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For the second time in twenty years, the european Foreign Policy will have a Spanish commanders. Of the same political generation and of the Socialist Party, Javier Solana designed the foundations of an emerging but precarious diplomatic action in europe. Two decades after the nominated as High Representative, Josep Borrell , in a political context more unstable for the EU, faces the challenge of providing the device community of more boldness and effectiveness. In the absence of its ratification by the European Parliament, still the Foreign minister in office of Spain -it will not take over until the 1st of November– ahead to repair credibility damaged by the Union in crisis as the Venezuela of the beginning of the year 2019, which showed the disparity of positions among member countries and even bans to a common position in favor of the recognition of John Guaidó as a leader legitimate in the country.
to Achieve a joint position between the 28 countries has never been easy, but it is considered the backbone of the successes of diplomats from the EU. “In the venezuelan crisis we find ourselves with the great problem of the unanimity rule that blocked the action and make it impossible to be at the height in time and space”, points to this journal Beatriz Becerra , exvicepresidenta of the Human Rights Committee of the European Parliament and that, followed very closely the events. As does Dita Charanzova , of the liberal Czech Republic and vice-president of the European Parliament in this new legislature europarlamentaria, that in statements Vocento points to Italy as the main member State that blocked the last winter the common position of the EU, motivated by issues of internal politics.
This week, the EU has concluded the change of Government in Italy. The entry of the Democratic Party in the alliance anti-Salvini, along with the populist Movement 5 Stars adventure a change of direction in its relationship with the EU. Although it has been criticized as being a puppet, the prime minister in functions Giuseppe Conte resarció with a formidable discourse of influence has always been the failed bet of the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini , who after winning the european elections with 34% of the vote attempted to break down the Executive with a motion of censure and bring forward elections to get more power. In addition to his position on Venezuela, the Italian Government led the last autumn, the resistance within the Union to impose more sanctions on Russia. Salvini -who was the Prosecution’s Italian has opened an investigation by information that relate to your party financially with the Kremlin – he called “madness of economic, social and cultural” and “an absurdity” that would cost thousands of millions of euros to the Italian companies.
The EU does not have a “european foreign policy real,” because each country works on its own and the member States do not want to give total responsibility to the High Representative, consider the sources consulted. In a telephone interview with this newspaper, Pierre Vimont, former French diplomat of the EU and now an analyst for the think-tank Carnegie, said that despite the criticisms in the case of Venezuela is a good example of how to move forward and try a european foreign policy is more diversified. “Despite the lack of unity of the States, it was interesting to see how Mogherini decided to go forward with the formation of the international contact group for Venezuela despite the fact that it has not had many results until now. It is important to move towards this scenario for which the EU does not feel constrained to act trapped in the lock of the States.”
Twenty years since the arrival of Solana and ten since the creation of the post as an answer to the impertinent question of “who do I call if I want to talk with the EU?”, the Union has had two women at the controls: the social democrats, Catherine Ashton, and Federica Mogherini . Two profiles and strategies different: while the british sought to focus on a small number of crisis and objectives, the Italian, who came to lead during the eight months, the diplomacy of his country has tried to have their say on all fronts. With doubtful success due to their lack of depth in the topics, according to analysts like Nicolas Gros-Verheyde on the specialized portal “Bruxelles 2”. The Agreement with Iran, one of the few great successes of european diplomacy, especially of Mogherini, is at risk terminal after the departure of the united States.
Not always diplomatic
Away from the low political profile international and its predecessors, the Council -indicate the sources consulted – has chosen a veteran that holds the community experience as president of the European Parliament. Although the Catalan political has shown in some occasions a little diplomatic talent. During the month of February, Borrell said that the administration Trump was acting as a “cowboy” by threatening to invade Venezuela to overthrow the regime of Maduro.
the EU remains The largest market in the world, representing jointly the second political actor, with increased Defence spending after the U.S. and are able to deploy the largest diplomatic corps. “The EU needs to learn to think as a geopolitical power and for that Borrell should prompt a debate about going to sovereignty strategic”, underlines this journal, Susi Dennison, senior researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). This would mean the progress of the EU towards the clarification of their own values and interests, how to defend them and to reduce the dependence of other powers.
To the analyst for the ECFR, the new leaders of the european institutions should not claim “more Europe”, that “it would be even harmful in these moments”, but “more results with the current arms of the EU” in an increasingly unstable world.
In the traditional speech before 200 French diplomats, the president Emmanuel Macron asked for more boldness to do nothing to make Europe a “balance power” and not a “power aligned with the united States and China.” “We know that the civilizations are disappearing […] Europe will disappear. And the world will be structured around two major poles: the USA and China, and we will have the option of choosing between the two,” he said.
in the judgment of Vimont, who was between December 2010 and march 2015, the first executive secretary general of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the diplomatic corps created in 2010, “Javier Solana worked in a very different context prior to the Treaty. It was not vice-president of the Commission. Ashton and Mogherini, yes. It was someone very different, an architect. With the current conditions, the institutional environment has changed totally in order to have a administration substantial with more than 3,000 officers working for the High Representative”. Now, Borrell adds, have to work with a structure much more solid, but at the same time more difficult to mobilize. “In recent years there has been a lot of ideas but have not acted properly in the field. We need more action of the european diplomacy”, he concludes. And to this end recommends that the EEAS (with an annual budget of 980 million euros) that look for greater efficiency and specificity in its proposals to the future High Representative for the diplomatic action .
