A strong EU for a strong UN

Writing in the latest issue of the Parliament Magazine, rapporteur on EU-UN relations, Armin Laschet MEP suggests the European Parliament's recent resolution on UN reform sends a strong political signal to the United Nations and to EU governments.

"This week the European Parliament formulates its position on the reform of the United Nations. The parliament resolution on UN reform to be voted on in Strasbourg is first of all a strong political signal.

The message that will be sent to New York will reaffirm the parliament’s strong support for reform of the UN.

It will also urge EU member states to do their utmost to use this narrow window of opportunity and embrace the acutely necessary reforms.

In the resolution the parliament responds to the report of the High Level Panel and the Secretary General’s own report on reform.

The parliament also gives its own views and suggestions on various aspects of that reform.

There is a consensus among the EU member states on many conclusions and reform proposals including analysis of threats to national, international and individual security a suggested definition of terrorism, a need to focus on conflict prevention and rebuilding failed states.

Although many EU member states agree on the fundamental conclusion of both reports that in today’s world of no one state, even the most powerful one, can be successful on its own when facing a complex area of threats, there are still some important issues on which the member states strongly disagree and which make it difficult to put forward a single European position.

One of the bones of contention is the reform of the UN Security Council.

The High Level Panel made two concrete proposals for restructuring this most influential UN body without giving a preference to any of them.

First of all parliament reaffirmed its original 2004 goal of an EU seat in the reformed security council.

The European seat is a logical consequence of EU political integration and of the main principles of the Common Foreign and Security Policy laid down in the draft European constitution including a legal personality of the European Union as well as a future European foreign minister.

Having an ambitious goal the parliament resolution still preserves a realistic approach. The EU will not meet all the necessary legal and political requirements in the near future.

But even in this situation it is important to stick to a political decision in order to give the EU in the long term a stronger voice and enhance Europe’s influence in the world.

This means any decision to be taken in September, irrespective of the procedure and model for reform chosen, must be done in accordance with the aim of a future European seat.

The European Parliament proposes that one or some of the additional seats for a regional group “Europe” should be attributed to the EU, which will establish an appropriate mechanism to designate member states to execute their mandate as EU representatives until the conditions for an EU seat are met.

This position does not correspond with an unilateralist attempt of Germany to become a permanent member of the security council which was not coordinated with the European partners and faces a very strong opposition from some member states including Italy, Poland and Spain.

It has nothing to do with the spirit of the European constitution and it is contrary to what the common European foreign and security policy is about.

The European Parliament has a unique majority on this question going across all political parties and all national delegations.

This majority should be used to influence not only the European Commission ’s position but also the member states position on the reform of UN security council to be in line with the ambition of the EU to enhance its political influence in the world.

European states fighting against each other for a permanent seat in the Security Council would impede the reform process. It is highly irresponsible and would damage the image of the UN.

A common European seat in New York is good for the United Nations. But in the difficult political situation the EU is going through at the moment, it is above all good for Europe."

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