Isabelle Ioannides, Senior Research Fellow at ELIAMEP’s South-East Europe Programme, co-authored a report for the European Parliament’s European Parliamentary Research Service with Cecilia Navarra and Lenka Jančová.

The “A Cost of Non-Europe” report analyses decision-making rules in CFSP (Common Foreign and Security Policy) from a ‘cost of non-Europe’ perspective. It identifies challenges within CFSP and assesses the extent to which they can be attributed to unanimity in decision-making. The report also examines possible alternatives to unanimity decision-making in CFSP, such as a transition to qualified majority voting (QMV), including their associated costs and benefits. The study develops several policy options, encompassing those within the current legal framework, options requiring Treaty changes, and options necessitating a departure from the intergovernmentalism in CFSP.

The study includes expert contributions by:

  • Giulia Tercovich and Daniel Fiott, who analyze EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, the EU’s stance on Hong Kong in response to China, and the deployment of EULEX Kosovo.
  • Heidi Maurer, who presents 17 policy options (some applicable within the context of the EU Treaties, while others require Treaty changes) for moving away from the current decision-making rule in CFSP.

This study was requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).

You may read the report here.