Smith & Steffenson: The EU and the United States

Flashcards covering the economic, political, and security relationship between the EU and the USA, including key institutional frameworks and power dynamics.

Competitive cooperation

A dynamic in EU-US relations where the USA acts as a key partner and leader but also serves as a potential rival in world politics.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

The largest component of the EU-US economic relationship, which reached an accumulated total of $€1500$ billion by 2001.

Security community

A pluralistic framework, such as the EU or NATO, within which war between the member societies is effectively unthinkable.

Civilian power

A descriptor for the EC/EU during the Cold War, indicating its role as a non-military entity subject to US hard security dominance.

Multilevel governance

A system characterized by shared authority and policy-making competencies across subnational, national, and supranational levels of government.

Cooperative federalism

A characterization of the US decision-making structure where powers and competencies are shared between federal and state levels.

Intense transgovernmentalism

The creation of a dense structure of decision-making processes and networks, such as those between the EU and USA, that mirror internal governmental competencies.

Capabilities-expectations gap

A concept describing the shortfall between the EU's perceived international role and its actual instruments or ability to undertake collective action.

Transatlantic Declaration (TAD)

An agreement established in 1990 that set broad principles of organization for the relationship between the EU and the United States.

New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA)

A 1995 framework that expanded the scope of EU-US relations to include detailed joint actions and an institutionalized summit structure.

Transatlantic Economic Partnership (TEP)

A 1998 initiative focused on technical agreements, mutual recognition, and the management of trade and competition between the EU and USA.

Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC)

A body established in 2007 consisting of high officials from both sides, intended to increase political weight behind transatlantic economic discussions.

SWIFT agreement

An interim agreement on banking data transfers signed by the USA and the Council, which the European Parliament refused to consent to in early 2010.

BASIC countries

The group comprising Brazil, South Africa, India, and China that negotiated the non-binding Copenhagen Accord with the Obama administration in 2009.

Precautionary principle

A conception of risk underlying many EU policies that creates disputes with the USA regarding environmental protection and food safety.

Critical dialogue

A diplomatic strategy preferred by the EU when dealing with states such as Iran, emphasizing engagement over coercion or pre-emption.

Soft power

A form of international influence based on ideas, values, and institutions, frequently associated with the EU's international role.

Hard power

Influence based on military resources and the capacity to use force, which is predominantly the domain of the United States.

Old Europe

A term used by Donald Rumsfeld to refer to France, Germany, and their supporters who opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

New Europe

A term used by Donald Rumsfeld to refer to the UK, Spain, and Central and Eastern European states that supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Quartet

The diplomatic group on the Middle East consisting of the USA, the EU, the UN, and Russia.

EU3

The group of leading EU members (France, Germany, and the UK) that pursued a diplomatic line on Iran's nuclear program.