major players.

10.  We are committed to the Paris Agreement and its effective and strengthened implementation. To provide an effective platform for cooperation in this regard, we commit to establish a U.S.-EU High-Level Climate Action Group. We intend to lead by example through becoming net zero greenhouse gases (GHG) economies no later than 2050 and implementing our respective enhanced 2030 targets / Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). We resolve to engage our international partners to achieve an ambitious outcome at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), making every effort to keep a 1.5 degree Celsius limit on global temperature within reach. We intend to closely coordinate to promote robust climate measures, address the risk of carbon leakage, and cooperate on sustainable finance, including by providing the private sector with usable tools and metrics. 

11.  We are determined to accelerate a climate-neutral future and ensure a just transition that leaves no one behind, including through low greenhouse gas emission technologies, an increasing uptake of renewable energies, a stronger engagement to promote clean energy innovation in Mission Innovation, increased energy efficiency and methane emissions reduction, sustainable food systems, including climate-smart agricultural systems, and sustainable and smart mobility. We commit to rapidly scaling up technologies and policies that further accelerate the transition away from unabated coal capacity and to an overwhelmingly decarbonized power system in the 2030s, consistent with our respective 2030 NDCs and 2050 net zero commitments. The U.S.-EU Energy Council will continue to lead coordination on strategic energy issues, including decarbonization of the energy sector, energy security, and sustainable energy supply chains. We resolve to increase our cooperation on transition towards a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy.  In this context, we intend to work towards a Transatlantic Green Technology Alliance that would foster cooperation on the development and deployment of green technologies, as well as promote markets to scale such technologies.   

12.  We intend to continue to scale up efforts to meet the USD 100 billion per year climate finance goal through to 2025, in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation from public and private sources, as well as to continue to scale up finance contributing to climate adaptation action.  In order to fulfill the objectives of the Paris Agreement, we stress that international investments in unabated coal must stop now and call for global efforts to phase out unabated coal in energy production. We resolve to take concrete steps towards an absolute end to new direct government support for unabated international thermal coal power generation in third countries by the end of 2021, including through Official Development Assistance, export finance, investment, and financial and trade promotion support. We commit to reviewing our official trade, export, and development finance policies towards these objectives.

13.  We are strongly determined to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and take urgent action to address its drivers. In this context, we are committed to the goal of conserving or protecting at least 30 percent of the global land and 30 percent of the global oceans by 2030. We commit to contribute to this goal by conserving or protecting at least 30 percent of our own land, including terrestrial and inland waters, and coastal and marine areas by 2030 according to national circumstances and approaches. We plan to actively restore nature for the benefit of the health and well-being of our citizens, and step up our cooperation on deforestation and wildlife trafficking. We encourage others to make similar commitments to support efforts that benefit both climate and biodiversity, and protect our oceans. We plan to jointly promote a successful and ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework at the 15^th UN Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP15). We also encourage partners to join multilateral efforts at the UN Environment Assembly to consider next steps at the global level to tackle plastics pollution.

14.  We commit to working together to protect our oceans, including by combatting marine litter. We resolve to support the designation of new marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean, and continue cooperating for the purpose of the sustainable blue economy, sustainable fishing, prevention of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, and research through the All-Atlantic Ocean Research alliance. We will also plan to work together at the next UN Ocean Conference and at the intergovernmental conference on Marine Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction.

III. Strengthen trade, investment, and technological cooperation

15.  We commit to grow the U.S.-EU trade and investment relationship as well as to uphold and reform the rules-based multilateral trading system. We intend to use trade to help fight climate change, protect the environment, promote workers’ rights, expand resilient and sustainable supply chains, continue to cooperate in emerging technologies, and create decent jobs. We resolve to stand together to protect our businesses and workers from unfair trade practices, in particular those posed by non-market economies that are undermining the world trading system.

16.  We resolve to drive digital transformation that spurs trade and investment, strengthens our technological and industrial leadership, boosts innovation, and protects and promotes critical and emerging technologies and infrastructure. We plan to cooperate on the development and deployment of new technologies based on our shared democratic values, including respect for human rights, and that encourages compatible standards and regulations.  

