European Political Cooperation Research Articles

Twelve tongues, one voice: An evaluation of European political cooperation

Abstract. Traditional integration theories disagree over the scope of the main foreign policy instrument of the European Union (EU), the so‐called European Political Cooperation (EPC). While intergovernmentalism suggests that EPC actions are weak, neofunctionalism maintains that cooperation within the EPC framework is characterised by strong measures. In this article, we present a game‐theoretic and statistical analysis of these conflicting propositions and show that European foreign policy making is much more diversified than predicted by the predominating theoretical approaches. A signalling game demonstrates that the exploitation of uncertainty by a possible profit‐seeker outside the organisation can cause inadequate EPC decisions. The formal model also explores the extent to which joint interest in closer foreign policy coordination can help to overcome diverging national policy preferences. The empirical test of some game‐theoretic hypotheses shows that European foreign policy making has become more intensive. The increasing number of declarations is, however, also a sign of the proliferation of non‐committing statements. Logit regressions reveal a close relationship between the economic salience of an EPC target nation to the European Union and the intensity of an EPC reaction.

'Less than Supranational, More than Intergovernmental': European Political Cooperation and the Dynamics of Intergovernmental Integration

'Less than Supranational, More than Intergovernmental': European Political Cooperation and the Dynamics of Intergovernmental Integration

The European Council: gatekeeper of the European Community

The European Council - origins and normative assessments the role of EC institutions in preparing a European Council the formation of national positions for European Councils sessions of the European Council the European Council and European political co-operation decision-making in the European Council - the British budget dispute decision-making in the European Council - the Delors Plan institutionalizing the European Council.

Ireland in European political cooperation: The victory of substance over form

Abstract For over 20 years Ireland has been participating in a process of foreign policy cooperation whose scope and depth has been unique. In return for limited constraints, political cooperation has provided unique benefits to the Irish foreign policy process and has made more effective the output of that policy. The evolution of Irish foreign policy over this period suggests that a common European foreign and security policy may soon become one of Ireland's central foreign policy objectives.

West European Cooperation in Foreign and Security Policy

The development of a collective foreign and security policy for Western Europe was shaped by both the international environment and the policy of West European regional integration. Although initially put on the back burner, a common European defense has been defined as a goal within the Treaty on European Union. Unification in the three areas—economic (European Community), diplomatic (European Political Cooperation), and military (Western European Union)—has advanced differently but, as a whole, has reached a stage where comprehensive union is possible. Western Europe is currently in a transitional period and is still feeling the pains associated with being thrust into the position of a world power after years of comfortable existence under the umbrella of one of the two antagonistic superpowers. In the beginning of the 1990s, a much more assertive role than in the 1970s and the 1980s is being expected of Western Europe by the international community.

The Twelve's Relations with Third Countries:

From its inception the European Political Cooperation (EPC) has gradually developed a network of dialogue partners, and dialogue with third countries and groups of third countries is now extensive. This article presents an overview of the most important formal consultations taking place. It examines the various forms, levels and frequency of relations, and the criteria for choosing the concrete format of political consultations. The article also explains why dialogue has been established and developed, and four factors are put forward. First, the integration process of the European Community itself is a necessary precondition for dialogue, and also explains why the Twelve are now more willing to enter into dialogue, and why the Twelve themselves have become more desirable partners for consultation. The second factor is the response from the third countries: from the outset the EPC has excited keen interest — and in some cases felt pressure — from third countries wanting to establish formal contact. Third, dialogue has benefited the Twelve, enabling them to assert themselves on a global scale. Finally, local or regional crises and conflicts outside Europe have served as a catalyst for the establishment of interregional cooperation.

European political co-operation

European political co-operation

European Political Cooperation in 1991

European Political Cooperation in 1991

Combating terrorism: Report to the committee of legal affairs and citizens’ rights of the European Parliament

This study traces the history of the European Parliament's efforts to deal with international terrorism from 1975 through 1988. It also examines the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, efforts at intergovernmental cooperation (the Dublin Agreement, TREVI, the European Political Cooperation), anti‐terrorist legislation, and extradition. It is argued that the establishment of a European judicial area is essential in a unified Europe, so as to overcome the legal and procedural barriers that exist between nations. The political and legal spheres must develop in parallel, necessitating a harmonization of legislation and increased coordination of the judiciary and of security forces. The essay concludes that creating a European Court would resolve the dilemma of countries refusing either to extradite or try a suspect. In such cases, the suspect would be tried before the European court.

The European response to terrorism

This essay argues that military‐strategic anti‐terrorist measures must be balanced by judicial and political controls. It therefore focuses on legal measures, agreeing with Alex Schmid that terrorism can be considered ‘the peacetime equivalent of war crimes’. It criticizes the notion of ‘international terrorism’, claiming that all terrorism has a national origin as well as international connections, especially within a unified Europe. The effectiveness of various conventions against terrorism is reviewed and it is concluded that all too often non‐implementation renders the statement of principle devoid of practical effect. While global conventions are hard to implement, there is more hope for a sectorial, European approach, but such a response must be both collective and democratic. In the long run, adherence to the rule of law makes the fight against terrorism successful. The study discusses the working of the European Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism, the TREVI group and the measures taken by the European Political Co‐operation (EPC) in the area of state‐sponsored terrorism and concludes that a set of common principles has been arrived at, but that putting these into practice is the challenge that lies ahead.

