We'll have to wait for the constitution to enter into force for Javier Solana to take up his job as minister of foreign affairs of the European Union. His appointment by Heads of governments is official but there is no question of this being applied early, out of respect for those who have to ratify the constitution. But the profound changes that this new creation will provoke have to be carefully prepared for. Its political significance is enormous: Europe will have its minister of foreign affairs; the telephone number mentioned by Henry Kissinger, with which Europe as such would answer, will now exist. The fact that Javier Solana was appointed by unanimity now strengthens his authority.
Respect the autonomy of the Commission and its services. The institutional repercussions will be quite considerable. The future minister will be European Commission vice president but he will be acting on the "mandate of the Council" for all foreign affairs and security and defence matters. He will also chair the Council of foreign affairs. Will the repercussions of this situation on the nature and autonomy of the Commission be sufficiently analysed? The Council will in a certain way introduce itself to within the Council and we can ask ourselves if, by this means, the inter-governmental method will not be introduced to it as well. Of course the Council is not a simple assembly of ministers, it is a Community institution. It does, however, represent the Member States. To be president of the Council and vice president of the Commission and act within the Commission on the mandate of the Council, will not be an easy task; this could provoke a lot of straining and squinting. It appears difficult to foresee standards of binding legal behaviour; a lot of tact will be needed by the European minister himself and from the president of the Commission.
Making all instruments available. Mr Solana deserves total confidence from this point of view. The way in which he has managed, as High Representative, his relations with Commissioner Chris Patten bears this out. But the situation will be completely different in the future. Currently, difficulties arise from the fact that the High Representative has responsibilities and political competencies while operational instruments, notably the financial ones, are controlled by the Commission. In the future, Javier Solana, vice president of the Commission and at the same time president of the Council will have his word on the use of these instruments, even more so given that the constitution holds him responsible for "the co-ordination of other aspects of external Union action" (Article 27 par 3).
The terms, "other aspects" covers a very broad spectrum of action. The French Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Pierre Sellal, pointed out during a recent hearing at the French Senate that the recent summits with Russia focused on the accession of this country to the WTO, energy issues, visas and the Kyoto Protocol, namely, subjects within the remit of policies relating to trade, energy, justice and home affairs and the environment. Beyond the personal responsibilities of the future minister, will his services have competency extended to all the above-mentioned areas and for others that are part of the important external aspect? The future "European external action service" will bring together (we already know) Council and Commission officials and diplomats from Member States. Parameters for the competency of this service have to be defined. Beyond external policy in the traditional sense of the word, what, asks Mr Sellal will trade and development policy be, as well as the "external dimension" of other environment, fisheries, transport, maritime etc. policies? The autonomy of the Commission services is at stake and also, in part, so is that of certain Commissioners. It is not only a question of competency, power or rivalry: orientation of European policies itself is involved. It is clear that in its relations with third countries, the minister of foreign affairs will have to have the opportunity of putting all the Union's instruments available on the table. It will be absurd if he cannot promise a third country financial assistance or announce trade concessions, saying, "That's not me, you'll have to see my colleague about that".
Autonomies to respect. Mr Solana's responsibility will be to co-ordinate the different policies and avoid absurd situations. But the autonomy of certain European policies has to be respected, for example, that of development policy. Louis Michel, who will be responsible for it, has underlined to MEPs that development cooperation has its own ends and "should not be used as an instrument to the ends of political expediency" (see our bulletin 24 September p 14). Close collaboration between the future minister and the Commissioners in charge of other policies will be necessary, while respecting the autonomy of the Commission and its services. A delicate balancing act. (F.R.)