The 27 members of the European Union have engaged in an ongoing experiment in supranational governance. Each country must navigate the path between contributing to the EU and retaining its national sovereignty, and these growing pains will continue throughout the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. In addition, the Union’s success has had an undeniable influence on the countries in its immediate neighborhood, attracting even more countries to seek membership. Managing developments inside the EU, while simultaneously managing expectations among those on the outside, presents numerous challenges and few, if any, easy answers.

The strength and size of the transatlantic relationship demand that allies on both sides of the Atlantic work to find ways to deepen understanding and cooperation in history’s most successful alliance. As the European Union is a vital component in the pursuit of global security and economic stability, GMF explores the role of this supranational organization in transatlantic relations and global affairs.