‘Partners
in Prevention’ Conference
From
23 to 24 March, the EU Luxembourg Presidency, the European Peacebuilding
Office (EPLO), the Madariaga Foundation and the Folke Bernadotte
Academy of Sweden, organised a joint conference on improving the
EU’s ability to respond to violent conflict and to engage
in dialogue with civil society organisations working in this field.
The
Conference entitled ‘Partners in Prevention: Moving from
Theory to Practice – EU Civilian Crisis Management and Development
Policies, Sustainable Approaches to Training, and Involvement of
Civil Society’ acted as a follow up to the work of the
Irish and Dutch EU Presidencies on strengthening civilian capabilities
in crisis management.The goal of the Conference was to generate
further debate on this topic.
The Conference had approximately 130 participants over the 2 days,
including key officials from EU institutions and representatives
from numerous civil society groups both from the EU and from countries
affected by conflict. Speakers at the Conference included Javier
Niño-Pérez, from the Conflict Prevention Unit at the
European Commission and Gyorgi Tatar from the Council of the European
Union Policy Unit.
Key
topics of the Conference included:
•
improving EU and civil society cooperation to help prevent and
resolve conflict
• how to develop sustainable approaches to training in this
field
• enhancing EU-UN cooperation on conflict prevention
• linking conflict prevention with development policies
EPLO
will be publishing a full report on the Conference in the coming
months and QCEA will be looking at some of the issues raised at
the Conference in upcoming issues of Around
Europe.
Robin
Bloomfield
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One
Million European Peace Activists Can Bring About Change
There
has been much discussion in the peace movement about the Treaty establishing
a Constitution for Europe. On the whole, these discussions have been
around the question of whether the militarization of the EU, which
is embedded in the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe,
should lead peace activists to vote against the Treaty in any referendum
taking place in some Member States. This
article is not about that debate. In my view, there is no question
that militarization is a negative development within the European
Union. It is particularly damaging that this is written into a Constitutional
Treaty where it will be difficult to change in the future.
This
article is about another approach the peace movement might consider
in bringing about gradual changes to the European Common Foreign
and Security Policy agenda. It’s not going to be easy but
it might be possible and it is certainly worth a try.
Article I – 47 (4) of the Treaty establishing a Constitution
for Europe states:
Not
less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant
number of Member States may take the initiative of inviting the
Commission, within the framework of its powers, to submit any appropriate
proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of
the Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Constitution.
European laws shall determine the provisions for the procedures
and conditions required for such a citizens’ initiative, including
the minimum number of Member States from which such citizens must
come.
There
are a couple of terms in this which make this less of a sure thing
than one might hope. First, there is the word ‘inviting’;
does that mean that the Commission, once invited, must act? Legally,
it does not. Politically, I would like to see them try! Particularly
if the peace movement gets its act together and comes in very early
on after this has become enacted. The Commission, and with it the
European Union, would lose a huge amount of credibility if they
ignored a submission made by 1 million citizens.
Then
there is the phrase ‘required for the purpose of implementing
the Constitution’. Now this is a lawyer’s paradise.
It is, of course, open to wide variations in interpretation. But
what it means in practice is simply that: if the peace movement
wants the Commission to submit an appropriate proposal, it will
have to argue that it is necessary for the implementation of the
Constitution.
So
what does the Constitution say about the European Union’s
objectives when it comes to peace?
First, the Preamble:
‘Believing that Europe, reunited after bitter experiences
… wishes … to strive for peace, justice and solidarity
throughout the world.’
Second,
the objectives set out in Article I – 3:
‘The Union’s aim is to promote peace, its values
and the well-being of its peoples’ (Para 1)
‘In
its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote
its values and interests. It shall contribute to peace, security
… and the development of international law, including respect
for the principles of the United Nations Charter.’ (Para
4)
So
what could this mean in practice? Taking QCEA’s main focus
in this context as an example, we have been lobbying, initially
for a European Peacebuilding Agency and more recently for the enhancement
of the European Union’s civilian capabilities for conflict
transformation and peacebuilding.
We
believe that peacebuilding is covered by the objectives as set out
in the Constitution. We also believe that peacebuilding can only
be done successfully and sustainably through civilian means. Furthermore,
we are of the view that the EU is putting a disproportionately large
amount of effort and resources into its military capabilities and
a disproportionately small amount of effort and resources into its
civilian capabilities. So we would argue that in order for the EU
to achieve its objective successfully and sustainably, it must move
forward on increasing and developing its civilian capabilities.
A good way to do this would be to establish a European Peacebuilding
Agency which would focus on this.
Therefore,
it could certainly be argued that the proposal to set up such an
Agency would meet the requirements set out in Article I - 47 (4).
We
are not saying that this will be easy. We are not saying that it
is guaranteed to be successful. But then, peacebuilding has never
been a walk in the park!
