Efficiency grows. Catherine Ashton's role is becoming clearer and more efficient and she is beginning to acquire a more natural kind of authority. It was not that long ago that her resignation was described as imminent, and certain MEPs even raised the possibility of introducing a motion of censure against her. Several factors have contributed to the change in atmosphere and it would be pointless debating whether it is she who has evolved or whether the changes around the operational nature of the European diplomatic service (which is gradually beginning to take control of its tasks) are making it easier for her to assert herself. What is important, are the effects of this for EU foreign policy, which result in a gradual application of this extremely difficult aspect of European construction. Baroness Ashton no longer limits herself to signing rather banal positions, which are already blatantly obvious and without any impact. Her action is becoming increasingly concrete.
For many months during the initial phase of her activity, she was on the defensive, particularly because of the rather vague aspects of her theoretical remit. It is impossible for her to exercise her tasks as vice president of the European Commission effectively and fully. This is due both to practical reasons (she simply can't be everywhere at once) and to the sensitive relationship she has with her commissioner colleagues responsible for trade policy or other portfolios that overlap with the role that she is supposed to carry out. MEPs also tended to demand that she spoke out on the position of the EU in areas where this position did not yet exist. She was obliged to repeat to MEPs day in and day out that on each different and controversial problem in the world “it was up to the member states to take a decision, and not up to her to take position.” She had to explain that her job was sometimes to “make proposals to the European Council” (see for example EUROPE 10332).
Obviously, the Parliament is keeping up the pressure. Even last month, Elmar Brok, of the EPP Group (Germany) declared that Baroness Ashton “must lead rather than simply follow”. The EP as a whole called on her to take action to ensure that member states “overcome their different conceptions of major foreign policy issues” and to initiate herself, for example, a dialogue with Turkey on stability in the Balkans and Caucasus, the Iranian nuclear issue and energy (EUROPE 10377).
Foreign policy cannot be improvised. Pierre Vimont, Executive Secretary General for the European External Action Service, with whom I had a brief interview, warned against illusions of quick fix solutions and explained that European foreign and defence policy cannot be improvised…It is built up slowly and put into practice on a step-by-step basis… the situation on the ground has to be taken into account… this is the only way of moving forward. It is important that there is both stability and permanence for the roles - Van Rompuy, Barroso and the high representative. Third countries need permanent interlocutors and a quarterly rotating Presidency at the Council does not have very much to do with EU foreign policy …
Patience is necessary, according to Mr Vimont, faced with the opinion wars regarding the institutions and the debate about Community and intergovernmental methods - a complex affair which will only be clarified on a gradual basis. The same goes for the military section contained within the Lisbon Treaty - permanent structured cooperation cannot be improvised! It is true that Europe is not in a phase of being automatically attractive but we can, nonetheless, observe progress being made both internally and internationally, for example at the UN or in cooperation with third countries such as Turkey, which the Parliament is calling for (see above).
Operational work. In this context, the role of Baroness Ashton is now useful and effective. She participates on behalf of the EU in the preparatory work of defining global positions and in consultations with third countries, by outlining the European orientation. She takes initiatives and very recently activated, in agreement with the Presidency of the Council and in cooperation with the Commission, the Civilian Protection Mechanism (CPM) in Yemen. Even her interventions intended for public opinion have become more attractive and of a higher quality, as well as her linguistic quality which was hitherto unknown. She had been criticised for communicating in a single language; I read the French and Italian translations of her point of view on the future of the Balkans, which were not only interesting but also lively and rather outstanding too. In the Le Monde blog, I noticed two sentences written in reaction to her text: “So, she really does exist after all?” and “This is good news: the probability for Catherine Ashton really existing is beginning to make progress”. This is also my impression. (F.R./transl.fl)