Javier Solana & The E.U. Government

Last Updated: 01/03/2008 13:27 |

Javier Solana is:

Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union (EU)
Secretary-General of the Western European Union (WEU)
High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
Will be VP of the Commission in charge of External Relations

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The EU's decision-making process involve three main institutions:

•European Parliament (elected)

•European Commission (appointed)

•Council of the European Union (appointed)

This "institutional triangle" produces the policies and laws that apply throughout the EU.

Two other institutions have a vital part to play: the Court of Justice upholds the rule of European law, and the Court of Auditors checks the financing of the Union's activities.

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European Parliament

The European Parliament is the democratic voice of the peoples of Europe. Directly elected every five years, the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sit not in national blocs but in seven political groups. Each group reflects the political ideology of the national parties to which its members belong. Some MEPs are not attached to any political group. Before the expansion there were 626 seats in the parliment, from 2004 to 2007 there will be 732, and from 2007 until 2009 there will be 786 seats. (This is the "seat number 666" that is unassigned, but it's probably just like the 13th floor, they probably just skipped number 666 as no one wanted it due to the negative connotations)

Parliament's principal roles are as follows.

•To examine and adopt European legislation (shared equally with the Council of Ministers)

•To approve the EU budget.

•To exercise democratic control over the other EU institutions

•To assent to important international agreements such as the accession of new EU Member States and trade or association agreements between the EU and other countries.

(as far as I can tell, this is the only main body that Solana is not part of... yet)

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European Commission

The European Commission is the driving force for the union and does a lot of the day-to-day work in the European Union. It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission makes sure that EU decisions are properly implemented and supervises the way EU funds are spent. It also keeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and European law.

Romano Prodi heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

Chris Patten is Commissioner in charge of External Relations - This is the position/duties that will be moved to Solana as Foriegn Minister, along with additional power if I'm not mistaken

Also of note:

The European Commission is responsible for the General Report of 1998, Chapter V: Role of the Union in the world, Section 1: Common foreign and security policy:

666. In December the Vienna European Council expressed the opinion that the Secretary-General of the Council and High Representative for the CFSP should be appointed as soon as possible and be a personality with a strong political profile. It invited the Council to prepare common strategies on Russia, Ukraine, the Mediterranean region and the western Balkans, on the understanding that the first would be on Russia. Welcoming the new impetus given to the debate on a common European policy on security and defence, the European Council also noted that the CFSP should be backed by credible operational capabilities

This Commission report is what led to Recommendation 666 in June 2000

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The Council of the European Union is the EU's main decision-making body

Solana is Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union

The counsil has six key responsibilities:

1) To pass European laws. In many fields it legislates jointly with the European Parliament.

2) To co-ordinate the broad economic policies of the member states.

3) To conclude international agreements between the EU and one or more states or international organisations.

4) To approve the EU's budget, jointly with the European Parliament.

5) To develop the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy

6) To co-ordinate co-operation between the national courts and police forces in criminal matters

Solana is also High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy (#5 above)

In addition, there are two decentralized bodies under the CFSP (Solana) that are of interest. Both came directly from the WEU.

(1) The European Institute for Security Studies (ISS): Its aim is to help create a common European security culture, to support the strategic debate by providing the best possible interface between European decision-makers and the diverse circles of non-official specialists. (like the CIA?)

(2) European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC): Its mission is to support EU decision-making in the context of the CSFP, and in particular of the ESDP, by enhancing the EU's capability to gather space related information to help prevent conflicts, support peace-keeping efforts in the event of such conflicts and provide effective humanitarian aid during natural and man-made disasters. Its task will hence consist of providing material resulting from the analysis of satellite imagery and collateral data, including aerial imagery as appropriate.

And then there is the Political and Security Committee (PSC)

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) follows international developments in the field of common foreign and security policy (CFSP), helps to define policies and monitors their implementation. Under the authority of the Council (Solana), it is responsible for the political control and strategic guidance of crisis management operations. Composed mainly of national representatives, the PSC is at the heart of crisis management activities. To ensure its smooth running, it is assisted by a Politico-Military Group, a Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, and the Military Committee (MC) and Military Staff (MS) (this is similar to the National Security Advisory Committee, headed by Dr. Condoleezza Rice and the Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld)

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Where does the WEU fit into all of this?