So
let us get organised. Let’s not even wait for the ratification
of the Constitution. Let’s do what the Member States have
done with regard to the militarization and jump the gun (!). Let’s
draft a proposal on the basis of which we can invite the Commission
to submit any appropriate proposal.
All
we then have to do is to collect 1 million signatures. Surely that
is not a problem for the European peace movement? And let’s
make sure we have signatures in as many countries as possible, but
in at least 75 % of the Member States.
The
first step on this road is to draft the proposal. We will publish
our proposal in the next edition of Around
Europe and will then also place it on our website. If you want
to be part of the consultation on the content of this proposal,
please contact Martina Weitsch at mweitsch@qcea.org
– we will make sure you get to see the draft. We would also
like to hear from you if you or your organisation would like to
volunteer to collect signatures once the proposal has been agreed.
Martina
Weitsch
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The
EU at the UN
As
Koffi Annan has released his report on reforming the United Nations,
it is worth examining how the EU and its Member States interact and
influence the work of the UN. All
EU Member States are members of the UN, and since 1974 the European
Community has had permanent observer status at the UN. Cooperation
and co-ordination between EU Member States at the UN and other international
organisations has increased since the establishment of the EU’s
Common Foreign and Security Policy in 1992. According to the EU
Commission at the UN; “the Member States, together with
the Commission, now regularly coordinate their positions, and the
EU thus almost always speaks with one voice in the UN General Assembly.”
(www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/un/intro/)
except in cases of serious disagreement such as the current war
in Iraq.
As
the UN works on many areas of concern to the EU, efforts have been
made to work together and co-operate. The European Commission has
stated that it is committed to working with the UN on policy areas
such as conflict prevention, human rights, counter terrorism and
development co-operation. Further details can be found by visiting
www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/un/.
The
EU Member States also make a significant financial contribution
to the UN. According to ‘The EU and the UN: Strengthening
Global Security’ by Martin Ortega in ‘Effective
Multilateralism: Europe, Regional Security, and a Revitalised UN’,
they pay approximately 38% of the UN budget, compared to US and
Japan who pay 22% and 19% respectively.
UN
Reform
As reported by EUobserver.com (www.euobserver.com)
the EU leaders agreed in March to set out a common position on the
proposals for UN Reform put forward by Kofi Annan in his report
‘In larger freedom: towards development, security and
human rights for all’. The proposals will be discussed
by world leaders in September 2005 when they meet in New York for
a summit on the Millennium Development Goals. It remains to be seen
if world leaders will be able to reach an agreement on the proposals
which include increasing the number of permanent seats on the Security
Council.
Robin
Bloomfield
Further
Information on EU/UN relations and UN Reform:
The
official EU@UN Website: www.europa-eu-un.org
Kofi
Annan’s Report on Reforming the United Nation, ‘In
larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for
all’, is available online at: www.un.org/largerfreedom
Effective
Multilateralism: Europe, Regional Security, and a Revitalised UN,
edited by
Espen Barth Eide can be downloaded from: www.fpc.org.uk/publications/139
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News
in Brief
Briefing
Papers on the Peace Tax
This
series of briefing papers looks at the QCEA proposals relating to
the Peace Tax which we are making at the Council of Europe.
The
Papers are available at: www.quaker.org/qcea/peacetax
Intergroup
on Peace Initiatives Website Section
QCEA
acts as secretariat for the MEPs Intergroup on Peace Initiatives
and has prepared a set of web pages to provide further information
on the work of the Intergroup.
For
more information please visit: www.quaker.org/qcea/intergroup
European
Peace Directory
QCEA
is working to set up an online directory of Organisations and Groups
working for Peace in Europe.
The European Peace Directory is being produced in association with:
Mouvement Chrétien Pour la Paix
Further
information on how organisations and groups can sign up will be
in the next edition of Around Europe and is also available at: www.quaker.org/qcea/peacedirectory
Take
Action on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
There is still time to take action on the NPT and to get involved
in the campaign for a Nuclear Free World before the NPT Review Conference
in May 2005.
For
more information about the NPT and how to take action visit:
www.quaker.org/qcea/npt
Get
Involved with QCEA
There
are currently two opportunities to get involved with our work:
•
Study
Tour 2005 (2-10 July 2005)
The QCEA Study Tour provides the perfect opportunity to learn,
discuss and reflect on what Europe means to you.
Deadline for applications: 2 May 2005
Application forms are available from:
www.quaker.org/qcea/studytour
•
Vacancy: Programme Assistant 2005-2006
QCEA is looking for one young person (age 21–30) to work
as Programme Assistant from September 2005.
Deadline for applications: 29 April 2005
Appication forms are available from: www.quaker.org/qcea/pa
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