While the Marshall Plan remains a touchstone for German-American relations, the value of the transatlantic relationship is no longer as obvious or unassailable as it once was. A new narrative for the transatlantic relationship is needed to address transnational challenges such as the growing importance of emerging economies, an increasingly multipolar world order, and the […]
3. Bridging the Atlantic: Towards a New Education Agenda
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), on both sides of the Atlantic there is a 55% or higher chance that a 25 to 44-year-old whose parents passed tertiary education will achieve the same level of education, while less than 10% of children from low-educated families with a migration background reach that […]
4. Toward a Decentralized Framework for Climate Engagement
Following the Paris Agreement, climate commitments must be backed by concrete action. Meeting the obligations under the Agreement will require effective and innovative policy solutions and transformation in the energy sector and beyond. The US and Germany, as climate leaders and policy pioneers, are at the forefront of these efforts and should expand cooperation beyond […]
5. Transatlantic Security: Improving Burden-Sharing
Despite the current trends toward nationalism and retrenchment in both the US and Europe, policymakers should continue to give transatlantic security cooperation the utmost priority. The security challenges the Alliance faces can only be successfully confronted if the US and Europe continue and deepen their cooperation. While NATO has inefficiencies and shortcomings in specific policy […]
6. Sharing Standards on Development, Refugee, and Integration
The recent migration crisis has brought longstanding tensions in Europe’s immigration and integration policies to the forefront. This is compounded by a concern in Europe and the US that hosting refugees and migrants from fragile and conflict-afflicted states in the Middle East and North Africa increase domestic security risks and that such persons are not […]
7. Technology as the Driver for Transatlantic Collaboration
The US and EU face many similar challenges in the digital age which affect both the business sector and society as a whole. We see this moment as a chance to shift the focus of the transatlantic relationship toward greater collaboration and proactive problem-solving, which will also help to address domestic issues on each side […]
8. Conclusion
This paper has put forth policy recommendations that frame a new narrative for transatlantic relations. Fellows from both sides of the Atlantic were selected to represent both professional and regional diversity of their respective countries as well as held worldviews from across the political spectrum. The shared passion for modernizing, reinvigorating and improving transatlantic relations […]
Acknowledgments, Authors and Supporters
The authors of “Transatlantic Relations in a New Era: The Next Generation’s Approach” would like to thank the Atlantische Initiative for creating this project, specifically Johannes Bohnen and Joerg Wolf for the incredible amount of work that went into the planning and execution of the first expedition. Also, we wish to thank the supporters of […]
The Atlantic Expedition to Hamburg, Dresden, Berlin
30 US and German Fellows, who were selected through an essay competition, collaborated in working groups to write policy memos on the entire transatlantic agenda: Defense, trade, populism, migration, integration & development policy, climate change & energy policy, education, tech policy and a new narrative for transatlantic relations. The Fellows travelled together to Hamburg, Dresden […]
Introduction: A New Narrative for the Transatlantic Relationship
While many older Americans and Germans retain fond memories of the Marshall Plan, which helped turn the former foes into allies and partners, the value of transatlantic relations is no longer as obvious to younger generations in both countries. Given the value of the partnership to address transnational challenges and maintain the rule-based international order […]