Welcome to E -Watch, the CSIS Europe Program monthly E -Bulletin. Under the direction of CSIS executive vice president and Europe program director Robin Niblett, t his bulletin includes notices about upcoming and recent Europe Program events, relevant transat lantic news and information, and other Europe -related activities and publications. Simon Serfaty, holder of the CSIS Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, is senior advisor to the Europe Program. We hope that you find this bulleti n informative and encourage you to forward it on to your colleagues. All CSIS Europe Program activities are developed with the generous support of The German Marshall Fund of the United States. CSIS EUROPE PROGRAM E -WATCH *NOVEMBER 2005 * For more info rmation about the events listed below, please contact Derek Mix at (202) 775 -7304 or [email protected] RECENT EVENTS OCTOBER 2005 – NOVEMBER 2005 October 31 st – CSIS Transatlantic Briefing with Mr. Jean de Ponton d’Ameco urt, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the French Ministry of Defense, 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., CSIS French Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Jean de Ponton d’Amecourt briefed the participants on France’s efforts in the war on terror, as well as Fren ch participation in international military operations. For further information on the French Ministry of Defense, please visit http://www.defense.gouv.fr/sites/defense/ . November 1 st – CSIS Trans atlantic Briefing with Lt. Gen. Johann -Georg Dora, Deputy Chief of Staff for the German Bundeswehr, 12:30 – 2:30 p.m., CSIS Lieutenant General Johann -George Dora led a discussion on the topics of EU defense integration and Germany’s NATO co mmitment. For more information on the German Bundeswehr, please visit http://www.bundeswehr.de . November 2 nd – European Defense Integration Report Roll -Out, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., CSIS The Europe Program, in collabor ation with the International Security Program, co -hosted the Washington unveiling of the European Defense Integration Report. The event was co -hosted by Generals Joseph W. Ralston and Kalus Naumann, while Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, Vice Chairman of t he Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided the keynote address. To read the EDI Report, please see http://www.csis.org/index.php?option=com_csis_pubs&task=view&id=1779 . Novembe r 7 th – CSIS Statesmen’s Forum with the Rt. Hon. John Reid, MP, Secretary of Defense of the United Kingdom, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., CSIS British Secretary of Defense the Right Honorable John Reid provided remarks regarding U.S. - U.K. relations and defense coo peration. Following the remarks, CSIS hosted a private dinner for Secretary Reid and several high -level U.S. and European officials. For a copy of Secretary Reid’s comments, please see http://www.csis.org/index.php?option=com_csis_events&task=view&id=747 . November 10 th - Launch of the New European Democracies Project, CSIS The CSIS East Europe Project announced its new name – the New European Democracies Project – and its joining with the CSIS Europe Program . The New European Democracies Project (NEDP) will encompass the broad region from the Baltic to the Adriatic and Black Seas, and will include both the most successful and the most challenged states that emerged fro m the defunct communist systems. The goal of the project is to help these countries to achieve their democratic potential, to strengthen their relations with the United States, and to stabilize their respective regions. The NEDP remains under the leadersh ip of Janusz Bugajski as Director, Ilona Teleki as Deputy Director, and Milena Staneva as Research Associate. More information about the New European Democracies Project can be found at http://www.csis.org/index.php?option=com_csis_progj&task=view&id=25 . November 14 th – Congressional Staff Forum, 12:15 – 1:45 p.m., Capitol Hill The November Congressional Staff Forum featured a discussion on “European Defense Integration: Bridging the Gap Between Strategy and Capabilities,” led by Michèle A. Flournoy, Senior Adviser to the CSIS International Security Program, and Julianne Smith, Fellow and Deputy Director of the CSIS International Security Program. A summary will be avail able later this week at www.csis.org/europe . 1 OCTOBER -NOVEMBER N EWS & A NALYSIS ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION AT-A-GLANCE Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi emerged as the leader of the country’s leftist opp osition block following primary elections held on October 17. The leaders of the 25 European Union member states met in Hampton Court palace outside London on October 27 to informally discuss the effects of globalization on the EU’s economic competitivenes s. Riots erupted in the suburbs of Paris on October 28, following the deaths of two young French men of North African descent, who died while fleeing French law enforcement officials. On October 31, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met with U.S . President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C., to