Display:
I think these 50 years should be as ambitious as the first 50! So, here are some goals I think Europe should try to attain during the next 50 years in the domain of foreign policy.

-    Integrate Turkey and the Balkans as soon as possible. Open the possibility for candidacy to Ukraine and Belarus. (Switzerland will join sooner or later, and Norway when they run out of oil...)

-    Have an active policy for promoting the development of EU-like regional unions of countries like Mercosur (also in Asia and Africa) and make them benefit from our experience through exchanges and technical assistance. Establish privileged economic and political relationship with them based on strict criteria (economic, social and democratic).

-    Build a Euro-Mediterranean Community based on high social and political standards (rule of law, human rights, democracy). Starting with North Africa, this Euro-Mediterranean Community should as soon as possible include Israel and the Palestinian state (including them would be a strong incentive to find a solution and have a stabilising effect) as well as Lebanon. Organise and facilitate mobility/immigration within this community.

-    Develop a strong economic and cultural partnership with Russia

-    Eliminate existing European tax havens and lead a strong fight against non-European ones. Establish and efficiently enforce rules against corruption.  Establish and enforce rules preventing multinational corporations to use transfer prices to concentrate profits in "business friendly" (low tax) countries.  

-    Set up a voluntarist and sufficiently funded (at least 1% of EU GDP) common policy for the development of underdeveloped countries, particularly in Africa. Establish a much more open immigration policy.

-    Promote a better regulated international economy through coordination between WTO, ILO, World Bank and IMF as well as through integration of stakeholders (trade unions, employers, NGOs...) in their governance bodies / decision-making processes.  Promote sustainable development standards in the international trade agreements.

-    Use the full weight of Europe to empower, democratise and reform the international institutions and to make them work in a more coordinated way. Contribute to the creation of two badly needed global governance bodies:
o    an Economic and Social Security Council
o    an Environment Security Council

Finally, I agree with you about getting rid of NATO, but that means building an integrated Common European Defence Organisation under a Common Foreign and Security policy.

Oh, I forgot: Promote democracy in the United States...;-)

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Thu Mar 22nd, 2007 at 10:36:01 AM EST
I think the EU should be ready to, whenever the US threatens a third country with cutting aid unless they follow some asinine policy, pick up the slack.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Mar 22nd, 2007 at 10:38:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]
You're right. I think EU should much more stand up to the US, but using soft power.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
by Melanchthon on Thu Mar 22nd, 2007 at 10:45:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:
Login
. Make a new account
. Reset password
Occasional Series