17.  To kick-start this positive agenda and to provide an effective platform for cooperation, we establish a high-level U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The major goals of the TTC will be to grow the bilateral trade and investment relationship; to avoid new unnecessary technical barriers to trade; to coordinate, seek common ground, and strengthen global cooperation on technology, digital issues, and supply chains; to support collaborative research and exchanges; to cooperate on compatible and international standards development; to facilitate regulatory policy and enforcement cooperation and, where possible, convergence; to promote innovation and leadership by U.S. and European firms; and to strengthen other areas of cooperation. The cooperation and exchanges of the TTC will be without prejudice to the regulatory autonomy of the United States and the European Union and will respect the different legal systems in both jurisdictions. Cooperation within the TTC will also feed into coordination in multilateral bodies and wider efforts with like-minded partners, with the aim of promoting a democratic model of digital governance.

18.  The TTC will initially include working groups with agendas focused on technology standards cooperation (including on AI, Internet of Things, among other emerging technologies), climate and green tech, ICT security and competitiveness, data governance and technology platforms, the misuse of technology threatening security and human rights, export controls, investment screening, promoting SMEs access to, and use of, digital technologies, and global trade challenges. It will also include a working group on reviewing and strengthening our most critical supply chains. Notably, we commit to building a U.S.-EU partnership on the rebalancing of global supply chains in semiconductors with a view to enhancing U.S. and EU respective security of supply as well as capacity to design and produce the most powerful and resource efficient semiconductors.

19.  In parallel with the TTC, we intend to establish a U.S.-EU Joint Technology Competition Policy Dialogue that would focus on approaches to competition policy and enforcement, and increased cooperation in the tech sector. To support collaborative research and innovation exchanges, we promote a staff exchange program between our research funding agencies, and we intend to explore the possibility of developing a new research initiative on biotechnology and genomics, with a view to setting common standards. A new implementing arrangement between the EU Joint Research Centre and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technologies aims to expand cooperation to new areas. We also resolve to deepen cooperation on cybersecurity information sharing and situational awareness, as well as cybersecurity certification of products and software.

20.  We commit to work together to ensure safe, secure, and trusted cross-border data flows that protect consumers and enhance privacy protections, while enabling Transatlantic commerce.  To this end, we plan to continue to work together to strengthen legal certainty in Transatlantic flows of personal data. We also commit to continue cooperation on consumer protection and access to electronic evidence in criminal matters.

21.  We salute having reached an Understanding on a Cooperative Framework for Large Civil Aircraft, reflecting a new transatlantic relationship in this area.  We are committed to make this framework work to promote a level playing field, overcome long-standing differences, avoid future litigation, and more effectively address the challenge posed by non-market economies. We will engage in discussions to allow the resolution of existing differences on measures regarding steel and aluminum before the end of the year.  In this regard, we are determined to work together to resolve tensions arising from the U.S. application of tariffs on imports from the EU under U.S. Section 232, and will work towards allowing trade to recover from its 2020 lows and ending the WTO disputes. We commit to ensure the long-term viability of our steel and aluminum industries, and to address excess capacity.  We are determined to foster a fair, sustainable, and modern international tax system and cooperate to reach a global consensus on the question of taxation of multinational companies through the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework and look forward to reaching an agreement at the July meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.  

22.  We intend to work cooperatively on efforts to achieve meaningful World Trade Organization (WTO) reform and help promote outcomes that benefit our workers and companies. We commit to work together to advance the proper functioning of the WTO’s negotiating function and dispute settlement system, which requires addressing long-standing issues. Plurilateral mechanisms can provide a means for addressing new trade concerns when multilateral solutions are not possible. We plan to continue to cooperate on special and differential treatment, and on our joint transparency proposal. We intend to seek to update the WTO rulebook with more effective disciplines on industrial subsidies, unfair behavior of state-owned enterprises, and other trade and market distorting practices. We intend to work closely together, and with the wider support of the Membership of the WTO, to conclude a meaningful agreement on fisheries subsidies, and to a trade policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic that facilitates expansion of production and equitable access to vaccines, and to work towards a WTO Ministerial later this year that contributes to a more effective and modernized rules-based trading system.

23.  We commit to strengthen our cooperation on space by building on the Galileo – GPS Agreement. This could include making progress on access to Galileo’s Public Regulated Service signal, engaging on space-based Earth observation to support climate policies, for instance by monitoring CO2 levels and emergency services, as well as exchanging on our respective approaches on space traffic management.