The future of European Political Cooperation: essays on theory and practice

The future of European Political Cooperation: essays on theory and practice

Testing times for European political cooperation: the Gulf and Yugoslavia, 1990–1992

During the past 20 years European political cooperation has evinced a mixed record of success andfailure on consensus among EC members. A 'reflex' of cooperation has been established on second-order issues. Trevor Salmon explores the tension between the centripetal and centrifugalforces on issues of major importance, namely the Gulf and Yugoslavia, and concludes that perceptions of national interest and domestic politics prevailed.*

European Political Co-operation

Journal Article European Political Co-operation Get access Geoffrey Edwards Geoffrey Edwards Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Yearbook of European Law, Volume 12, Issue 1, 1992, Pages 643–655, https://doi.org/10.1093/yel/12.1.643 Published: 01 November 1992

European Political Cooperation in 1989–1990

As indicated in the first issue of this Journal,' the purpose of this survey is not to give the positions assumed by the Member States of the European Community in the framework of European Political Cooperation (EPC) but, more modestly, to report the opinions expressed by the Twelve on matters of international law, or on the legal aspects of given international issues. While our first survey covered the eighteen months that followed the coming into force of the Single European Act, this report details developments which occurred in 1989 and 1990. The next survey, due to'appearin the first issue of 1993, will cover 1991 and 1992, so as to bring this rubric up to date.

The European Political Cooperation in the General Assembly of the United Nations: A Case Study of the Netherlands

The European Political Cooperation in the General Assembly of the United Nations: A Case Study of the Netherlands

Civilian power or superpower?

This article analyses the external relations of the EC and the development of European political cooperation (EPC) among the member states of the EC. It looks at how the EC's internal market programme and the Single European Act (SEA) have affected the EC's external relations, including EPC. It also covers the current developments within the second Inter-governmental Conference (IGC) on European political union, in particular the efforts to develop a common foreign and security policy (CFSP). It tries to look towards the future, discussing whether the EC will remain a ‘civilian power’ or become a new superpower.

Ross, J. F. L. Sweden, the European Community, and the Politics of Economic Realism. Cooperation and Conflict, XXVI, 1991, 117-128

Long the reluctant European, Sweden recently has reversed its traditional opposition to membership in the European Community and now favors early entry. This policy shift is the result of a rapidly changing nexus of international and domestic factors. The prospect of wider and deeper European political cooperation in the post-Cold War era challenges the viability of national policies sustained by independence and neutrality; while developments within Sweden have eroded or nullified most of the old arguments against membership. In this process, the traditional rationale for Sweden's European policy, based on political considerations centered on neutrality, has been superseded by economic considerations based on the gradual deterioration in Sweden's economic performance, wherein EC membership is now regarded as less a threat to sovereignty than as a means of counteracting an increasingly uncertain economic outlook.

European Political Cooperation in the 1980s: A Common Foreign Policy for Western Europe? Edited by Alfred Pijpers, Elfriede Regelsberger and Wolfgang Wessels. Published in cooperation with the Trans European Policy Studies Association. Dordrecht, Boston, London: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1988. Pp. xvii, 381. Index. Dfl.165; $80; £48.50.

European Political Cooperation in the 1980s: A Common Foreign Policy for Western Europe? Edited by Alfred Pijpers, Elfriede Regelsberger and Wolfgang Wessels. Published in cooperation with the Trans European Policy Studies Association. Dordrecht, Boston, London: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1988. Pp. xvii, 381. Index. Dfl.165; $80; £48.50.

Europe's global links: the European Community and inter-regional cooperation

Part 1 Introduction - concepts and instruments: the dialogue of the EC/Twelve with other regional groups - a new European identity in international system?, Elfriede Regelsberger competing frameworks - the dialogue and its legal bases, Catherine Flaesch-Mougin. Part 2 Case studies - the dialgue in action: the Lome Covention - a model for partnership, Otto Schmuck the Euro-Arab dialogue, Elfriede Regelesberger cooperation with ASEAN - a success story, Manfred Mols relations with central and southern America - a question of over-reach, W. Grabendorff EC-EFTA relations - neighbours in search of a new partnership, Thomas Pedersen agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council - a promising if difficult beginning, E. Rhein EC-CMEA relations - normalization and beyond, Barbara Lippert. Part 3 The institutional framework - dialogue and the European actors: the Commission - protagonists of inter-regional cooperation, Simon Nuttall the Council of Ministers - the constraint on action, Andreas von Stechow the European Parliament - an emerging political role?, Karl-Heinz Neunreither European political cooperation - concerted diplomacy in an inter-regional context, Peter von Jagow. Part 4 Conclusions - the dialogue and its place in the European and international systems: the relevance to theory to group-to-group dialogue, Geoffrey Edwards.

The non‐ratification of the EEC‐Israel protocols by the European parliament (1988)

Before the European Single Act (1986) gave the European Parliament the power to apply pressure on a state by delaying or denying the ratification of a preferential agreement, only the inter-governmental institutions of the Community could decide upon economic sanctions. The experience of the last ten years show that the European governments have decided to apply sanctions for political purposes in four situations: The first recalls Durkheim's thesis that the expression of non-tolerance can promote social cohesion. States can decide to impose sanctions which may have little substantive meaning, because these measures reinforce cohesion among them. The primary goal of certain sanctions has been to prove that European Political Cooperation (EPC) not only exists, but is the basis for an embryonic foreign policy rather than a mere semantic exercise in formulating joint protests. As one European parliamentarian, Mr Fergusson, said during the discussion of the Polish military 'coup' in 1981: