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Transatlantic relations

Director: Ettore Greco
Researcher: Riccardo Alcaro

The IAI has always focussed particular attention on transatlantic issues, and North American experts have participated in many of its research projects and conferences. The Institute's publications, particularly the periodicals The International Spectator and Global, regularly include contributions from North American authors.

Since its foundation, the IAI has contributed to the formulation of policies aimed at promoting Italy's role in transatlantic relations. It has made a systematic effort to analyze the weaknesses and potential of the common transatlantic policies related to the areas of greatest political/strategic interest to Italy, such as the Balkans, Russia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Other important transatlantic issues that the Institute addresses include the future of NATO, crisis management in Europe, and trade relations between the US and Europe.

The program on Euro-Atlantic relations aims to promote the exchange of ideas and cooperation between North American and European politicians and experts so as to strengthen transatlantic ties. It involves various types of initiatives, including studies, conferences, and publications intended to develop proposals and suggestions to continually revise and update the Euro-American agenda continually. Since 1999 the program has contributed to a adding a more complete transatlantic dimension to IAI's  traditional activities regarding the Balkans and the Middle East.

This program, the agenda of which is set annually, is largely based on an institutional agreement with the German Marshall Fund in Washington and the Compagnia di San Paolo in Turin.



Projects in progress

IAI-GMFUS Strategic Partnership (R.Aliboni, S.Colombo, E.Greco)
Launched in 2009, this major cooperation programme between IAI and the US-based German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMFUS) comprises a number of research projects on the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern strategies and policies of both the United States and Europe. Research activities develop along four tracks: a) analysis and assessment of such main institutional settings as the EU-launched Union for the Mediterranean, NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue, the 5+5 Forum, the Arab Union for the Maghreb, etc.; b) monitoring of the evolving role of Libya in light of the recent resumption of relations between Tripoli and western countries; c) a focus on emerging regional actors, most notably the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members; and an overall evaluation of maritime security in the Mediterranean. In addition, a Mediterranean Strategy Group has been set up in the programme’s framework. The group, consisting of a network of international experts, meets twice a year to debate the area’s strategic landscape. IAI is one of the two European institutes GMFUS has accorded strategic partner status (see press release) (Financing: German Marshall Fund of the United States).

See also the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Studies section of this website.

Annual Symposium on Transatlantic Security (R. Alcaro, E.Greco)
Successfully launched in 2008, this project has established a regular annual forum in Rome where experts from both the US and Europe have the opportunity to discuss the evolution of the transatlantic security relationship with Italian analysts, officials and representatives from the political world and the private sector. The third edition of the Symposium: <i>European Security and the Future of the Transatlantic Relationship</i>, scheduled for November 8, 2010, in Rome, is organised in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (JHU-SAIS), Bologna Center. It will concentrate on the evolution of the “European security” in light of the most recent changes of the strategic environment: the US’s diminished strategic interest in Europe; the EU’s growing security profile, following ratification of the Lisbon Treaty; and Russia’s comeback as a continental power, a major development the US, the EU and NATO still struggle to cope with (Financing: Ebert Stiftung, NATO Public Diplomacy Division, Compagnia di San Paolo, Thyssen Stiftung).

Public opinion trends in North America and Europe (E.Greco)
In 2010 IAI will continue to contribute to the presentation in Italy of the Transatlantic Trends report, the survey on US and European public opinion’s view of the transatlantic relationship promoted annually by the Compagnia di San Paolo and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. This year’s presentation will take place on September 15 in the Conference Hall of Palazzo Marini, Chamber of Deputies.

Advisory Committee on transatlantic relations (E.Alessandri, E.Greco)
This advisory committee composed of university professors and international relations experts aims at providing a detailed evaluation of both current and future relations between the United States and Europe, with special attention to Italy's position. In addition, it is meant to foster more stable cooperation with the academic world and other centres for international policy studies in Italy. The advisory committee is involved in the scientific coordination and supervision of the "Short-term visiting scholarships" programme, targeting American academics in the fields of political and social sciences interested in short stays in Italy to conduct research work.




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Projects in progress

Projects concluded

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Papers and articles