Division for International Dialogue Enabling Europe to Act Globally 10 theses on a Common Foreign and Security Policy for Europe Introduction Europe is increasingly confronted with foreign and security pol­icy challenges that require a collective response: on such issues a Common Foreign and Security Policy for Europe – the joining together of 27 member states – would clearly bring added value compared to the bundled foreign policies of individual member states. 1. Europe’s foreign policy – the member states matter. The strengthening of CFSP(Common Foreign and Security Policy) and ESDP(European Security and Defence Policy) must start in the capital cities. In its intergovernmental foreign and security policy Europe has abandoned the previous models of communi­tisation. Hitherto, Brussels and the 27 capital cities have too of­ten sent out contradictory signals on central questions. If it is to have a global role, Europe needs more political determination on the part of the member states to strengthen what is common in their foreign and security policy. 2. Europe, too, must be under democratic control. European foreign and security policy must not be conducted in a demo­cratic grey area, however. Functioning democratic control of CFSP/ ESDP must be ensured. This area is outside the control of the European Parliament, while national parliaments are able to exercise control rights to only a limited extent. Such a state of affairs undermines the potential acceptance and legitimacy of a common European foreign and security policy. Making CFSP/ ESDP answerable to parliamentary control remains a democratic im­perative. 3. A common foreign policy requires coherence. Coordina­tion between the European institutions involved in foreign and security policy in the widest sense is just as deficient as coordina­tion between the member states. Europe needs greater vertical and horizontal coherence. With the High Representative, who is at the same time Vice President of the Commission, the Reform Treaty creates a bridge between the Commission and the Coun­cil. The Africa Strategy, which was worked out jointly by the Commission and the Council, and adopted by the member states, should serve as a model for negotiation of the EU’s stra­tegic documents. In its recent work, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s Division for International Dialogue has focused on the prospects of European Economic and Social Policy, European Foreign and Security Policy, European Neighbourhood Policy and International Security Policy. These theses are a contribution to the political positioning within the above-mentioned fields. They also seek to outline future challenges and topics. 4. How do things stand with the USA? The USA remains Europe’s most important reference point and partner in foreign and security policy. However, the nature of the relationship with the USA is disputed within the EU: the options of competition, partnership or subordination all have their advocates and oppo­AUGUST 2008