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Relation between United States and Europe
Links to sites in the US, Canada, Mexico and Netherlands Economic information on these countries is included in a
separate file with interesting links. Netherlands US Mexico Canada NATO Transatlantic agenda (incl action plan, business dialogue, declaration of 1990 etc) Extra territorial acts (Helms-Burton, d'Amato) Sectoral and trade barriers with the United States (direct link to EU report) EU-US policy site of the European Commission WTO Singapore (official
site, incl ministerial declaration, IT products, action plan for MOLs) The EU US Summit in Madrid on 3 December 1995 adopted the New Transatlantic Agenda (NTA) and Joint Action Plan, which are aimed at building new bridges of cooperation across the Atlantic. The New Transatlantic Agenda provides a framework for cooperation between the EU and the US. The Action Plan is designed to foster EU US cooperation in such areas as: the promotion of peace and stability, democracy and development; responding to global challenges (including organised crime, terrorism and drug trafficking) and contributing to the expansion of world trade and the promotion of closer economic relations. Transatlantic agenda (official link with more information) Extraterritorial laws in the US American companies or even individuals whose property in Cuba has been nationalised in
the 1960s can prosecute all those investing in that property in Cuba. The so called Helms-Burton Act (complete act) or Cuba
liberation act is the legal basis. France and America International affairs expenditures, Netherlands (Dfl) and US ($), 1998 (%)
(From Int Herald Tribune, 7-1-1997) The American Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the French declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in 1789 were both products of ideas in the air at that time. The Enlightenment's political and social thought found political realization in the American rebellion of colonial notables against arbitrary London rule. And in the French revolution, which rapidly turned into an upheavel that transformed the social order, which the American "revolution" did not. The French still see themselves as a world power in moral terms and as a world political and military presence, with territories or colonies in North and South America, the Caribbean and the Pacific and Africa, as well as with globally projectable military, naval and nuclear forces. These arguably make France the military factor second to the US - the Russian army having collapsed and China's being homebound. The French also believe that the EU must be made into a collective great power equivalent to the US and a counterweight to the US in world affairs. Europe has to look after its own interests. While America is an ally, it is automatically also a pitiless commercial and economic competitor. The other major powers in Europe do not think as the French do and that is the real source of France's pessimism. The head of the French equivalent of the US council on foreign relations recently wrote that the 21st century might indeed prove to be more of an American century than was the 20th. Certainly, after all wars in Europe there could be worse fates than American domination. But the US, he said, currently seems tempted to abuse its dominant position referring to political and trade unilaterlism. But he and the Americans perhaps don't sufficiently appreciate that the other Europeans nonetheless do not think as Americans think. That is why the future of the transatlantic relationship contains more uncertainties than Washington, Bonn, London or the Hague even now may realize. Hubert Vedrine, The French Foreign minister, is more realistic: "Add these up: The Pentagon, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Hollywood, CNN, The internet, English language". (adjusted from Int Herald Tribune, 28-2-97, Gerry Segal) Segal argues that the Asia policy of the US should draw lessons from the policy pursued in Europe. The European lesson was that in the long run we obtained the kind of changes we wanted in Eastern Europe by being firm on all issues at the same time. An effective human rights policy in China, Indonesia and Burma is directly relevant to both economic and security interests. The cooperation with Asia is still far from the close cooperation with Europe. Europeans are the ones that send their troops to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Americans in the world's danger zones. The Europeans, not the asians, have been the main partners in forcing major progress in the WTO agenda on information technology and telecommunications. It is striking how thin US alliances in Asia really are, sais Segal. Both Japan and South Korea should be prepared to bear greater burdens and to be greater net contributors to international security. The looming crises in North Korea and Taiwan do require that.
* name Jan Kees, equivalent to John Smith, is the basis for the word Yankee The internet gives the opportunity to resistance movements and dissident politicians to
express their opinions.
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