1. Brexit
2. Catalonia
3. Competing French and German visions of a more integrated Europe
4. Digital Europe
5. Environmental Issues (Climate Change)
6. Food Standards
7. Foreign and Security Policy
8. Future of the EU
9. Greek Review
10. Iran
11. Islamist Radicalization
12. Migration and Refugees
13. NATO
14. Reform of the Euro Area
15. Relations with Russia
16. Rule of Law
17. Terrorism
18. Trade Agreements
19. Turkey
20. Ukraine
21. UN

The essential pillars of U.S. global power that have sustained Washington’s hegemony for the past 70 years are being weakened. The US is weaker internationally than it used to be. Past US Presidents through skillful diplomacy, their knowledge of the international system, their geopolitical skills were able to maximize U.S. influence on the world stage. They could use U.S. military power strategically, deftly, they could lead international coalitions, they could set the international agenda.

1. Today there is much uncertainty, not just over America’s policies and its place in the world, but also over the responses of its allies and adversaries to important changes in the style and substance of US engagement internationally.
2. The image of America as an open and tolerant society to be imitated, and as an example of values and characteristics to which other states might aspire, has weakened.
3. The diminishment in both America’s capability and its will to lead mean that the US will play a less active role in the world in the coming years.

European companies are rushing to have first access to the lucrative, almost 80-million-person strong Iranian economy.

Denmark

1. A delegation of Danish executives visited Tehran to discuss construction, shipping and wind power.
2. Maersk has met with Iranian officials
3. Novo Nordisk plans to build a pharmaceutical plant in Iran

France

President Donald Trump has informed Congress that Iran is not complying with its end of the nuclear deal, despite numerous IAEA reports to the contrary and his own two previous certifications. While Trump’s refusal to re-certify is not the same as completely withdrawing from the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) refusing to certify and kicking the issue over to Congress, means that Congress will have then to decide within 60 days whether to re-impose nuclear-related economic sanctions on Iran.

Author: Uri Friedman, Staff Writer at the at the Atlantic

Original Text has been edited

America has decided to withdraw from Unesco, the United Nations programme responsible for corralling international cooperation on issues such as science and education and designating world heritage sites. The State Department said the decision reflects US concerns with mounting arrears at Unesco, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at Unesco. The withdrawal will take effect Dec. 31, 2018.

Recapitulation

The Spanish Constitution needs to adapt because of the serious political crisis gripping the country, to reinforce and re-legitimize its institutions and its basic rules of democratic coexistence.

Companies from Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands,Turkey, Cyprus, Austria and Romania want to be first in line once the sanctions are lifted. Many companies are looking to see what possibilities there are  in Crimea. The Crimea still has a great need for foreign expertise, especially in the areas of energy, water management and road construction. 

The beginnings of separatism in Catalonia can be traced back to the mid–19th century. The Renaixença (cultural renaissance), which aimed at the revival of the Catalan language and Catalan traditions, led to the development of Catalan nationalism and a desire for independence. Between the 1850s and the 1910s, some individuals, organisations  and political parties started demanding full independence of Catalonia from Spain.