IV. Build a more democratic, peaceful and secure world

24.  Together, the European Union and the United States are an anchor for democracy, peace, and security around the world, to peacefully prevent and resolve conflicts, uphold the rule of law and international law, and promote human rights for all, gender equity and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, including by working together through multilateral institutions including the UN Human Rights Council. Together, we resolve to address humanitarian needs and stand up for international humanitarian law as well as expand the resource base for humanitarian action. We reject authoritarianism in all its forms around the globe, resisting autocrats’ efforts to create an environment that protects their rule and serves their interests, while undermining liberal democracies. We intend to enhance cooperation on the use of sanctions to pursue shared foreign policy and security objectives, while avoiding possible unintended consequences for European and U.S. interests. In this respect, we resolve to continue to engage on issues on which we might have different approaches.

25.  We intend to support democracy across the globe by defending media freedom; advancing a free and open internet; fostering responsible behavior in cyberspace; upholding transparency and combatting corruption in financial systems, politics, and the economy; tackling disinformation; protecting civil society and civic space; advancing women’s political participation and empowerment; and protecting the human rights of all people. We resolve to lead by example at home. We intend to partner in the Summit for Democracy, committing to concrete actions to defend universal human rights, prevent democratic backsliding, and fight corruption. We plan to increase cooperation and exchange information and expertise to increase resilience against and to counter foreign information manipulation and interference, all forms of coercion including economic pressure, hybrid threats, malicious cyber activities, terrorism and violent extremism, and other common security threats. We resolve to support the ability of civil society and independent media to operate freely, and to protect and defend journalists in order to hold governments accountable.

26.  We intend to closely consult and cooperate on the full range of issues in the framework of our respective similar multi-faceted approaches to China, which include elements of cooperation, competition, and systemic rivalry. We intend to continue coordinating on our shared concerns, including ongoing human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet; the erosion of autonomy and democratic processes in Hong Kong; economic coercion; disinformation campaigns; and regional security issues. We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions. We reaffirm the critical importance of respecting international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) noting its provisions setting forth the lawful maritime entitlements of States, on maritime delimitation, on the sovereign rights and jurisdictions of States, on the obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means, and on the freedom of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the sea. We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. We intend also to coordinate on our constructive engagement with China on issues such as climate change and non-proliferation, and on certain regional issues.

27.  We stand united in our principled approach towards Russia and we are ready to respond decisively to its repeating pattern of negative behavior and harmful activities, which Russia must address to prevent the further deterioration of relations including on the list of so-called unfriendly states.To coordinate our policies and actions, we plan to establish a U.S.-EU high-level dialogue on Russia. We condemn Russia’s continued actions to undermine Ukraine’s and Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. We call on Russia to ensure foreign diplomatic missions in Russia can operate in a safe, secure, and productive fashion. We urge Russia to stop its continuous crackdown on civil society, the opposition, and independent media, and release all political prisoners. At the same time, we keep channels of communication open and possibilities for selective cooperation in areas of common interest. We also commit to work together to address the urgent and escalating threat from criminal ransomware networks that pose risks to our citizens and companies.

28.  We are determined to continue to stand in support of the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the EU’s Eastern partners and will support the reform path of Ukraine, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova. We resolve to work towards long-term peace, resilience, and stability in the South Caucasus. We stand with the people of Belarus and their demands for human rights and democracy. We resolve to hold the Lukashenka regime to account for its escalating attacks on human rights and fundamental freedoms and for endangering aviation safety through the unprecedented and unacceptable forced diversion of an EU passenger airplane under false pretenses, and the subsequent arrest of a journalist as part of a continuing assault on opposition voices and the freedom of the press.    

