European Union: Difference between revisions

The Maastricht Treaty gives the CFSP the aims of promoting both the EU's own interests and those of the [[international community]] as a whole. This includes promoting international co-operation, respect for [[human rights]], [[democracy]], and the [[rule of law]].<ref name="art11 Union"> {{cite web|title=European Union consolidated treaty, (article 11, common foreign policy)|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/ce321/ce32120061229en00010331.pdf|publisher=Europa web portal|author=EUR-Lex|accessdate=8 November 2007|format=PDF}}</ref>

 

The [[Amsterdam Treaty]] created the office of the [[High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy]] (currently held by [[Javier Solana]]) to co-ordinate the EU's foreign policy.<ref name="Europa CFSP">{{cite web|title=Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) - Overview|publisher=Europa web portal|year=2002|url=http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/cfsp/intro/index.htm|accessdate=26 June 2007}}</ref> The High Representative, in conjunction with the current [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|Presidency]], speaks on behalf of the EU in foreign policy matters and can have the task of articulating ambiguous policy positions created by disagreements among member states. The Common Foreign and Security Policy requires unanimity among the now 27 member states on the appropriate policy to follow on any particular issue. The unanimity and difficult issues treated under the CFSP makes disagreements, such as those which occurred over the [[Iraq War|war in Iraq]],<ref name="BBC Iraq statement">{{cite news|title=Divided EU agrees Iraq statement|publisher=[[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=27 January 2003|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2697667.stm|accessdate=13 March 2009}}</ref> not uncommon.