The European Political Community: A Polish perspective

Europejska Wspólnota Polityczna: polska perspektywa

Abstract: This article seeks to investigate the birth and evolution of the European Political Community – a pan-European multilateral coordination format that has emerged at the initiative of France and in reaction to the Russian full-scale military aggression in Ukraine. The analysis draws on official speeches, think-tank briefs, and the Author’s participatory observation conducted during international expert meetings held in early 2023. It is argued that the EPC is still a “moving target” in the early stage of development, where both its objectives and structure are not yet fully defined. From a Polish perspective, it has so far sent a key strategic message to Russia and can serve as a vehicle to re-engage with the United Kingdom or Turkey. But it should not be used as yet another ENP-style waiting room for candidates seeking EU membership.

Bibliography:

1. Brzozowski A., For the European Political Community, meeting is the message, EURACTIV, 7 October 2022, https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/for-the-european-political-community-meeting-is-the-message/.

2. Chopin T., Macek L., Maillard S., The European Political Community. A new anchoring to the European Union, Institut Jacques Delors, “Policy Brief”, 31 May 2022, https://institutdelors.eu/en/publications/la-communaute-politique-europeenne/.

3. Cianciara A.K., The politics of the European Neighbourhood Policy, London–New York 2020.

4. Droin M., Toygür I., The Chisinau Summit: A Litmus Test for Moldova and the EPC, CSIS Comment, 26 May 2023, https://www.csis.org/analysis/chisinau-summit-litmus-test-moldova-and-epc.

5. Eilstrup-Sangiovanni M., What kills international organizations? When and why international organizations terminate, “European Journal of International Relations” 2021, vol. 27, no. 1, DOI: 10.1177/1354066120932976.

6. Élysée, Address by the President of the Republic at the Conference on the Future of Europe, 9 May 2022, https://www.elysee.fr/front/pdf/elysee-module-19590-en.pdf.

7. Élysée, Speech by the President of the French Republic at the conference of ambassadors, 1 September 2022, https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2022/09/01/speech-by-the-president-of-the-french-republic-at-the-conference-of-ambassadors-1.

8. Emerson M., Will the European Political Community actually be useful?, CEPS Explainer. Centre for European Policy Studies, 29 September 2022, https://www.ceps.eu/ceps-publications/will-the-european-political-community-actually-be-useful/.

9. European Council, European Council meeting (23 and 24 June 2022) – Conclusions, Brussels, 24 June 2022 (OR. en), EUCO 24/22 CO EUR 21 CONCL 5, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/57442/2022-06-2324-euco-conclusions-en.pdf.

10. European Council, Remarks by President Charles Michel ahead of the first European Political Community Meeting, 6 October 2022, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/06/remarks-by-president-charles-michel-ahead-of-the-first-european-political-community-meeting/.

11. European Council, Speech by President Charles Michel at the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee, 18 May 2022, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/05/18/discours-du-president-charles-michel-lors-de-la-session-pleniere-du-comite-economique-et-social-europeen/.

12. European Parliamentary Research Service, Outcome of the European Political Community and European Council meetings in Prague on 6-7 October 2022, 11 October 2022, https://epthinktank.eu/2022/10/11/outcome-of-the-european-political-community-and-european-council-meetings-in-prague-on-6-7-october-2022/.

13. Grant C., Macron is serious about the European Political Community, Insight. Centre for European Reform, 1 August 2022, https://www.cer.eu/insights/macron-serious-about-european-political-community.

14. Greene S., Lucas E., Tenzer N., The road to Chişinău. How the European Political Community can – and cannot – address the wider continent’s conundrums, CEPA, 23 May 2023, https://cepa.org/comprehensive-reports/the-road-to-chisinau-the-european-political-community/.

15. Kaim M., Kempin R., A European Security Council. Added Value for EU Foreign and Security Policy?, SWP Comment, 4 January 2019, https://www.swp-berlin.org/publikation/a-european-security-council.

16. Kozioł A., Maślanka Ł., European Political Community meets for the first time, PISM Spotlight, 7 October 2022, https://www.pism.pl/publications/european-political-community-meets-for-the-first-time.

17. Kribbe H., Lumet S., van Middelaar L., Bringing the greater European family together. New perspectives on the European Political Community, Brussels Institute of Geopolitics, May 2023, https://big-europe.eu/publication/bringing-the-greater-european-family-together.

18. Macron floats EU security pact with Russia, risking Western split over Ukraine, Financial Times, 20 January 2022, https://www.ft.com/content/0db12864-a154-4607-a0e8-c9722e956424.

19. Mayer F.C. et al., Enlarging and deepening: Giving substance to the European Political Community, Bruegel, “Policy Contribution”, September 2022, https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/enlarging-and-deepening-giving-substance-european-political-community.

20. Moldovans are Europeans – President Sandu’s message which she’ll carry from a Chisinau rally to the European Political Community Summit, 22 May 2023, https://www.epcsummit2023.md/moldovans-are-europeans-president-sandus-message-which-shell-carry-chisinau-rally-european.

21. Nguyen T., European Political Community. From family photo to ‘strategic intimacy’, Hertie School Jacques Delors Centre, “Policy Brief”, 8 November 2022, https://www.delorscentre.eu/en/publications/european-political-community.

22. Pieńkowski J., Strengthening State Security a Challenge for the Pro-European Moldovan Government, “PISM Bulletin” 2023, no. 53(2172), https://pism.pl/publications/strengthening-state-security-a-challenge-for-the-pro-european-moldovan-government.

23. Pierini M., Five takeaways from the European Political Community Summit, Carnegie Europe, 18 October 2022, https://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/88189.

24. Pisani-Ferry J., Schwarzer D., How to Build the European Political Community, Opinion. Project Syndicate, 3 October 2022, https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/european-political-community-epc-prague-summit-by-jean-pisani-ferry-and-daniela-schwarzer-2022-10.

25. Plesca L., Assessing the Implications for Moldova in Hosting the European Political Community Summit, GMF Insights, 18 May 2023, https://www.gmfus.org/news/assessing-implications-moldova-hosting-european-political-community-summit.

26. Popescu N., Keynote speech European Political Community Summit: key topic and expectations, High-level Conference, IPRE & CEPS, Chisinau, 25 May 2023.

27. Prime Minister’s Office, UK-France Joint Leaders’ Declaration, 10 March 2023, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-france-joint-leaders-declaration/uk-france-joint-leaders-declaration.

28. Prodi R., A wider Europe – A proximity policy as the key to stability, SPEECH/02/619, Brussels, 5-6 December 2002, https://ec.europa.eu/dorie/fileDownload.do?docId=255969&cardId=255969.

29. Szymanek J., Europejska Wspólnota Polityczna, „Infos BAS (Biuro Analiz Sejmowych)”, 9 March 2023, no. 3(305), https://www.sejm.gov.pl/sejm9.nsf/publikacjaBAS.xsp?documentId=82311BDED456D419C125896A0040F3AC&lang=PL.

PDF: Download