CIAO DATE: 11/2013
August 2013
Danish Institute for International Studies
The EU is currently working at defining a comprehensive approach linking development and other instruments in external action. The Lisbon Treaty has contributed to a reorganisation of the institutions in Brussels, affecting crisis management structures and the organisation of external relations. This study contributes to the debate on the definition of the comprehensive approach in the EU and discusses potential advantages and disadvantages of choosing a broad or a narrow scope, a high or a low degree of integration of instruments and, finally, a standardised and formalised or flexible institutional set-up. The study emphasises that building a comprehensive approach is a long-term process with changing objectives and focus over time in response to an evolving context. Cross-sector and cross-institutional collaboration among the Council, the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and member states are essential building blocks of an EU comprehensive approach. Taking into account the current challenges of EU development and foreign policy, the study recommends choosing a broad comprehensive approach. The EU should not only attempt to act comprehensively in crisis situations but more generally in its relations and actions towards a third country or towards another region or group of countries. Overcoming the so-called “silo structure” that contributes to isolated and fragmented actions is a major priority. The EU works on very different issues in external action, for instance, humanitarian aid, actions in security including military and civilian operations, human rights issues, development cooperation as well as trade and business cooperation. Therefore, it is important to respect some degree of autonomy and difference of each policy area and instrument but at the same time consolidate common strategic considerations, shared analysis and collaboration in the field. Many initiatives have developed such as crisis platforms, task forces on geographical areas or themes, joint missions and joint communications, regional strategies for the Horn of Africa and the Sahel and, more recently, common framework documents in crisis management. A forthcoming joint communication of the Commission and the EEAS on the comprehensive approach in external action is potentially a means to clarify and consolidate the formal EU commitment to working comprehensively and to agree upon key structures and processes to improve synergy and coherence.
Resource link: Linking instruments in development and foreign policy: Comprehensive approaches in the EU [PDF] - 239K