Transatlantic Relations

The new US administration offers the opportunity for a reboot of transatlantic relations, especially in relation to civil society. The calls and grievances expressed by Women’s movements, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the climate generation resonate strongly in both Europe and the US.

In the future, the US and the EU will have to make even greater efforts to ensure the permanence and vitality of their relationship. Most importantly, the future dialogue will have to reflect the social, demographic and political realities on both sides of the Atlantic. This means, for example, that all sections of society must be represented in Washington and Brussels.

Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, the transatlantic community faced enormous domestic and geopolitical challenges. The pandemic reinforces these tendencies and at the same time makes it clear why cooperation will remain essential in the future.

The old transatlantic paradigm with its focus on NATO and security is losing traction. A new transatlantic agenda should focus on three issues of common concern on both sides of the Atlantic: human rights, climate change and the containment of the rising power China.