Post by account_disabled on Mar 9, 2024 0:02:09 GMT -5
I suggested in an earlier blog that continuity could be provided for EPC summits by its adopting the European Council “trios” system. This would mean the host country of each summit working with the past host and next host on agendas and organization. British Diplomat Nick Heath referred in a recent panel discussion to possible use of the “troika” system in the EPC. Troikas are the version of trios practiced by the G20. If the EPC continues to meet more regularly than the G20, the “troika” might better be a “quintet”, as the European Parliament recently proposed should be the case for the European Council's rotating Presidency. Another positive import from G20 practice would be working groups, which would meet between summits and carry forward discussion on their allocated agendas. Working groups would consist of “sherpas” – representatives of national leaders who would normally be senior officials. A working group could consist of all members of the EPC or some of them. Working groups could carry forward work on draft statements of position for consideration by national leaders at the next summit.
Having draft statements of position to work towards would focus the energies of working groups and summits. This would link into remedying a deficiency of the EPC to date – the lack of an end-of-summit communiqué. The current situation is unsatisfactory – more than 40 heads of government meet together, but little emerges in the way of headline statements of position. It is as if the governments of 550 million people gathered to discuss matters of such a small moment that only the barest mention of the substance was needed. Even if final declarations contained both consensus elements and elements USA Phone Number summarizing different positions within the EPC, such declarations could influence thinking in Europe and beyond. A reform beyond G20 – the taskforce Action linked to EPC summits has to date been action by a group of countries meeting in the margins. That is true of the decision of France and the UK to resume France/UK summits, the agreement of Azerbaijan and Armenia on a civilian mission alongside their border, and the plan agreed by the Sunak/Meloni mini-summit on migration and related organized crime.
This might point to another possible innovation for the EPC – the “taskforce” – a group of states which might want to agree to a political plan of action and implement it within the framework of the EPC. The Sunak/Meloni group on irregular migration might, for example, evolve into a taskforce to combat people-trafficking. Another possible candidate for taskforce treatment would be Ukraine, with a focus on both defense and diplomacy. Taskforces could be staffed by sherpas and hold mini-summits at EPC meetings. Taskforces might also hold mini-summits between regular EPC summits. Involving Turkey in a taskforce could nudge the country's government towards closer engagement with EPC partners. A G20-style reform to give the EPC a global profile The G20 invites leaders from non-G20 countries to attend its summits, and the EPC could do the same. The economic and security interests of its members are not confined to Europe, and extend, for example, to the Indo-Pacific region. The EU has held two Indo-Pacific Forums at foreign minister level. In July, the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council opened with the signing of the EU-New Zealand Trade Agreement.
Having draft statements of position to work towards would focus the energies of working groups and summits. This would link into remedying a deficiency of the EPC to date – the lack of an end-of-summit communiqué. The current situation is unsatisfactory – more than 40 heads of government meet together, but little emerges in the way of headline statements of position. It is as if the governments of 550 million people gathered to discuss matters of such a small moment that only the barest mention of the substance was needed. Even if final declarations contained both consensus elements and elements USA Phone Number summarizing different positions within the EPC, such declarations could influence thinking in Europe and beyond. A reform beyond G20 – the taskforce Action linked to EPC summits has to date been action by a group of countries meeting in the margins. That is true of the decision of France and the UK to resume France/UK summits, the agreement of Azerbaijan and Armenia on a civilian mission alongside their border, and the plan agreed by the Sunak/Meloni mini-summit on migration and related organized crime.
This might point to another possible innovation for the EPC – the “taskforce” – a group of states which might want to agree to a political plan of action and implement it within the framework of the EPC. The Sunak/Meloni group on irregular migration might, for example, evolve into a taskforce to combat people-trafficking. Another possible candidate for taskforce treatment would be Ukraine, with a focus on both defense and diplomacy. Taskforces could be staffed by sherpas and hold mini-summits at EPC meetings. Taskforces might also hold mini-summits between regular EPC summits. Involving Turkey in a taskforce could nudge the country's government towards closer engagement with EPC partners. A G20-style reform to give the EPC a global profile The G20 invites leaders from non-G20 countries to attend its summits, and the EPC could do the same. The economic and security interests of its members are not confined to Europe, and extend, for example, to the Indo-Pacific region. The EU has held two Indo-Pacific Forums at foreign minister level. In July, the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council opened with the signing of the EU-New Zealand Trade Agreement.