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Ahead of an EU-US summit in Washington today (3 November), US President Barack Obama said he hopes an "important deal" can be struck at the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen. But he admitted an agreement would be no more than a step forward and would not solve the world's environmental problems.
EU-US relations have had a somewhat bumpy ride in recent years with disagreements over issues ranging from the Iraq war to the Kyoto Treaty and the International Criminal Court. These matters, however, are only a small part of an otherwise well functioning EU-US relationship.
After the election of President Barack Obama, notable opportunities exist for the US-European relationship to help mould the 21st century international system.
According to some analysts, however, the US is recognising a shift toward a "post-American world" in which global power is distributed to new regions like China. In response to this shift, they say, the US has sought to shore up the relationships that will be crucial to maintaining its central role in 21st century global affairs. Its relationship with the EU is not one of those.
A report published yesterday (2 November) by the Council on European Foreign Relations
, based on interviews and input from the EU's 27 member states, concludes that the bloc's best move would be to present a stronger, more united front and not "shy away from questions about what it actually wants from transatlantic relations".
In a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on Monday (2 November), President Obama emphasised the importance of cooperating on climate change while touting the need for the US and the European Union to coordinate on economic policies that can help create jobs.
Reinfeldt said he hoped the transatlantic summit would deliver a clearer US position on climate change, as regards finance and targets in order to maintain global temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius.
"Unless the US makes a clear commitment it will be hard for others to do their part," Reinfeldt said, pointing out that some developing countries, namely China, are waiting for the US to take on their share of responsibility. But Obama suggested the Copenhagen summit will not result in an agreement on a final treaty as the UN is hoping.
The goal was not a deal "that solves every problem on this issue but takes an important step forward and lays the groundwork for further progress in the future," he said. Reinfeldt said it was critical for the two sides to find a way forward in the six weeks before the Copenhagen talks.
Meanwhile, Obama said the European Union is "an important trading partner" for the USA. While noting that the world economy is starting to stabilise, Obama said that "it is absolutely critical" to coordinate on ways to ensure that the United States and the European Union are moving towards robust growth and creating more jobs. It is also critical that "we continue to shy away from any protectionist measures," he said.
"Sweden, the United States, the EU as a whole and the world as a whole are interested in an outcome that can start moving us down the path of a sustainable economy that is not accelerating the potential catastrophe of climate change," the president added.
Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Maud Olofsson, Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Bildt, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana are also attending the Washington summit.
The meeting is the first formal summit to take place between the EU and the USA during the Obama administration.
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