Åsmund Weltzien

Preparing Civilian Experts to work in Vulnerable Places: Unveiling Brazil’s Potential

Nord Stream 2: policy dilemmas and the future of EU gas market

The Nord Stream 2 (NS2) gas pipeline project is one of the most controversial issues in EU gas-related debates today. Its proponents hold that the project is driven by purely commercial considerations, while opponents label it as political and contradictory to EU goals and rules. The project has also contributed to raising several questions concerning the role of commercial actors in the shaping and realization of the EU energy policy as well as the impact on EU internal cohesion and relations with Ukraine and Russia. Realization of NS2 may boost the role of Russian gas in the European energy mix, especially in northwestern Europe; however, it could also undermine the credibility of the common EU energy policy, which aims, at least formally, at diversification of supply routes and suppliers as a joint and coordinated response to the energy-security challenges faced by the EU as a whole and by its member states. This Policy Brief sheds light on the current state of the debate on this project and examines the possible short-, mid- and long-term implications.

Mispricing Argentine soybean exports

Reform, Renegotiation and Referendum

The UK stands on the brink of a momentous decision: whether to leave or remain in the European Union. Unlike all the other states that have sought late entry to the EU, the UK did not hold a referendum on whether to join in 1973: the decision was taken on the basis of a parliamentary vote. However, in 1975 voters were asked whether they wished to stay in the European Community, and a strong vote to remain was thought to have resolved the matter. However, in 2013, divisions within the Conservative Party led Prime Minister David Cameron to promise to engage in reform of the EU and to renegotiate the UK’s terms of membership before holding a referendum on whether to stay in. It was a high-risk, high-stakes proposition. Cameron must persuade his party, the British lectorate and his partners in the other EU member states of the merits of his case. The negotiation covers four areas of concern for the UK: economic governance, competitiveness, sovereignty, and immigration. To some British Eurosceptics, the emands seem woefully inadequate; to fellow EU leaders, they pose significant difficulties. The formal negotiations began in late 2015, after months of exploratory talks with the other member states, and are expected to be completed by the end of February, with the referendum coming as early as June 2016. While those who seek to leave the EU have been honing their arguments at least since the 1993 Maastricht Treaty, just that they envisage leaving the EU to look like is unclear. Brexit could take many forms, representing a journey to an unknown destination.

UN peacekeeping as a learning organisation : From Brahimi to the HIPPO (2000-2015)

Norway, the Joint Strike Fighter Program and its Implications for Transatlantic Defense Industrial Cooperation

Cyber Security Capacity Building : Developing Access

This study concentrates on providing the rationale and identifying potential ‘dimensions’ for certain governmental CCB instruments, and what tasks they should cover. The ‘methodological’ dimension includes developing frameworks for assessing and delivering CCB programmes, but also extends to general frameworks for supporting a country’s national cyber security strategy as well as the basic research needed. The ‘technical’ dimension is concentrated on the need to train and support the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and law enforcement capabilities of partner countries. In fact, such initiatives had already been ongoing for many years before the term ‘CCB’ was coined. Thirdly, the existence of ‘infrastructure’ development programmes has long been a feature of international development, albeit without much focus on security concerns. Fourthly, the instrument of overall ‘budgetary support’ can be used for directly funding partner countries’ operational expenses in issues related to cyber security over a prolonged period. The study concludes with some recommendations for policy-makers

Macedonia – back in the global spotlight

The next big European project? The migration and asylum crisis: a vital challenge for the EU

The summer of 2015 may well be remembered as a turning point in the history of both migration to Europe and European integration. There was a further rise in mixed inflows of migrants and refugees, with a diversification of the routes employed – in particular, a surge in transits across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Balkans. Secondly,the already dynamic map of political reactions and policy responses entered a phase of hectic and deep change, due primarily to a major shift in the position of Germany.

European Security & the Power of Knowledge-based Networks