29.  We intend to further strengthen our joint engagement in the Western Balkans, including through the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on normalization of their relations, and by supporting key reforms for EU integration. We resolve to work hand-in-hand for sustainable de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean, where differences should be settled through dialogue in good faith and in accordance with international law. We aim for a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with a democratic Turkey. We plan to join efforts for a stable and secure Middle East and North Africa. The European Union and the United States welcome the ceasefire in the conflict in the Middle East and reaffirm the need for Israelis and Palestinians to enjoy equal measures of freedom, security, prosperity, and democracy on the basis of a two-State solution. In light of the growing humanitarian needs across Syria and the COVID 19 pandemic, we call on the UN Security Council to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach all people in need in Syria, including through cross border and cross line operations. We also regret the recent illegitimate elections in Syria and call on the international community to hold the Assad regime accountable for its brutal crimes and to work together to advance a political resolution to the conflict in line with UNSC resolution 2254. We reaffirm our commitment to support Libya in its path towards peace, security, and stability, and to work with parties in Yemen to agree to the UN’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire.

30.  We are committed to peace and sustainable development in Africa. The political, human rights, security, and humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Sahel countries is of grave concern. We share deep concerns about the growing political and ethnic polarization throughout Ethiopia that threatens the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We condemn ongoing atrocities, including widespread sexual violence, and we welcome the ongoing OHCHR investigations and call for full accountability for reported human rights violations in Tigray and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. We also call for the withdrawal of foreign forces, and unimpeded humanitarian access. Following the Summit on financing African economies, we plan to act together with our African partners to ensure equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, and to provide financial support towards a sustainable recovery. We are determined to significantly amplify, on a voluntary basis, the impact of the proposed general allocation of Special Drawing Rights by the IMF for Africa.

31.  We intend to work together with our partners for a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, based on the rule of law and democratic values, and will contribute to the security and sustainable development of the region. We intend to work together to promote a swift return to democracy in Burma. In view of the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, we intend to work closely to support the ongoing peace process and sustain regional stability and protect human rights gains, in particular for women and girls.

32.  We further commit to strengthen our cooperation with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to support socio-economic recovery, address economic vulnerability, and push for stronger democratic governance, including supporting a negotiated outcome that leads to free and fair elections in Venezuela.

33.  We resolve to work together to retain the Arctic as a region of peace and stability and collaborate, in particular through the Arctic Council, to ensure a clean habitat and constructive cooperation on climate change, environmental protection, and sustainable economic development benefiting the region’s inhabitants.

34.  We resolve to work together to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and renew global arms control efforts. We emphasize our support for the ongoing diplomatic efforts and negotiations in Vienna aimed at facilitating the return of the United States to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as well as the full and effective implementation of the deal by Iran and the United States. We share serious concerns about steps taken by Iran, which are inconsistent with the JCPOA. The European Union and the United States recognize that, alongside the return to full and effective implementation by Iran of its nuclear related commitments, the lifting of sanctions constitutes an essential part of the JCPOA. The JCPOA remains critical to ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and to upholding the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture.

35.  We resolve to revive dialogue on migration and mobility, including innovative solutions on effective and safe migration policy in cooperation with third countries, including via the U.S.-EU Platform on Migration and Asylum.

36.  We welcome the EU’s invitation to the United States to join the PESCO project Military Mobility as an important step towards closer U.S.-EU partnership in security and defense.  We recognize the contribution EU security and defense initiatives can make to both European and Transatlantic security and plan to launch a dedicated dialogue on security and defense and pursue closer cooperation in this field.  We commit to work towards an Administrative Arrangement for the United States with the European Defence Agency, with discussions, including on modalities and conditions for a closer and mutually beneficial cooperation in this framework, beginning as soon as possible.  We reaffirm our unwavering support for robust NATO-EU cooperation and to the commitments outlined and principles enshrined in the 2016 and 2018 Joint Declarations.  We will work jointly to raise the level of NATO-EU ambition in order to further strengthen this mutually reinforcing key strategic partnership. 

NATO - update

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20210615-biden-seeks-to-ease-trade-tensions-rally-support-at-eu-talks-ahead-of-putin-meeting

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210615-nato-takes-tough-stance-on-china-at-biden-s-first-alliance-summit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dccbNtv3NNw

https://www.nato.int/nato2030/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/14/nato-summit-china-russia-biden-cyber-attacks

https://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/nato-summit-bruxelles-russia-cina-sfide-importanti-4d94db7d-ed2f-4c8b-aa8e-cb08d3d40a03.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-kicks-first-nato-summit-plans-focus-russia-china-n1270645

Israel - an update

https://time.com/6073019/mansour-abbas-arab-israel-coalition-government/

https://www.reuters.com/world/arab-islamist-helps-clinch-israels-new-anti-netanyahu-government-2021-06-03/

More translation - a Union that strives for more

https://op.europa.eu/it/publication-detail/-/publication/43a17056-ebf1-11e9-9c4e-01aa75ed71a1

and then download the Italian and English versions of the text

The titles posted at the start of the year

1) What are the main characteristics of a failed (or ‘failing’) state and how should the international community respond to this challenge? Illustrate your ideas with examples.

