The EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). A space for oligarchic decisions?

by Ettore Togni

 

Different identities, visions and interests among the EU Member States emerge from the EU Foreign and Security policy. Can be argued that, this circumstance jeopardises the achievement of the specific political objectives by the EU.  

Indeed, today the European Union holds  appropriate juridical framework and political tools to coherently act and address European and international issues, as recognised by the Treaty of the European Union (TUE), Title V . However, despite the main institutional and political progresses, the Foreign Policy of the European Union is strongly undermined by two main factors that are mutually influenced.

First: under the current legal framework, the European Council - the highest decision-making body of the EU composed by the head of the state and government of the 28 member states -  requires unanimity when deciding on Common Security and Defence Policy. Thus, any country can exercise its veto and undermine a common action. In practice, usually happens that unanimity is more likely to be perceived if at least, the so called “Big Three” (UK, France and Germany)[1] are politically agree to promote foreign and security actions and can thus influence the other “minor” member states.  

Why Mogherini was Not in Belarus: Powers and Weaknesses of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

by Angelo Amante

Image from www.neurope.eu

The absence of Mrs Mogherini at the Minsk summit on Ukraine did not pass unnoticed, reopening the debate on the role of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In Belarus, Europe was not represented by Mogherini, but by Angela Merkel and François Hollande. This fact reveals that the Franco-German axis still dominates the EU’s geopolitical relations. Since the early 1950s, the balance of power between France and Germany constitutes the core of a united Europe. Politically speaking, therefore, the role of France and Germany in Minsk is far from unexpected.

From a legal point of view, however, the question is more complex. What follows underlines some problems with how the Lisbon Treaty delineates the figure of the High Representative. The Lisbon Treaty establishes that the High Representative shall preside the Foreign Affairs Council, leading the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The High Representative is also one of the Vice-Presidents of the Commission and functions as the head of the European External Action Service. In theory, the competences and powers of the High Representative are thus quite relevant. In practice, however, the particular policy field to which the responsibilities and activities of the European Foreign Affairs Minister are ascribed is rather abstract, posing a number of obstacles. 

The Syrian refugee crisis: Syria's neighbouring countries plea for more EU support.

By Ana Maria Sarmento

During the month of December 2014, the European Parliament (EP) has been discussing the critical situation of the Syrian refugees accepted by its neighbouring countries. Both in Committee on Foreign Affairs hearings as in several conferences, the EP has debated some solutions the European Union (EU) could develop to support these refugees, as well as the countries who host them.

Fleeing from the war, the Syrian refugees are being hosted by neighbouring countries such as Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in the early 2011, 6.5 million of people have been internally displaced in Syria and a total of 10.8 million people have been affected inside of the country, according to latest statistics of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). So far, 3.2 million of Syrians have been registered as refugees in Syria's neighbouring countries. These numbers are overwhelming and they demonstrate clearly the enormous crisis that Syria and the region are facing.

European Parliament debating the EU engagement on helping the Kurds in Iraq and Syria

By Ana Maria Sarmento

Bruxelles - The European Parliament (EP) has been exchanging views on the current situation of Kurds in the regions of Syrian and Iran.

Last week, both Conferences and EP Committee hearings discussed the urgent need for European leaders to help Kurds. Masrour Barzani, Chancellor of the Security Council of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has expressed his gratitude towards the EU (European Union) and U.S. humanitarian aids.

Western Balkan countries should do more to fight the corruption

by K. M.

Brussels—“Western Balkan countries should do more to fight the corruption”,- was said during the hearings of the Subcommittee on Human Rights - in the European Parliament on Wednesday, November 5^th 2014.

“European Parliament can contribute to improve the information on the situation of these countries and also will going to be focused on Human Rights, rule of law and the starting of the legislative frameworks and access to justice,” - said the Chair of the hearing of Human Rights.

EU Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2014-2015

The Case of the Western Balkan countries

by Elvita Mertins

 

Enlargement is one of the most powerful and important policy tools used by the European Union (EU) to serve its strategic interests in security, stability, conflict prevention, and increased economic prosperity. Having grown since 1950’s from 6 to 28 member states, the EU now has another number of countries wanting to join in. 

The current enlargement agenda covers the countries of the Western Balkans, Turkey and Iceland. Moreover, the enlargement door remains open to any European country which is able to meet and implement the political and economic criteria for membership, which are known as the ‘Copenhagen criteria’. Without going into details, the 2014 EU enlargement package is based on three main pillars: the rule of law, economic governance and public administration reform¹.

The EU pleased with the Tunisian Election

by Ana Maria Sarmento

The general reaction of the European Parliament (EP) on the results of the latest Parliamentary Election in Tunisia was highly positive. The European Union (EU) believes that the Tunisian Parliamentary Election held on 26 October 2014 showed hope for a democratic future in Tunisia.

In the EP Committee hearing of last week many speakers have congratulated Tunisia on showing an ability to reorganize itself and to proceed with a constitutional process just shortly after the revolutionary wave that started in December 2010.