Security and democracy in the neighbourhood: the case of the Caucasus
Synthesis report of an expert workshop organised by DG Research and Innovation, European Commission, on 19 December 2011 in Brussels ( 619KB)

To indicate some useful possible avenues for future research, the present synthesis report provides an overview of the state of the art of social science and humanities research on the Caucasus on the whole, with a particular emphasis on the topics of security and democratization. It is meant as a valuable read for all those interested in the Caucasus region, the EU's policies in that region, and the research dimensions of these two topics.

World and European Energy and Environment Transition Outlook ( 7.69KB)

The World and European Energy and Environment Transition Outlook (WETO-T) offers a new perspective on the technological, economic and social options which could lead towards a post carbon society by the end of the century.

WETO-T tackles demographic, human capital, and lifestyles issues up to 2100 and the consequent needs for energy services worldwide.

For Europe, the WETO-T report firstly addresses three technology paradigms for long-term sustainability. Secondly, it analyses the energy-environment transition in combination with land-use issues. Thirdly, it helps to understand the "social fabric" of this energy-environment transition.

WETO-T also investigates the potential innovations in the transport and building sectors in conjunction with changes in human behaviour. Finally, it looks at the policy path to the achievement of the climate change targets.

• For more information contact:
  Domenico ROSSETTI di VALDALBERO
• For more information:
  http://www.pact-carbon-transition.org/

The Atlantic Geopolitical Space: common opportunities and challenges
Synthesis Report of a conference jointly organised by DG Research and Innovation and BEPA, European Commission, and held on 1 July 2011
Rapporteur: Mark Aspinwall, 2011 - 34 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-21628-2 ( 923KB)

The relations between the "four pillars" of the Atlantic – Europe, Africa, North America, South America – need further and systematic analysis. Paradoxically, the academic and policy interest on the "rise of the Pacific" has not been paralleled yet with an "Atlantic space" perspective which is key for Europe and its partners in the region. The Atlantic region, both North and South, displays strong cultural, political and economic convergence.
The great majority of the countries have embraced multiparty democracies and market economies. The level of economic interdependence in the region, seen by the rise of the volume in trade, has considerably grown during the last decade. At the same time there are important cleavages and diversities to be considered and managed at the multilateral as well as sub-regional levels. Issues discussed at the workshop, by experts from all regions of the Atlantic, included: partnerships between major players; regional integration and Atlantic cooperation; good governance and development; trade, finance and investment; energy and environment; peace building and security challenges.

The Future of Banking – PEGGED book
2011 , Edited by Thorsten Beck, ISBN (eBook):978-1-907142-46-8, 91 pages ()

Sovereign risk and banking risk are in reality so dangerously intertwined that no big European bank is now safe from the potential impact of holding bad government debt. This PEGGED book presents a collection of essays that offer solutions to the crisis and proposals for medium- to long-term reforms to the regulatory framework in which financial institutions operate. Amongst them, the authors present the case for a forceful resolution of the Eurozone crisis through the introduction of ‘European Safe Bonds’ (ESBies).

The authors stress the need for a stronger, European-wide regulatory framework as well as for a European-level resolution authority for systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs), but they also recall that it is also extremely important to ensure that we do not forget the essential role of banks in terms of their vital contribution to the ‘real economy’ and the pivotal role they play as lenders to small- and medium-size enterprises in support of economic growth at local and regional levels.

• More information on the PEGGED project

Life in the Eurozone with or without Sovereign Default? – PEGGED book
2011 , Editors: Franklin Allen, Elena Carletti, Giancarlo Corsetti,
181 pages ( 2.31MB)

This timely e-book contains the proceeding of the conference "Life in the Eurozone With or Without Sovereign Default?" organized by the PEGGED project, funded by the SSH Theme of FP7. This e- book addresses thoroughly the issue of Sovereing default, notably the case of Greece, and its political consequences for the Euro-zone, for the banking systems and for tax-payers. The books present very different perspectives and possible actions, and most suggest that debt restructuring is inevitable. As highlighted by Josep Borrell Fontelles - former president of the European Parliament - the main contribution of this e-book is that it discusses what such a restructuring could look like. It should be kept in mind, as indicated by Mitu Gulati, that "Greece is almost in a better position than any other country in recent memory to do a restructuring."

• More information on the PEGGED project

Transnational Communities and Conflicts - Challenges and how to address them - The INFOCON Mousebook
2011 , Editors: Elise Féron and Anna Orrnert,
190 pages ( 2.20MB)

The idea of this "Mousebook" a handbook mainly disseminated online grew out of Infocon, a research project funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework programme for Research and Development. While research on diasporas and transnational communities has been relatively extensive, little is known about the civil society organizations that grow out these communities. Despite their often small size, these organizations contribute significantly to building links between countries of origin and countries of settlement. They have a key role to play in peace building initiatives in these two locations and in the development process of their home countries.

Nevertheless, transnational community organizations face great challenges in their everyday activities, related to their transnational nature and sometimes limited size, their relations with the local and national authorities in the country of settlement and the high internal diversity of members of the transnational communities they wish to represent.

This Mousebook describes and analyses some of these challenges to their peace building and development activities. It also presents the ways in which the civil society organizations involved in the Infocon project have been trying to deal with them. Instead of prescribing one-size- ts-all formulas, it is hoped that discussing specific examples and celebrating successes will foster a better understanding of the work of transnational community organizations. The book helps them to imagine and set their own path through the various traps and quagmires as well as opportunities that lie ahead.

• More information on the INFOCON project