It has taken 30 years from the setting-up of European Political Cooperation, and 15 years from the introduction into the treaties of the concept of Common Foreign and Security Policy, for the European Union to intervene, at last, as a major player on the international stage. No longer just in trade and environmental questions, but in matters of peace or war, and as the world is undergoing the most serious financial crisis for a century. It is the result of the astral conjunction of the Russo-Georgian conflict, the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the eclipse of Washington and the end of George Bush’s mandate, and Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency of the European Union. In the history of Europe there will clearly be a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ the second half of the year 2008.

A page has been turned, but the contents of the new chapter are still uncertain. Let us examine why.

Street Priorities

Haunted by the need to reconcile the French people with Europe, Nicolas Sarkozy had prepared France’s EU presidency with great ambition: he wanted both to bring the ratifications of the Treaty of Lisbon to a satisfactory conclusion, necessary for the greater Europe to function more effectively, and demonstrate that, without even waiting for application of the treaty, the Union was capable of taking strong decisions on major subjects: a matter of political willpower. ‘Europe must have a political role! I want to introduce politics into European activity, where it has too often been content to establish a framework for action, without itself acting’, he repeated in all his speeches. For the demonstration to be convincing, he had to choose issues clearly identified by public opinion as demanding treatment at the European level and where Europe, too absorbed by institutional problems, had fallen behind. From the end of 2007, five priorities were declared, therefore: Common Security and Defence Policy, immigration, energy and the fight against climate change, reform of agricultural policy and the establishment of the Union for the Mediterranean. Note that even when these topics are not at the centre of foreign policy, they all have a major external dimension.