A progressive European global strategy

The foreign ministers of Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden launched an informal reflection process on a ‘European Global Strategy’(EGS) at the end of July 2012. They entrusted four national think tanks with the implementation of the initiative. Almost a decade since the adoption of the European Security Strategy (ESS) in 2003, their purpose is to take a step forward and help define a broader agenda for Europe on the global stage. The process will entail an inclusive debate leading to the delivery of a report in May 2013, possibly paving the way for progress at the official level towards the adoption of a new EU strategic document.

This contribution argues that the EGS initiative is a timely one notwithstanding the crisis testing the political resilience of the European Union (EU) and can help bolster the response to it with a new statement of purpose for the EU. It also calls for a progressive global strategy that aims to anticipate and shape change as opposed to resisting it and seeking to preserve the status quo.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 12.07.13: Verheugen: EU needs to respond to external, internal chaos http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/verheugen-eu-needs-respond-exter-news-529281

Swedish Institute of International Affairs: EGS: Towards a European Global Strategy 2013 http://www.euglobalstrategy.eu/

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