ABSTRACT
The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union (EU) has only a marginal impact on transatlantic relations. The CFSP was created by the Treaty of Maastricht a decade ago. The idea behind it was quite plausible. Individual members of the EU could no longer effectively run all sorts of foreign policies on their own. During the war in Kosovo, in particular, some European leaders could not hide their frustration with being total dependent on American capabilities, decisions and actions. European integration proceeded in an incremental and inconsistent manner without specifying its basic aims and without clear rules or structures. This also applied in the areas of diplomacy and defence. Trade disputes are mushrooming and transatlantic partners seem increasingly assertive. The EU is much more assertive in the field of economics than in others, largely because in no other field is the relationship so balanced in terms of power and leverage.
