Munich, 10/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - In a discussion paper drawn up by Franco Algieri and Janis A. Emmanouilidis entitled "Setting Signals for European Foreign and Security Policy - Discussing differentiation and flexibility", CAP (Centrum fur angewandte Politikforschung) of Munich University, explores the possibility of making use of enhanced cooperation in that field, coming down in favour of "enhanced cooperation on a community basis" for non-military aspects of Cfsp, and for a "model of regulated flexibility" for the "military dimension" of this policy (see below). The enhanced cooperation instrument will doubtless not increase transparency within the Union, but if one wants integration to move forward, greater differentiation and flexibility will have to be accepted, the authors acknowledge, for whom, "if seen as a means to open the way to a Union policy, flexibility could prevent an uncontrolled spreading of ad-hoc coalitions outside the Treaty framework" - whereas, should "increased intergovernmentlism" prove to be the only way for closer cooperation, this would most probably affect the future of the Union as a whole.
Having said that, Messrs. Algieri and Emmanoulidis consider that, , in the sensitive area of military affairs, one has to avoid provoking unsought reactions, and that, therefore, the term "communitarisation" should not be used, especially so as not to irritate Great Britain, whose participation is of key importance in this field. According to them, a "model of regulated flexibility" can be created: thus, in case of crisis, a certain number of Member States "willing and able" to do so could take the necessary military measures, and the mechanism of a flexible cooperation should enable each Member State to provide its own specific contribution. The authors note that, probably, States wanting to act will consist of a "constantly recurring constellation, analogous to the EU Member States part of the Contact Group" (on the Balkans), but "not exclusively".