The EU’s High Representative is also the WEU Secretary-General and

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) also make up the 10 nation WEU Permanent Council

Despite all the institutional changes in Europe (and what most web sites lead you to believe), the WEU Counsil and the Assembly of WEU are still in charge of Security and Defence for the EU, esp in relation to "emergency" Military actions.

Most documentation will say that the WEU has many Representatives, what they fail to mention is that only the 10 nations that make up the PERMANENT COUNSIL have voting power. They are:

France

Germany

United Kingdom

Spain

Italy

Greece

Belgium

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Portugal

There is one Vice-President of the Permanent Council from each of these 10 nations, plus a "president", but Solana as the Secretary-General has all the real power in the group, including the power to declare and emergency and direct the Military.

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As a Summary, there are 3 branches of government in the EU. They are the Parliament, Commission, and Council.

The members of Parliment are elected, but the Parliment actually has the least power of the three. Solana doesn't seem to be involved in the Parliment

Solana currently is the head of the Counsil, which has most of the decision making authority in the EU. He also heads the department within the Counsil that controls Security and Defence (the military). The power and decision making in this department actually comes from the 10 nation WEU Permanent Council, which Solana also runs.

When Solana is appointed as Foreign Minister he will also have a very powerful position in the third branch, the Commision. He will be VP and in charge of all foreign affairs for the EU.

Correct me if I'm wrong here Herb, but as a comparison, it seems to me that Solana has about the same power in the EU as one would have if we combined all of the US positions listed below:

Secretary of State, Colin Powell

Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld

National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice

Department of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge

Speaker of the House (Congress), Dennis Hastert (very powerful but anonymous position)

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard B. Myers

Director of Central Intelligence, George J. Tenet

Chairman Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft

And possible a few others

Most of the data above was collected from europa.eu.int/index_en.htm

Also see assembly-weu.itnetwork.fr...ation.html for a VERY interesting overview of Solana

And of course www.whitehouse.gov

Posted by sai

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1942 (Javier Solana)

Javier Solana born in Madrid on July 14.

1948 (WEU)

Brussels Treaty on economic, social and cultural collaboration and collective self-defense is signed by 5 countries, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

1950 (EU)

The idea of European integration is proposed by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in a speech on May 9, celebrated annually as “Europe Day”.

1950 (WEU & NATO)

The original 5 members of the Brussels Treaty enter into talks with the United States, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Portugal, resulting in the creation of a separate political and military organization, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1951 (EU)

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) is set up, with six members: Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

1954 (WEU)

Germany and Italy join the Brussels Treaty nations and the Western European Union (WEU) is created with 7 members. Three objectives are stated:

1. To create in Western Europe a firm basis for European economic recovery;

2. To afford assistance to each other in resisting any policy of aggression;

3. To promote the unity and encourage the progressive integration of Europe.

1954 - 1973 (WEU)

WEU plays an important role by promoting the development of consultation and co-operation in Western Europe, in the aftermath of the Second World War.

1957 (EU)

European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) is set up, with the original 6 members noted above.

1957 (EU)

European Economic Community (EEC) is set up, with the original 6 members noted above.

1967 (EU)

The institutions of the three European Communities, ECSC, EURATOM and EEC, merge, creating a single Commission, a single Council and a single Parliament.

1973 (EU)

Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the EU, for a total of 9 members.

1976 (NATO)

European NATO nations (except Iceland) establish a forum for armaments cooperation, the Independent European Programme Group (IEPG).

1976 (EU & WEU)

The European Defense Industries Group (EDIG) is formed as an organization responsive to the needs of the IEPG. EDIG draws its membership from the national defense industry associations of member nations.

1974 - 1984 (WEU & EU)

WEU’s activities slow down. The Agency for the Control of Armaments and the Standing Armaments Committee, agencies within the WEU, continue their work, but the WEU’s economic, social and cultural roles is gradually taken over by the EU.

1981 (EU)

Greece joins the EU, for a total of 10 members.

1984 (WEU)

The Rome Treaty confirms the security and defense authority of the WEU.

1986 (EU)

Spain and Portugal join the EU, for a total of 12 members.

1990 (WEU)

Portugal and Spain join the WEU, for a total of 9 Full Members. Full Members must be members of both NATO and the EU.

1992 (EU)

The Treaty of Maastricht introduces new forms of co-operation between the member states, for example on defense and in the area of "justice and home affairs", officially creating the European Union (EU).

