On October 6, 2022, the leaders of 43 European nations, both European Union (EU) members and non-EU countries, assembled in Prague for the inaugural summit of the European Political Community (EPC). The EPC is described as the “brainchild” of French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron highlighted that EPC is not intended to be a replacement for the EU, but rather to facilitate stronger collaboration with democratic nations on the continent. It is also suggested that France, regarded as the EU’s second greatest economic power, intends to use this platform to exclude Germany, with which it has disagreements on issues such as defense and energy.
From this point of view, Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies (ANKASAM) presents the views of Mathieu Droin, a visiting fellow in the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to evaluate the future of EPC and Franco-German relations.
1. France and Germany are defined as the two de facto leaders of the EU. While France stands out as one of the member states that do not favor the enlargement of the EU, Germany closely supports the enlargement of the Union. In this context, how can we evaluate the approaches of France and Germany towards the EU? What kind of competition is there between the two countries?
Undoubtedly, every enlargement move of the EU has led to debates as to whether the priority is to deepen or widen the EU.France and Germany support both, but maybe at a different pace.
France favors a gradual approach to make sure that candidate countries fulfill the criteria and be at EU level when they join the Union. Germany cares about consolidating the EU. However, it is more open to enlargement to countries in the Balkans or in Eastern Europe since it reinforces its centrality.
2. How would you evaluate the European Political Community, which was proposed by Emmanuel Macron?
The European Political Community is very much in its experimental phase. However, its first meeting has proven rather successful. It was a symbolic display of unity in standing up to Russia’s aggression War in Ukraine. It also allowed to move forward on several issues such as the tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, who agreed to an EU peace mission, or the tense relations between France and the United Kingdom (UK). The two have agreed to hold a bilateral summit in 2023.
3. What is France’s main goal in establishing the platform? Could France be trying to establish a monopoly on Europe by establishing a new platform instead of sharing power with Germany?
The Franco-German competition is not a relevant lens to analyze the European Political Community. Through this initiative, Paris wanted to bring Britain back to the European table to discuss issues of common interest and enable European leaders to exchange views on the crises in the Western Balkans and the Southern Caucasus as well as discuss the Ukraine crisis. In fact, the Berlin administration was reluctant at first, but Chancellor Scholz eventually endorsed the idea in his statements made in Prague in late August.
4. France stated that the European Political Community is not an alternative to EU membership. However, the leaders of countries with candidate country status also attended the first meeting. Therefore, does this platform provide an advantage for countries aiming for EU membership?
There has been indeed an initial misunderstanding about the European Political Community’s intentions regarding candidate countries. Some of them viewed it as a consolation prize for likely to be protracted negotiations until actual accession. However, France has assured that the EPC is not connected to the Union’s accession processes. Macron clarified the issue by saying that the platform was established for non-EU countries to sit at the same table with other European leaders and discuss the issues affecting them and the European continent.
5. Do you think this new platform is promising?
It is too early to say if the EPC will prove its worth in the long run. Yet, there are encouraging signs. For example, Moldova, which will host the next summit is not a member of the EU. The next host will be Spain, which will be holding the EU Council presidency at that time. The following summit will be held in the UK, a country that decided to leave the EU. As can be seen, the host choices are a significant gesture.
On the substance, it is hard to tell what will be on top of the agenda in five months. Some progress will be expected on the Armenia-Azerbaijan front since it was one of the rare deliverables of the first summit. There are already academic debates on what should be the future role of EU institutions in the EPC. In this context, it is possible to say that a flexible format can serve to solve the ongoing problems among Europeans and there is no need for too much institutionalization.
Mathieu Droin
Mathieu Droin is a visiting fellow in the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His areas of expertise are transatlantic European security and defense. Prior to joining the CSIS, Mr. Droin served as the deputy head of the strategic affairs unit at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, where he was responsible for the EU Common Security and Defense Policy, NATO, and maritime security issues. In the past, Mr. Droin also worked for the Ministry of Economy and Finance in the economic departments of the French embassies in Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. He holds a master’s degree in international affairs analysis from Sciences Po Lyon and Sciences Po Bordeaux.
