The Nature and Scope of the US-EU Relationship

United by common values and threat perceptions, the United States and the EU are each other's natural allies and most obvious and important political and trade partners. Despite occasional misunderstandings, mainly on tactics, there are very few areas in which European and American interests and objectives do not coincide. It must be noted that Europe needs to be more effective internally and in its dealings with the United States. Nevertheless, past experience teaches the United States that this irreplaceable relationship will continue to develop not from more formalistic machinery or rigid definitions of burden-sharing but from sustained and results-oriented coordination, depending on the issue.