Foreign Affairs and Enlargement

York Hall B204. Discussant: Prof. Willem Maas

Reform of EU External Diplomacy: a Prerequisite for the EU’s Future

Yann Riegel, Siméon Rust, and Nourhan Salloum

The EU has proved to be more than an interstate mediator through unifying its member states to emerge as one of the main economic powers in the world (22% of the world GDP) in par with the US and BRICS. However, EU is yet to be impactful politically because its diplomacy hasn’t reached a clear and definite strategy. Unified European political action in contrast to that of the uncoordinated Member states could have contributed to resolve global crises in Iraq, Balkans and Syria. In order for the EU diplomacy to develop independently there are multiple factors the member states could agree on such as a military unified action, an effective cooperation system between all the member states about international issues, and a stronger collaboration with intergovernmental institutions (NATO and the UN for example). It could lead the European Union to become more than a common platform discussing about disputes without concrete impact, and to create a sole and meaningful political voice on the global stage. It has the potential to be an impactful political player given that it overcomes the internal hindrances of its institutional structure.

Yann: I am a current Double Master’s degree student in public and international affairs at both the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs and Sciences Po Strasbourg. I recently completed my BA in economics and management at the University of Strasbourg. My research interests are focused on international security and diplomacy. I am particularly interested by the European Union as a European citizen and a political science student.  

Siméon: I am a French student at Sciences Po Strasbourg. I am currently completing a double Master’s degree in International Relations and Public Affairs in partnership with Glendon. I am particularly interested in the European Union’s diplomacy, whether it is the development of its external relations, with the construction of partnerships with other countries, or in terms of internal diplomacy, to strengthen cohesion between the EU member States. Convinced that the solving of problems such as climate change can only be achieved through international agreements between the various parties, I also look at global institutions with great interest.

Nourhan: I am currently an MA student studying Public and International affairs at Glendon, York University. I completed my BA, at the University of Alexandria in Pharmaceutical Sciences and my master’s in business administration at Arab Academy for Technology and Maritime Transport. I am interested in researching organizational models taking the EU as a prime example specifically on change and crisis management.

Brexit and the EU: Challenges to a Common Foreign and Security Policy Without the United Kingdom

Eric Hubberstey

The British withdrawal from the European Union (EU) undoubtedly came as a surprise to the rest of the organization, and the international community as a whole. This “Brexit” will pose critical questions as to the future of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), as well as complicating future efforts for deeper European integration. Any EU efforts to achieve a CFSP without the United Kingdom (UK) will be sorely weakened through the loss of one of its largest soft and economic powers. Soft power, as well as economic power, are critical components to any cohesive foreign policy. The wider EU defence industry would be severely hamstrung by the de-integration of the UK from the EU common markets, and the union itself would also experience significant budgetary challenges in consequence of Brexit. The EU would also lose one of its largest military powers,  which will ultimately pose a significant challenge to the future of any CFSP endeavors; military, peacekeeping or otherwise. Geopolitically, the EU loses a seat at the UN Security Council, as well as one of the two EU member states in possession of nuclear weapons. The overall project of further European integration in the coming years would also be seriously called into question. European integration will be negatively impacted by Brexit due to the inherent divisiveness of the issue within many EU member-states, as well as the possible chaos and certain logistical issues Brexit will entail. This will have a direct effect on the efficacy and cohesiveness of a CFSP. Overall, it is clear that the UK’s departure from the EU will have noticeably negative consequences to the construction and implementation of a CFSP in the immediate and long term future.

I am currently an MA student studying Political Science at the University of Windsor. I recently completed my BA, also at the University of Windsor in Political Science. My current research interests center around the study of the geopolitics, nationalism, and specifically how that can relate to human security and larger projects of democracy. I am also interested in international organizations, and the role they have on influencing international security.

European Union Independent Defense and Security System

Benjamin Tshibamba Kahongo

The European Union construction has led to a successful economic integration and functioning supra national institutions and policy making. This paper demonstrates the necessity for the EU to capitalize those achievements and to consider its position as one of the major player in international affair. After almost three decades since the end of cold war and the coming of a multipolar world, the EU defense and security policy still under US-led NATO’s supervision. The persistence of the NATO as the main European defense and security guardian contrast with reality in the international security environment. The NATO’s approach of security threats in a post cold war context could be biased since the new security challenges imply the change of the approach. Furthermore, the NATO’s unilateralism in global affairs raise the fundamental question of the legitimacy the participation of EU member states in military action without the United Nations mandate. In that respect, the present paper identified difference between the NATO and the EU defense and security objectives. The former aligns to the USA geostrategic interests justified by the necessity to maintain the status of super power, the later aims at cementing peace and stability in the European territory and the surroundings. The US-led NATO’s defense and security policy cannot efficiently guarantee the EU interests. The persistence of the NATO as the EU principal defense and security player is linked to internal factor like the lack of consensus between EU member states on an autonomous EDSP and external factor like the misleading impression of a polarization of the actual world order between democratic and authoritarian powers. This question is more complex than it appears since the coming multipolar world order will require the EU to position as a regional power and a global normative power. The later possibility cannot take shape if the EU realizes the former by implementing an autonomous defense and security policy that will make it possible to get away from NATO’s defense and security dependency. However, the EU soft power has the limits in the coming world order where the emerging powers do not share the same values and where the international relations will most likely be based on the balance of power. Recent development in the Syrian conflict with the Turkish president defying the EU after its the condemnation of the invasion of North East Syria constitute a warning for a necessary autonomous defense and security policy that align on EU objective and security interest. The last consideration to take into account after setting up autonomous EU defense and security policy is to position as the main regional power on the European territory and as a global player in the international affairs.

I am a first year graduate student in Public and International Affairs at York University. I have previously been in Bachelor of Political Science at York University. My areas of interest are International security, International Institution and development, International human right, laws and conflict resolution. With respect with the International Institutions, my focus is about their ability to address efficiently world challenges. Concerning international laws my research will focus on how to enforce international instruments regarding the persons responsible of sexual violence against women during armed conflict in the African Great Lakes.

Small Balkan Country, Big European Dreams

Klaudia Zhiti
The European Union is an extraordinary governing body, the benefits of being in the Union are immense. This paper will analyze and describe recent conditions in Albania regarding gaining EU membership. In this paper we will exemplify the reasons Albanian would make a great contribution to the EU. Albania applied for the European Union on the 28th of April 2009. Since June 2014 they have been an official candidate and have made changes to meet the regulations of the European Union. Thus allowing expansion and improvement of a small baklan country with major potential. The dream of Albania entering the EU came to a short end and major let down after such a long process of negotiation. This paper will analyze the notion on why Albania should have been accepted into the European Union and what factors played a role in the decision making process.
I Klaudia Zhiti am a third year undergraduate student studying Political Science and French Studies at York University’s Glendon College. I am immensely interested in human rights and  articular interested on how the Balkans would develop in Europe in the near future, I am  hopeful they will become the next European powerhouse.