discuss a range of issues, including military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. On November 4, the Spanish Parliament agreed to debate a proposal for increased autonomy of its north - eastern region of Ca talonia. EU foreign ministers met in Brussles on November 7 to relaunch talks regarding the 2007 -2013 EU budget, and resume discussion of pending WTO negotiations. On November 8, the German Bundestag voted to extend the mandate for German forces engage d in the global war on terror for another year. The newly -elected Polish government , under the leadership of Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz of the conservative Law and Justice party, won a vote of confidence from the national Parliament on Novembe r 10. On November 11, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson ruled out the possibility of agreement on trade barrier reductions at next month’s WTO summit due to agricultural subsidy disagreements between the EU and large export countries. Europe and the E uropean Union Integration “European Union confronts immigration,” Anupama Narayanswamy , The Washington Times, November 6, 2005 . The European Union sets out a two -set approach to addressing illegal immigration at the Hampton Court summit . “Fixing a Disc onnect; EU Tries to Assess Compatibility Problems,” Brooks Tigner, Defense News , October 31, 2005 . Europe’s fragmentation in satellite services is one of many obstacles to the advancement of the EU’s network centric capabilities. “Lithuanian Leader Faul ts EU Over New Gas Pipeline,” Judy Dempsey , International Herald Tribune, October 27, 2005 . President Valdus Adamkus asserted that Brussels made no effort to include new member countries in the recent gas pipeline agreement with Russia. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/10/26/news/baltic.php Counterterrorism “Italy Seeks Extradition of 22 CIA Operatives,” Craig Whitlock , Washington Post, November 12, 2005 . Italy is requesting the extra dition of U.S. agents, accused of abducting a suspected terrorist found in Milan. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp -dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111 102065.html “Safety or freedom? New laws force Europeans to weigh a tradeoff,” Paul Haven , Associated Press, November 7, 2005 . Across Europe, new pressure to pass tougher anti -terrorism laws is causing concern over the preservation of civil liberties. Enlargement “EU Membership Conditions,” Vincent Boland and Daniel Dombey , Financial Times , November 1, 2005 . The European Commission has set a daunting list of short -term tasks for Turkey in the next step of its accession process. “Brussels Threat ens Bulgaria and Romania With Entry Delay,” Mark Beunderman , EU Observer, October 25, 2005 . If Bulgaria and Romania fail to make strides in anti -corruption and administrative capacity, Brussels will delay the accession process. http://euobserver.com/15/20177 2 Economics & the Euro “UK and France head for EU budget clash,” Nicholas Watt , The Guardian, November 8, 2005. France is insisting that Britain give ground on its budget rebate if CAP negotiations are to m ove forward. http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,7369,1636709,00.html “EU says Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia need to do more to prepare for euro,” Aoife White , Associated Press, November 4, 2005 . Brussels fears that prospective euro countries are not doing enough practical planning for a smooth transition. “Europa: Europe’s Very Identity at Stake in Farm Talks,” Richard Bernstein , International Herald Tribune, November 3, 2005 . Questions raised in the current debate over the Common Agricultural Policy reveal the broader debate about Europe’s future. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/03/news/europa.php Member States Britain “MP’s urged to end ‘first -past -the -post’ election system,” Robert Verkaik , the Independent , November 14, 2005 . The Electoral Choice Bill, to be unveiled on November 15, will propose a reform of Britain’s national election process. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article326919.ece “Blair defeated over terror laws,” BBC News, November 9, 2005 . Tony Blair’s proposal to detain suspected terrorists for up to 90 days without charging met a crushing defeat in the British parliament. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4422086.stm “Close Ally of Blair Resigns Again in Scandal,” Alan Cowell , New York Times, November 3, 2005 . David Blunkett resigned for the second time from Blair’s government after acknowledging improper handling of business interests. France “La Belle France: A country of equality and exclusion,” Steven Komarow and R ick Hampson, USA Today, November 9, 2005. Fourteen nights of riots throughout France expose the complexity of race relations within the country . http://www.usatoday.com/ news/world/2005 -11 -09 -france -riots -cover_x.htm “Worries about collateral damage: the economic impact,” Dan Bilefsky , International Herald Tribune, November 9, 2005. Recent riots may undermine France’s recovering economy by painting a picture of politic al instability and frightening off future investors.