2)  Italy is involved in various foreign policy initiatives as a member of wider institutions (the EU, NATO, the UN etc.) and as a sovereign state with its own interests. Describe some of them. You may also want to comment on their size, length, cost and effectiveness.

3)  States are no longer the only actors on the international stage. How does this affect international relations? Give examples.

4)  Outline the current economic crisis, its nature, its short-term effects, the response of the global community, and the possible long-term consequences for international relations.

5)  Developing countries and sustainability. Discuss some of the main factors involved.

6)  What are the main factors that will influence the evolution of relations between China and the international community? How is China’s role within the international order changing?

7)  Diplomacy – What are the main factors involved in the decision by a state or political movement to take part in, or not to take part in, negotiations with another state or non-state actor which it considers in some sense ‘the enemy’? Illustrate your point of view with examples from modern history or the contemporary world.

8)  To what extent is ‘security’ now the key word in international relations?

9)  How has the Arab Spring and Winter affected international relations?

10)  What are the main challenges facing Latin America?

11)  Is the leadership of the US and the West within the international order coming to an end?

 12)  Has the EU lost its way? What are the main challenges it faces today?

13)  How should the international community respond to the dangers posed by nuclear technology?

14)  The International Criminal Court – its structure, role and effectiveness to date.

15)  What are the main factors to be weighed when the international community is considering military intervention in response to a  humanitarian crisis?

16)  What are the main challenges facing Africa?

17)  What are the main characteristics, benefits and drawbacks of globalization?

18)  Outline the main characteristics of Italian foreign policy since the end of the Second World War.

19)  To what extent have states now lost, by choice or by circumstance, much of their sovereignty?

20)   Climate change and renewable energy. Discuss.

21)  What are the main factors that will influence the evolution of relations between the EU and the Russian Federation?

22)  What are some of the issues involved in the exploration and development of space by the international community?

23)  Safe-guarding human rights during the current economic crisis. Discuss.

24)  How should  the UN be reformed? Does the structure of the UN make it in some sense unreformable?

25)  The Arab world needs to change and modernize in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Discuss.

26)  How is the role of NATO changing? What challenges does the organization face?

27)  What is the role of information technology and the new media in international relations?

28)  What is the role of culture in international relations?

29)   What kind of people make good diplomats? What kind of work do they do? What kind of responsibilities do they have?

30)  What are the realities regarding the development and use of alternative renewable energies?

31)  How do demographic changes (population growth or decline) affect international relations?

32)  How is climate change and the need to deal with it affecting  international relations?

33)  To what extent is leadership an important factor in international relations? Illustrate your answer with examples from contemporary history and current affairs?

34)   What can the international community do to protect biodiversity? Why is this question important?

35)  State sovereignty and the responsibility to protect. Discuss both the legal and practical issues involved. Give examples.

36)  What is the role of the BRICS in international relations?

37)  What are the main questions to be dealt with in order to achieve a lasting settlement between Israel and the Palestinians?

38)  Migration - Describe the nature, scale, benefits and drawbacks of this phenomenon with special reference to the EU.

39)  What progress was made in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals and what challenges remain? Comment on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

40)  How is Italy's diplomatic corps involved in the safe-guarding of Italy's cultural heritage?

41)  What role do sports and major cultural events play in diplomacy?

42)  What should the EU do to promote awareness of a European identity among EU citizens?

43)   China and its neighbors. Discuss.

44)   To what extent are international relations influenced by the competition for scarce resources?

45)   In the contemporary world has the space for diplomacy been reduced?

46)  Is ‘cooperation’ the key word in today’s world?

47)   Are Western values universal or are we witnessing a genuine ‘clash of cultures’ in international relations?

48)   How should the international community respond to the threat of piracy?

49)   Italy and the Balkans. Discuss.

