Link to the University of Pittsburgh
Link to the University Library SystemContact us link
AEI Banner

EU Core Groups: Specialisation and Division of Labour in EU Foreign Policy. CEPS Working Document, No. 252, 19 October 2006

Keukeleire, Stephan. (2006) EU Core Groups: Specialisation and Division of Labour in EU Foreign Policy. CEPS Working Document, No. 252, 19 October 2006. [Working Paper]

[img]
Preview
PDF - Published Version
Download (175Kb) | Preview

    Abstract

    Close foreign policy cooperation among a limited number of EU member states is generally looked upon with suspicion as it is associated with ‘directoires’ of large member states. The central argument of this paper is that, under certain conditions, the specialisation and division of labour among the member states can strengthen both the effectiveness and legitimacy of the foreign policy of the EU. This paper proposes the establishment of a system of small, specialised EU core groups that focus on particular foreign policy issues. An EU core group consists of (representatives of) the high representative, the Commission and the presidency and of a limited number of EU member states that are both willing and able to devote extra efforts and resources to a specific foreign policy matter. A system of EU core groups can help to alleviate some major problems of EU foreign policy: the cleavage between large and middle-sized or small member states, the predominance of uncommon interests, a lack of cooperation and vertical consistency, and the growing irrelevance of the Council in an EU with 25 or more member states.

    Export/Citation:EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII (Chicago style) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
    Social Networking:
    Item Type: Working Paper
    Uncontrolled Keywords: Foreign policy.
    Subjects for non-EU documents: EU policies and themes > External relations > common foreign & security policy 1993--European Global Strategy
    EU policies and themes > EU institutions & developments > institutional development/policy > general
    Subjects for EU documents: UNSPECIFIED
    EU Series and Periodicals: UNSPECIFIED
    EU Annual Reports: UNSPECIFIED
    Series: Series > Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels) > CEPS Working Documents
    Depositing User: Phil Wilkin
    Official EU Document: No
    Language: English
    Date Deposited: 27 Jan 2008
    Page Range: p. 22
    Last Modified: 06 Apr 2012 12:08
    URI: http://aei.pitt.edu/id/eprint/7377

    Actions (login required)

    View Item

    Document Downloads