1992 (WEU)

The 13 countries of the Independent European Programme Group (IEPG) transfer the functions of the IEPG to the WEU, specifically, the enhanced cooperation in the field of armaments. The armaments forum is renamed the Western European Armaments Group (WEAG). Full Members of the WEAG include Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The European Defense Industries Group (EDIG) continues in its original role, now responding to the needs of the WEAG.

1992 (WEU)

Three Associate Members join the WEU, Iceland, Norway and Turkey. Associate Members are also members of NATO, but they are not members of the EU.

1992 (WEU)

Two Observers join the WEU, Denmark* and Ireland. Observers are also members of the EU, but they are not members of NATO.

*Denmark is also a member of NATO.

1994 (WEU)

Six Associate Partners join the WEU, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. Associate Partners are neither members of NATO nor the EU, but they are signatories of an agreement with the EU.

1995 (EU)

Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU, for a total of 15 members.

1995 (WEU)

Greece joins the WEU, for a total of 10 Full Members.

1995 (WEU)

Three Observers join the WEU, Austria, Finland and Sweden, for a total of 5 Observers.

1995 (NATO & Javier Solana)

Javier Solana begins a 4-year term as Secretary General of NATO

1996 (WEU)

Slovenia join the WEU as an Associate Partner, for a total of 7 Associate Partners.

1998 (EU & Javier Solana)

The annual General Report, Item #666 states:

“In December the Vienna European Council expressed the opinion that the Secretary-General of the Council and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) should be appointed as soon as possible and be a personality with a strong political profile. It invited the Council to prepare common strategies on Russia, Ukraine, the Mediterranean region and the western Balkans, on the understanding that the first would be on Russia. Welcoming the new impetus given to the debate on a common European policy on security and defense, the European Council also noted that the CFSP shoould be backed by credible operational capabilities.”

1999 (NATO & Javier Solana)

Javier Solana ends his 4-year term as Secretary General of NATO

1999 (EU & Javier Solana)

Javier Solana becomes the first person to hold the powerful new position of High Representative of Common Foreign and Security Policy for the EU.

1999 (EU & Javier Solana)

Javier Solana becomes the Secretary General of the Council of Europe for the EU.

1999 (WEU & Javier Solana))

Javier Solana becomes the Secretary General of the WEU.

1999 (WEU)

The Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland join the WEU as Associate Members, for a total of 6 Associate Members.

2000 (EU & WEU)

Crisis management responsibilities are transferred from the WEU to the EU.

2000 (EU & Javier Solana)

In what was referred to as the "Summertime Coup" by the International Federation of Journalists, Javier Solana engineered an amendment to existing security classifications, effectively limiting public access to EU documents pertaining to security and defense. The amendment states:

"Regarding public access to documents and the public register of Council documents, proposals have been made in COREPER to amend both Decisions in order to exclude documents regarding security and defense from their sphere of action. A similar exception should be incorporated in the proposed transparency regulation that is being discussed at present The possibility of establishing specific rules regarding police and judicial cooperation is being examined at present."

2000 (WEU)

Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Poland and Sweden join the WEAG, for a total of 19 Full Members.

2000 (WEU & Javier Solana)

Recommendation 666 becomes effective.

Item #12 of the recommendation states:

"Support proposals for the WEU Secretary-General and CFSP High Representative to preside over the PSC and civilian crisis-management machinery and give him powers to convene the Council of the European Union in the event of an emergency."

2000 (WEU & EU)

The Assembly of the WEU becomes the temporary assembly for the EU's new 10-nation military wing.

2003 (EU)

Treaty of Nice streamlines the decision-making system.

2003 (EU & Javier Solana)

The EU's primary weapon against terror is economic rather than military. The European Neigborhood Policy (ENP) is first outlined by the EU Commission in March. It will provide a way for the EU to exercise its influence in neighboring countries, and it is part of Javier Solana's new security doctrine. It is primarily aimed at Russia, Ukraine and the countries of the Mediterranean. The ENP encompasses individual package deals for each country, comprised of incentives and requirements for participation.

2004 (EU)

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia join the EU, for a total of 25 members.

2004 (EU & Javier Solana)

The Israeli government endorses the action plan for Israel's entrance into Solana’s European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), to be implemented in 2007.

2004 (EU & Javier Solana)

The EU Commission endorses action plans for Israel, Ukraine, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority to enter into Javier Solana’s European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), to be implemented in 2007.

2005 (EU)

Croatia and Turkey begin negotiations for EU membership.

