Paris, 22/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - In a speech to the 52nd plenary session of the Assembly of the Western European Union (WEU) in Paris on 19-21 June as Belgium takes over the WEU Presidency, Belgian's foreign minister, Karel de Gucht, made suggestions about how to beef up the European Union's foreign policy. He suggested taking a 'gradualist approach' and urged the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and the European Commission to work more closely together. He also suggested setting up a system of 'specific EU liaison groups' on specific issues to increase the efficiency of CFSP working practices.
Despite recent progress, it is common knowledge that the European Union does not yet have an active or effective foreign policy. De Gucht says this lack is mainly due to the three pillar structure of the EU, inadequate budget resources and a lack of support verging on a lack of interest among national politicians in an EU foreign policy. Facing what he described as the 'uncertain' future of the constitution, and the refusal by various EU Member States to apply the Community Method to the EU's foreign policy (seen de Gucht as the best option), Belgium's foreign minister said the temptation of making progress with arrangements that do not require any changes to the treaty should be avoided. He suggested that a 'gradualist approach' would help 'reduce the lack of transparency resulting from the increasing use of ad hoc arrangements,' and urged the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and the European Commission to working together, taking a voluntarist approach where possible to draw closer links between the three pillars.
Karel de Gucht also called for improved cooperation between European Commission delegations, ambassadors of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and Solana's special representatives. He suggested an exchange of officials from the European Commission and Member States' foreign ministries with officials from third countries and international organisation representatives. De Gucht suggested a 'system of EU liaison groups' on specific issues to increase the efficiency of CFSP working practices. He said that 'groups of this kind could be formed of the High Representative (for the CFSP), the European Commission, the Presidency and groups of Member States 'willing and able' to join forces on a specific European foreign policy question. His idea is not to create a core of European countries but to ensure that issues which do not interest all EU Member States are still covered by Javier Solana and presented to the Council of the EU. De Gucht said that a 'committed alliance' of this nature would help increase the effectiveness and appeal of the EU's foreign policy.