The European Political Community: A Nebulous Answer to the Strategic Question of How to Unite Europe

Abstract

(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 8(2), 755-764 | European Forum Insight of 21 November 2023 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction. - II. The establishment of the European Political Community: two rationales - III. Actors: the European Political Community and new EU accessions - IV. Processes: decision-making formally independent from EU structures - V. Instruments - VI. Conclusion: future scenarios | (Abstract) The European Political Community (EPC) is an institutionalised but flexible forum for political coordina-tion between European countries. It was established in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While the EPC is only in its early stages, and therefore there is a significant element of volatility in the subject, this Insight reflects on how the EPC innovates in terms of actors, process, and instruments with respect to the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and the Or-ganisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. In terms of who is accepted as member, the EPC pursues both an inclusivity/exclusivity rationale of creating a geopolitical block across the continent and parallel integration rationale of offering some countries something more than the European Neigh-bourhood Policy but less than EU membership. In terms of processes, the EPC is formally, but by no means materially, separate from the EU. In terms of instruments, for the moment the added value of the EPC is in its presence. The Insight concludes with reflections on the future of the EPC, highlighting risks of duplication with those other organisations and issues of credibility.

Keywords

• european political community
• european union enlargement
• war in ukraine
• eu neighbourhood policy
• europe in the world
• eu-russia relations