The balance of the year 2011

(BRUXELLES2) Here are some articles that take stock of the year 2011, in terms of European foreign and defense policy

• on European defence: Arnaud Danjean: Europe must learn to take responsibility for itself)
• defense spending: The fall in defense spending attested by the figures
• the role of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy: High representative: a design flaw to be corrected?
• and more personally on the current holder, Catherine Ashton: Two years with Cathy… Only three years left!
• the new institutions set up by the Lisbon Treaty, in particular the EEAS:  The diplomatic service: a year but not yet all its teeth
• and ongoing peacekeeping operations, including against maritime piracy: Rear-Admiral Canova: piracy down, ransoms up, offensive action

(NGV)