Is a Federal European Foreign Policy Possible?
The European Union was conceived to bring about peace in Europe. However peace and prosperity in Europe are at high risk because of crises at the Eastern border, terrorist threat and migration pressure. An EU global strategy on Foreign and Security Policy represents a unique opportunity for the EU to consolidate its role as a soft and strong global power operating along federalist principles. The Global Strategy should become the umbrella for all EU external actions reflecting a holistic long-term view on peace, prosperity and stability, far beyond short term crisis management. The global strategy should have the ambition to rest on a truly shared Common Foreign, Security and Defence Policy. All external policies of the EU should become Union’s exclusive competences under the responsibility of communitarian institutions. The EU should speak with one voice, have one Foreign policy, operate under a single army command and have a single seat at the United Nations Security Council, etc. The objective is to move gradually from the current hypothetical national sovereignty towards the implementation of an effective European sovereignty steered by federal decision-making, even if this implies the start of a two speed Europe. Only in such a way, Europe will be able to protect its people’s sacred values and to promote its genuine interests.
Bogdan Birnbaum . bogdan.birnbaum@coleurope.eu
Union of European Federalists – Belgian section
Bogdan Birnbaum is Policy Officer at the Union of European Federalists – Belgian section, specialized on EU foreign policy, Western Balkans and neighborhood. He holds a BA in International and Diplomatic Sciences (University of Trieste-Gorizia, 2006) and a MA in EU studies (College of Europe Natolin, 2009). He has previously worked for the Central European Initiative and Italian Embassy in Vienna, and has also spent time as academic assistant at the University of Trieste. Currently is working for the European Commission dealing with research in social sciences.