50)   Can the German economic model really be a model for other EU countries?

51)  The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – What is it? What are the proposed benefits and possible drawbacks? You may want to discuss it in relation to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

52)  What are some of the problems that the Netherlands is having to deal with during its presidency of the Council of the European Union from January to June 2016? What was the Dutch government’s program for the Presidency? (or Slovakia (Jul–Dec 2016) and Malta (Jan–Jun 2017).

53)  What are the dangers relating to cyber threats and cyber warfare for security, international relations and the economy.

54)  The European External Action Service. What does it do? Is it effective?

55)  Italy and the Mediterranean. Discuss.

56)  The economic crisis, immigration and the rise of Euroscepticism. Discuss.

57)   How do ideas about identity affect international relations?

58)  Although there are still situations of crisis and institutional fragility in many parts of Africa, several countries there seem to be registering more positive economic trends. Comment on this and on the role of the Africa-EU Partnership in this context, and outline some of the challenges and opportunities.

59)  You have been asked to accompany a small group of African diplomats on a three day visit to Expo Milano 2015 this May. Write a short speech of welcome and introduction, explain the goals of the Expo and describe some of the things that the group will be able to do and see there.

60)  You have been asked to meet a group of Chinese businessmen on a short visit to Italy and to tell them something about Destinazione Italia. Write a short speech of welcome and introduction to explain the goals of the plan and some of the initiatives that may be relevant to them.

61)  How might the results of the next US Presidential election affect international relations?

62)  How might a Brexit affect the European Union and the UK itself?

63)  How effective are economic sanctions in international relations? Discuss in relation to real cases where they have been or are being used.

64)  Legacy – What are the achievements and failures of the Obama administration so far? Give particular attention to international affairs.

65) How should the international community, and Italy in particular, respond to the challenges relating to the Arctic area?

66) Outline some of the issues concerning ‘what the City Renaissance means in the Digital Age’ to be explored at the 2016 Major Cities of Europe Conference in Florence from May 30th to June 1st  2016.

67) What are some of the main questions to be addressed at the next NATO summit that will take place on 8-9 July, 2016 in Warsaw, Poland?

68) The economic crisis, immigration and the rise of Euroscepticism. Discuss.

69) Italy and the Arab world. Outline some of the challenges Italy faces and how it is dealing with these questions.

70) Fukushima five years later –what lessons are there for Japan and the international community and what are the realities?

71) What is the role of culture in generating economic activity and as a tool for exercising ‘soft power’? Discuss in relation to Italy and other countries.

72) What are the terms of the March 2016 migrant deal between the EU and Turkey? Is it a good deal for the EU and Italy in particular? What questions does it raise?

73) Italy and Libya – discuss.

74)  Outline the situation regarding jihadist terrorism in Africa today. What are the effects? What is being done in response?

75) Fighting corruption – describe the problem and current attempts to deal with it.

76) What were some of the goals of the March 2016 Rome Model United Nations?

77) What are some of the issues involved in the exploration and development of space by the international community? You may want to refer to the January 2016 8th Annual Conference on European Space Policy.

78) The EU and further enlargement – is this the right moment?

79) Goals and challenges for the new UN Secretary General.

80) 2017 the UN International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

81) Comment on elections, referendums and international relations for the West in today's world, taking into consideration one or more of the following factors:

are traditional parties losing their traditional identities?

is there a growing loss of a political culture within society in developed economies?   

the role of false news and disinformation

an electorate with greater and greater access to political information compared to the past but which often seems ill-informed or willingly misinformed

82) What is the role of the diplomat in the world of today?

83) You have been invited to give a presentation to a group of American and Canadian diplomats and military officials based in Italy and elsewhere in Europe about recent developments at the European Defence Agency and future relations with NATO.

84) As a representative of the Italian Foreign Ministry you have been asked to give a presentation at the Polish Cultural Institute in Rome to an audience made up mainly of diplomats and other officials from Eastern European and Baltic (EU) states. The title of your presentation  is 'Current and future relations between the EU and the Russian Federation'.

85) Can the European Union provide the international community with leadership?

86) Is there a role in international relations for the EU as an effective mediator?

87) 'The necessary basis for a functioning democracy in a developed economy is a well-informed electorate.' Discuss this idea in relation to recent concerns about fake news, disinformation and security.