2006 (EU)

Treaty of Nice will be replaced by the EU Constitution - if all member countries ratify the constitution.

2006 (EU & Javier Solana)

Javier Solana becomes the first person appointed to the powerful new office of EU Foreign Minister and EU Commission Vice President upon ratification of the European Union Constitution.

2007 (EU)

The EU’s next 7-year fiscal term begins.

2007 (EU & Javier Solana)

The new funding instrument, Javier Solana’s European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), goes into effect for implementation of Solana's European Neighborhood Policy (ENP).

2007 (EU)

Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the EU.

2010 (EU & Javier Solana)

“Headline Goal 2010”, as stated in the EU Constitution, is the goal for all civilian and military peace-keeping/peace-making capabilities, under the jurisdiction of Javier Solana, to be deployable.

WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION (WEU):

official title: “Assembly of Western European Union”

commonly referred to as: “The Assembly”

The major functions of the Assembly, as stated on the official WEU website:

“WEU functions and structures are in place to enable the Member States to fulfill the commitments arising from the Modified Brussels Treaty, particularly those in Articles V and IX.”

Article V of the Modified Brussels Treaty:

“If any of the High Contracting Parties should be the object of an armed attack in Europe, the other High Contracting Parties will, in accordance with the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, afford the Party so attacked all the military and other aid and assistance in their power.”

Article IX of the Modified Brussels Treaty:

“The Council of Western European Union shall make an annual report on its activities and in particular concerning the control of armaments to an Assembly composed of representatives of the Brussels Treaty Powers to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.”

The organization of the WEU:

Presidential Committee is the steering body of the Assembly.

Standing Committee acts on behalf of the Assembly between plenary sessions.

Defense Committee is concerned with European security and defense issues from an operational and military standpoint.

Political Committee addresses the political aspects of European security and defense.

Technological and Aerospace Committee is concerned with defense and dual technologies and cooperation in the field of armaments.

Parliamentary and Public Relations Committee is responsible for cooperation with national parliaments and monitors security and defense debates.

EUROPEAN UNION (EU):

The major functions of the EU, as stated on the official EU website:

“The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. It is not a State intended to replace existing states, but it is more than any other international organization. The EU is, in fact, unique. Its Member States have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level. This pooling of sovereignty is also called "European integration".”

The organization of the EU:

European Parliament, the “voice of the people”, is comprised of national representatives elected by the people of the Member States.

Council of the European Union, the “voice of the member states”, is comprised of appointed officials representing the governments of the Member States.

European Commission, the “driving force”, is comprised of appointed EU officials to form the executive body of the EU.

Court of Justice, comprised of one appointed judge from each member state, ensures compliance with EU law.

Court of Auditors, an independent EU institution, oversees management of the EU budget.

CURRICULUM VITAE OF JAVIER SOLANA MADARIAGA:

Born in Madrid on 14 July 1942.

Married to Concepción Giménez - two children.

Doctorate in physics – Fulbright scholar at several American universities.

Professor of solid-state physics at Madrid Complutense University - author of over thirty publications in the field.

Member of the Spanish Chapter of the Club of Rome.

Joined the Spanish Socialist Party in 1964.

Member of the Spanish Parliament since 1977.

Spanish Cabinet Minister from 1982 to 1995 without interruption:

December 1982 - July 1988: Minister for Culture (simultaneously acted as Government Spokesman from July 1985 to July 1988.

July 1988 - July 1992: Minister for Education and Science.

July 1992 - December 1995: Minister for Foreign Affairs.

December 1995 - October 1999: Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Since 18 October 1999: Secretary General of the Council of the European Union/High representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).

Since 25 November 1999: Secretary General of Western European Union (WEU).

July 2004: appointed for a second 5-year mandate as Secretary General of the Council of the EU and EU High Representative for the CFSP. It was also decided that Mr Solana would be appointed EU Foreign Minister on the day of entry into force of the Constitutional Treaty for Europe.

For WEU information see the official site:

www.weu.int/

www.assemblee-ueo.org/en/accueil.php

For EU information see the official site: http://europa.eu.int/index_en.htm

For information about the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) see the official site:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/...dex_en.htm

For Israel’s endorsement of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) see the Jerusalem Post website:

www.jpost.com/servlet/Sat...2601523688

For the curriculum vitae of Javier Solana see the official site:

ue.eu.int/cms3_applicatio...46&lang=EN