Will the recent lifting of sanctions mark the beginning of a new European approach to the authorities in Minsk? How can the Union engage with the isolated country without compromising its principles?
This seminar was co-organised by the EUISS, the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), the Egmont Institute, and the Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the EU.
In 2015, the European Commission invited key personalities from European industry, government, the European Parliament and academia to advise it on establishing a Preparatory Action on Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)-related research. This Report is the result of several months of regular conversation and consultation among a group of experts encompassing the ‘sherpas’, officials from the European Commission and the EUISS.
‘It is surely no accident that there is a degree of coordination among member states and the EU in countries such as China, with its powerful and coordinated government, or in North Korea, where pooling information and sharing modest diplomatic resources is a recognised need.’
‘...regional challenges are making Europeans understand that even a ‘fortress Europe’ will need to act in faraway theatres.’
‘To ensure that it continues to play an indispensable role in the shaping of the global order, a more strategic EU needs to be prudent and refrain from ‘feel-good’ policymaking’.’
With Africans increasingly taking charge of security governance on their continent, this Brief assess to what extent the African Union’s partnership with the EU is truly strategic. Have the two continents finally managed to overcome the donor-recipient dynamic which long dominated their relationship?
Part of the expert outreach and consultation process for the preparation of the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy, this joint conference was held on 17-18 February 2016 at the Maison de la recherche in Paris.
‘Any sensible approach cannot be confined to technical programmes, or military force, while neglecting the political dynamics on the ground. Policies without politics will not work.’
‘...the HR/VP will have to make a point of using the qualified majority voting (QMV) mechanisms and flexible arrangements which the Treaty provides.’