Solana: “The world is not standing still”

With or without the Constitution the EU urgently needs to think about streamlining itself, says EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in a interview with EURACTIV.sk

The EU cannot allow itself to stop and wonder for too long after the failure of the Constitutional treaty, argues Javier Solana, the EU foreign Policy chief: “I remain convinced that Europe badly needs the ideas contained in the Constitution for a more streamlined and effective EU. We need more consistency among political, economic and military instruments; a better link between the budget and the political decision-making and a more effective system of external representation. The world is not standing still and there is no time to lose. The Union has to respond quickly and gain legitimacy by action.”

He is generally optimistic about the backing among member states. “No individual country today is capable to cope successfully with the challenges that confront us[…] Member states realise that their influence is greater when they are united and act together. There is no a zero-sum game, in reality we have a win-win situation for everyone.” 

Solana also praises the contribution and energy of EU’s new member states: “I cannot imagine EU foreign policy, staunch in its defence of the democratic aspirations of Ukraine; open and frank in our dialogue with Russia, committed in support to the Balkans, active in crisis management in many parts of the world, without the active support of new member states. Very quickly they reinforced our forces and have promoted many new initiatives”.

Please see the full interview

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