Foreign Policy of the EU: Central Concepts, Documents, and Institutions

European Economic Community established via 1957 Treaty of Rome; Common Commercial Policy, only external dimension of internal policies + trade and development cooperation; gradually becoming FP actor in 60s (first international treaties signed by EEC), e.g., Kennedy round of GATT negotiations where, for the first time, EEC members negotiated with "single voice";

created by Lisbon Treaties 2009 (Art. 18 TEU) to bridge Council and Commission; "Double-Hatted": VP of Commission, HR for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the Council; VP function vague: ‘ensure the consistencyof the Union’s external action’ (Art. 18(4) TEU); HR functions: decision making (Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee, submit CFSP and CSDP proposals, report to and consult with EP {important for budget, public support}), implementation (coordinate activities together with national MoFAs, coordinate civilian & military aspects of CSDP missions together with Political and Security Committee), external representation (represents EU in matters of CFSP, coordinates members for int. conferences), and ensuring consistency between different areas of EU's external action.

academical concept that refers to the effect of the EU on politics and policies of its member states, including changes in national institutions, policymaking mechanisms, policies, values and identity; as a result states develop FP towards issues that were previously unaccounted for (Horn of Africa / Sahel), also allows for projection/upload of national FP to EU level (France -> Sahel), or even de-Europeanization if EU prooves ineffective (e.g. arms exports)

US as main security provider for EU MS -> in return consideration/anticipation of US positions and interests when making FP choices; hampered during Trump area, attempt for more strategic autonomy and new security initiatives

was one of the first and most influential attempts to conceptualize (Western) Europe’s status & role in the world; refers to the transformation of interstate relations within Europe from conflict & indirect violence to ‘civilized’ politics; focuses on the possibility of being a ‘power’ without military instruments, positive public connotation; tied to EU as a normative power; Cold War dominance of NATO left EC/EPC little option to maximize impact as civilian power in 70s/80s; end of East-West order, EU pressured to transform into civilian & military power, see Western Balkans 1990s, complemented CFSP with CSDP

member states retain control through European Council, unanimity rule; legal basis in TEU; mainly CFSP and CSDP

member states accept the transfer of competences to EU and share power with supranational institutions such as Commission & European Parliament, inability to veto decision-making; legal basis TFEU; based on an institutional equilibrium between the Council, the Commission,cthe European Parliament (EP) and the Court of Justice, and on the possibility of majority voting for most decisions in the Council

European External Action Service, created through Lisbon Treaty (TEU), but established in 2010 through a process of difficult inter- and intra-institutional negotiations; lead by HR/VP; entertains a network of ca. 140 EU delegations in third countries, close cooperation with members' diplomatic missions, exchanging & providing information to Brussels joint assessments, contribute to the protection of EU citizens in the territory of third countries, crisis managment capabilities (EU Military Staff, Military Planning and Conduct Capability, Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, EU Intelligence and Situation Centre)

objectives vis-à-vis third countries (relational) or international organizations, including treaties, conventions or whole regions (structural)

objectives regarding the relation between members (interrelational), regarding the nature of the European Project itself (integration), or regarding EU identity as actor (demonstrate that the EU exists, emphasize the specificity of the European approach to international politics, differentiate EU from other actors)

relational = to shape and build relationships vis-a-vis third states/regions/organizations versus structural = to influence structures in these third states sustainably and how actors behave within them (long-term efficiency), through support and promotion of structural reforms, e.g. with regard to democracy and good governance

1950; precursor to ECSC; proposal by FR MoFA Robert Schuman based on ideas of Jean Monnet to integrate (former arch enemy) Germany in European post-war order and pool together coal and steel ressources

created 1952 with the Treaty of Paris; conventionally considered the start of the (Western) European Integration process; pooling of coal and steel to a supranational entity to lay "common foundations for economic development"; Signatories: FRA, FRG, ITA, NET, BEL, LUX;

1950; outline for creation of European Defense Community, a common army between FRA, ITA, FRG, LUX, NET, BEL; designed to keep FRG out of NATO

1952, design for a common army between FRA, ITA, FRG, LUX, NET, BEL to defend Western Europe against USSR; never ratified by FRA National Assembly because of participation of FRG, fear of loosing national sovereignty over defense and of US-American disengagement from Western Europe; context: Stalin's death, Korean War

1968 covers trade in goods and services, the commercial aspects of intellectual property, public procurement, and foreign direct investments.

1970; adopted by eu MoFAs; start of "European Political Cooperation" (first steps towards EU FP coordination via consultation and information exchanges)

1970 until 1993 (superseeded by CFSP); regular meetings of Foreign Affairs ministers, Directors of MFA, and specialist working parties

formalied practices developed in the previous years, incl. increase in meetings; "each state undertakes as a general rule not to take up final positions without prior consultation with its partners"

signed 1986, legal anchoring of European Political Cooperation (EPC) in EU Treaties

1st pillar: EEC (community method, CCP); 2nd pillar: CFSP (intergov method); 3rd pillar: Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJCC) (Intergov); Problem for EU FP: deprived CFSP (in the second pillar) of a direct link to either essential foreign policy instruments or the EU’s strongest policy facets: external action (including trade policy and development cooperation) and the external dimensions of internal policy fields (both in the first pillar)

1999; creation of "Secretary General/High Representative" for the CFSP: for the first time CFSP supported by a permanent actor; someone with high profile in foreign affairs was chosen (Javier Solana) --> signal that member states took FP serious

first military mission taken on by the EU from NATO, first time that soldiers were employed under European flag

framework for strengthening the EU's relations with former Soviet republics and countries of the Mediterranean via financial aid, visa regulation, even economic integration; Supplement for membership; Historical background: 2004 enlargement turned BLR, UKR and MDA into immediate neighbours -> new conflictual surrounding;

2017- component of the CSDP; aims to coordinate and increase national investment in defence research and improve interoperability between national armed forces.

2017- first initiated, but based on2009 (Treaty of Lisbon), Permanent Structured Cooperation; to deepen defence cooperation amongst EU Member States who are capable and willing to do so.

1952- mission: to ensure that "the law is observed" "in the interpretation and application" of the Treaties

1974 (infromal) -> 2009 (offical institution) - mission: defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union, heads of state or government of EU countries, European Council President, European Commission President

1958 - mission: voice of EU member governments, adopting EU laws and coordinating EU policies, Government ministers from each EU country, according to the policy area to be discussed, Each EU country holds the presidency on a 6-month rotating basis

1949 - mission: to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe and beyond

Competences not conferred to the EU remain with the member states

expressed- the Treaty explicitly attributes external competences in specific fields to the EU (trade policy), implied - external competences that are not explicitly mentioned in the Treaty but can come from internal EU legislation

Art.3 TFEU: The Union shall have exclusive competence in the following areas: (a) customs union; (b) the establishing of the competition rules [...]; (c) monetary policy [... regarding Euro]; (d) [marine and] fisheries policy; (e) common commercial policy.

the member states can only exercise their competence to the extent that the EU has not yet exercised its competence - environment, agriculture