Policy Paper 78

Ressources stratégiques de l’UE : relever les défis internes et externes

Annika Ahtonen, Policy Analyst and Andrea Frontini, Programme Assistant, European Policy Centre (EPC) ? The European Union (EU) faces a serious resource challenge. It is dependent on external sources of energy and other raw materials, and this makes it vulnerable to resource availability and price fluctuations. If not managed, this could have serious implications for Europe and its competitiveness, for public and private sectors, for citizens and for overall European well-being.

The EU takes environmental challenges seriously, at least on paper, and has developed a number of internal policies and initiatives to tackle problems related to loss of biodiversity, inefficient use of resources and poor waste management. It is widely recognized that the EU should work together to tackle the energy challenge. At the same time, the EU has a two-fold approach to the external dimensions of resource challenges. Firstly, the EU has made sustainable development a fully-fledged component of its own narrative worldwide. Secondly, as do all actors, it has an interest in protecting its self-interests amidst increasing global competition over resources. However, in order to tackle the resource challenge effectively, the EU must both turn words into action within Europe and clarify its external strategy and the means to implement it.

 

Disponible en anglais uniquement


Ce Policy
Paper est une contribution de Annika Ahtonen (EPC) et Andrea Frontini (EPC) au
projet Think Global – Act European (TGAE). Thinking Strategically
about the EU’s external action
dirigé par Notre Europe – Institut
Jacques Delors
(rapport disponible en mars 2013, dir. Elvire Fabry,
Chercheur Senior, Notre Europe – Institut Jacques Delors).

The European Union (EU)
faces a serious resource challenge. It is dependent on external sources of
energy and other raw materials, and this makes it vulnerable to resource
availability and price fluctuations. If not managed, this could have serious
implications for Europe and its competitiveness, for public and private
sectors, for citizens and for overall European well-being.

The EU takes
environmental challenges seriously, at least on paper, and has developed a
number of internal policies and initiatives to tackle problems related to loss
of biodiversity, inefficient use of resources and poor waste management. It is
widely recognized that the EU should work together to tackle the energy
challenge. At the same time, the EU has a two-fold approach to the external
dimensions of resource challenges. Firstly, the EU has made sustainable
development a fully-fledged component of its own narrative worldwide. Secondly,
as do all actors, it has an interest in protecting its self-interests amidst
increasing global competition over resources. However, in order to tackle the
resource challenge effectively, the EU must both turn words into action within
Europe and clarify its external strategy and the means to implement it.

Avant la
publication du rapport final présentant les recommandations clés des16 think tanks mobilisés dans ce projet, 5 séries
de Policy Papers portent sur les sujets suivants : Migration, Voisinage de l’UE, PSDC, Ressources stratégiques et Politiques économiques (publication le 12 Mars).

Ce Policy Paper
fait partie de la série intitulée «Ressources Stratégiques de l’UE: quelle action extérieure européenne?» qui
comprend les contributions de Sami Andoura (Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute), Clémentine d’Oultremont (Egmont), Gonzalo Escribano (Elcano), Nadège Chambon (Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute) et  Stephen Tindale (CER)

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autres contributions de la série ressources stratégiques >>

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