50 years of European foreign policy cooperation: What is it for?

UACES Podcasts | Ideas & Experts on Europe

50 years of European foreign policy cooperation: what is it for? 17 October 2019, 17.00 – 18.45 Venue: European Studies Center, St. Anthony´s College, Oxford Speakers: Ben Tonra (University College Dublin); Richard Whitman (University of Kent); Alexander Kmentt (Kings College London). Chair: Heidi Maurer (DPIR, University of Oxford) Co-sponsored by NORTIA: Network on Research and Teaching in EU Foreign Affairs. -------------------------- What did 50 years of foreign policy cooperation, 25 years of Common Foreign and Security Policy, and 10 years of Lisbon Treaty reforms deliver for the international identity of the EU and its member states? Is the EU foreign policy system, with the current status of the High Representative as quasi-Foreign Minister and the European External Action Service fit for the changing international system? Can the EU deliver as non-traditional foreign policy actor in an increasingly contesting international arena? This seminar is to scrutinize the past, current and future state of European Foreign Policy cooperation and of the EU as an international actor. In light of the appointment of the next High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the looming of a no-deal Brexit in October 2019, our roundtable participants are going to reflect on challenges and opportunities for European action in international affairs. CONTENTS ------------------------------------------ 0:00 - 0:36: Introduction by Heidi Maurer ------------------------------------------ ROUND 1: Looking back – what do we see? ------------------------------------------- • What are the main achievements of European foreign policy cooperation in the past 50 years? • The EU is (still) a peculiar foreign policy actor. What are the three aspects that in your view made the EU different? 0:36 – 11.56: Alexander Kmentt, former Austrian PSC 12.41 - 20:10: Ben Tonra, University College Dublin 20.36 - 34.36: Richard Whitman, University of Kent 34.36: Heidi Maurer synthesizes main observations of round 1 ROUND 2: looking forward – The EU fit for purpose as international actor? Is the EU foreign policy system, with the current status of the HR/VP and the role of the EEAS fit for the changing international system? Can the EU deliver as non-traditional foreign policy actor? • If yes, what advantages should we Europeans be aware of? What threats should we consider? If no, what weaknesses should we acknowledge, what opportunities for innovation should we envision? • What short / mid / long term recommendations for EU innovation in foreign policy would you give? 35.56: Heidi Maurer 37.29 - 45.41: Alexander Kmentt on future outlook 46.21 - 51.21: Ben Tonra: What can we fix and is there something to fix? 51.26-58.06: Richard Whitman 58.06-59.34: Heidi Maurer's final summary 59.34: Q&A / Discussion