(I am, of course, paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson who said “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”)

88) What are some of the opportunities and challenges for Italy and the EU in relation to China's  Belt and Road Initiative?

89) How successful were the UN Millennium Development Goals and what challenges remain? Comment on the progress made so far on the Sustainable Development Goals.

90) The EU and Turkey. Discuss.

91) What is 'soft power' and how is it exercised? To illustrate your ideas give examples relating to countries other than Italy.

92) How much is Italian economic diplomacy worth?

93) Is the current international order threatened by growing global instability?

94) Free trade and fair trade – What are the arguments for and against imposing tariiffs on Chinese exports?

95) What is the role of rivers and fresh water in international relations?

96) Write an assessment of progress and failures so far in moving towards the SDGs in Italy and globally.

97) Is the rise of populism a real threat to the international liberal order and to EU unity?

 

98) What progress is being made in the field of green energies? (Include information on: what the main green energy sources are, examples of the latest technological developments, cost effectiveness and percentage of final energy consumption from green sources 2018-19, worldwide, in the EU and in Italy. You will need to do some research!)

 

99) 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall has the West lost its way? Are its ideas and resolve failing?

 

100) How do global and national demographic trends affect international relations?

 

101) What is the role of the diplomat in today's world? How do developments in the information and communications technologies affect that role?

 

102) What role does China play in international relations today? How should Italy, the EU and other groups handle relations with China?

 

103) 'Fake news' – What is it? How is it used? What can be done about it?

 

104) Is the world becoming less democratic?

 

106)'Soft power' and the Italian model. Discuss.

 

105) What are the main challenges facing Africa?

 

107) How is the situation evolving in Libya? What is at stake for Italy and the EU? What is Italy's diplomatic position and line of action in this regard?

 

108) Human rights - are we making significant progress in real terms?

  

109) A second Arab Spring – street protests across the Arab world (and beyond) 2019-20.

110) Action on global climate change after COP 25.

111) Brexit, post-Brexit and reshaping EU-UK relations.

112) Epidemics and the risk of a pandemic – causes and responses. How should individual countries and the international community deal with this kind of challenge? Illustrate your answer with one or more current examples.                                                                                                                            or:                                                                                                                                                             You have been sent as a diplomatic representative of the Italian government to a public meeting in Geneva  to give representatives of the WHO, other UN agencies and the international press an update on Italy's strategy for dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak.

113) What is 5G? Why is it important? What advantages does it provide? What are the technical, health and security concerns? Are these concerns resolvable? What is the EU's position?

114) Europe has some of the world's biggest companies but some experts argue that nearly all of these are in the old economy (e.g. Volkswagen, cars, Eni, oil and gas, ING, financial services) and very few of them are leaders in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) or other high-tech sectors. Is this true? Are we losing the battle for the new economy? And, if so, why? And what should the EU do about it?

115) Artificial intelligence – Who will control it and why is this important?

116) Outline the goals of the new European Commission President. Can you explain why she has set herself these objectives and what difficulties she may face in trying to achieve them?

117) As a representative of the Italian Foreign Ministry you have been invited to NATO's Allied Joint Force Command, Naples to give a presentation to a group of American and Canadian diplomats and military officials based in Italy and elsewhere in Europe about recent developments at the European Defence Agency and future relations with NATO.

118) Is the rise of populism a real threat to the international liberal order and to EU unity?

119) What is 'soft power' and how is it exercised? To illustrate your ideas give examples relating to Italy and examples relating to other countries.

120) 'The necessary basis for a functioning democracy in a developed economy is a well-informed electorate.' Discuss this idea in relation to recent concerns about fake news, disinformation and security.

121) What progress has been made since the Paris agreement of 2015 in the terms of countering climate change and global warming and in the use and development of renewable energies and green technologies?

122) What is the role of the diplomat in the world of today?

123) International law - how effective is it in shaping international affairs and the behaviour of states? Illustrate your answer with practical examples from current international relations.

124) To what extent is a state's foreign policy driven by its economic interests? Illustrate your answer with practical examples from current international relations.

125) To what extent is a state's foreign policy driven by its history and its popular idea of itself? Illustrate your answer with practical examples from current international relations.