Forum on the Transatlantic Relationship - Established 2008
Overview
About
The Academy for Cultural Diplomacy established the European–American Relationship Programme to reinforce political, economic and cultural ties across the Atlantic and to emphasise the strategic importance of this partnership for advancing global public goods.
The United States and Europe share a longstanding and multifaceted relationship, rooted in the intellectual legacy of the Enlightenment, shaped by nineteenth-century migration and consolidated through the strategic cooperation of the Cold War and its aftermath. While European leaders frequently invoke a “special relationship” with the United States, the transatlantic bond rests less on rhetoric than on sustained institutional, economic and security interdependence.
In recent years, however, areas of divergence have become more visible, particularly in foreign and security policy, the use of military force and approaches to climate governance. The digital transformation has further internationalised domestic debates, influencing public discourse on both sides of the Atlantic.
Given that the United States and Europe together account for approximately half of global GDP, effective transatlantic cooperation remains indispensable to addressing the challenges of an increasingly interconnected world. The Programme was established in recognition of this enduring strategic necessity.
