Event report

Thematic panel 1: The role of the EU in the WORLD was held on 29 September 2021 and opened with an opening speech by the EC Vice-President, Ms. Dubravka Šuica stressed the importance of the European Union’s logistical support to Member States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, it has proven that no Member State is able to cope successfully with the crisis on its own, and the strength shown by the European Union in the process of supplying and distributing vaccines has had an unquestionable impact on health and the economic situation, as concrete in the recovery plan focusing on the digitalisation and green transition of the European Union. Panelists of the thematic panel 1. were — Ambassador Božo Kovačević, communicator, doc. dr.sc. Jelena Jurišić, dr.sc. Jadranka Dujić Frlan, Vice-President of HUMS and Acting Head of Culture of Zagreb County, and Nevena Stanković, PhD at the Faculty of Security, University of Belgrade. The panel moderated doc.dr.sc. Jadranka Polović, president of HUMS. During the discussion, the aspects of the geopolitical position of the EU and its influence in contemporary international relations were discussed. The debate covered several key topics — turbulent relations within the European Union between the EU core countries and the so-called new Europe, as well as important geopolitical relations between the European Union and the United States, NATO, China and Russia, as well as regional powers such as Turkey. Is the mandate of the Biden administration possible to rebuild the transatlantic alliance, which brings Macron’s concept of European strategic autonomy? The conclusions of the debate showed that there are diverging views that, within the concept of the EU’s common security policy (on which everyone agrees), oppose the increased powers of the European Commission with a view to deepening the integration or federalisation of the EU with unchanged national powers of the Member States. Conclusions: • The ambition of the European Commission to act as a geopolitical commission is linked to the possibility of achieving the EU’s strategic autonomy. The constitutional legal framework of the EU enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty effectively prevents the effective implementation of a single European defence policy, as it depends on the willingness of the Member States to undertake this commitment. The EU central authorities do not have direct executive powers in the implementation of defence policy, which undermines the possibility of positioning the EU as an actor of international relations, and as a relevant global military power. It is thus evident that without a clear competence of the central European institutions to act directly throughout the EU, without a single foreign policy as well as a clearly defined European security policy, the EU cannot become a globally relevant player to compete on an equal footing (and cooperate on an equal basis) with the US, China and even Russia. In this context, changes to the Lisbon Treaty are essential; • The European Union needs to pursue a proactive and peaceful foreign policy in foreign policy relations. Relations with Russia need to be built on bilateral dialogue, mutual respect, but also the protection of one’s own interests. By 2014, the EU and Russia had developed partnerships in the security, trade, energy, research, education and culture sectors, the resolution of conflicts in the Middle East, including the fight against terrorism, and the renewal of the nuclear non-proliferation agreement in Europe were the focus of common interest. Therefore, despite the strong current tensions, it would be important to restore dialogue and resolve all outstanding issues through diplomacy; • At the transatlantic level, the creation of a trilateral defence pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States — AUKUS once again illustrates the lack of coordination between the United States and its EU partners, now in the Indo-Pacific region. The creation of AUKUS has strong implications for Franco-American as well as French-British relations, which consequently threatens the unity of allies within NATO. The absence of consultations with European partners, and active competition between the US and the UK in areas where France and other EU members have key economic and industrial interests, does not contribute to the image of NATO as a pillar of European security and stability. It is therefore important that the EU implements its own Indo-Pacific strategy and deepens economic and diplomatic ties with the countries of the region. Otherwise, European strategic interests can become collateral in the global competition between the United States and China;