On 16 June 2021, Foreign Minister Schallenberg discussed future prospects of EU foreign policy during a panel discussion on the theme of “The Great EU Soul-Searching: What Spot on the New Global Power Map?”, held at the Globsec Forum in Bratislava.
Alexander Schallenberg stressed from the outset that the EU played a leading role on the world stage as the world’s biggest economic and trading bloc, as well as its largest provider of humanitarian aid. The Foreign Minister noted that the EU needed to make the most of these strengths.
He also stressed the importance of European values as the cornerstone of EU foreign policy. At the same time, he emphasised that Europe’s democratic way of life could not be taken for granted, and that the EU needed to do more to defend it:
We are in a global competition, and our way of life is at stake,
he said.
Asked about the mechanisms and institutions of EU foreign policy, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said he did not see any need to reform the qualified-majority voting system or the veto rights granted to individual EU member states. Instead, he suggested that the EU needed to show more political will to achieve its objectives.
Taking decisions on the basis of qualified majorities isn’t the solution for everything. It is less a procedural issue than a question of political will,
Alexander Schallenberg noted.
Foreign Minister Schallenberg was joined on the panel by Slovakian Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok, Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marina Sereni, and political scientist Daniela Schwarzer. The discussion was chaired by Matthew Karnitschnig, POLITICO’s Chief Europe Correspondent. The Globsec Forum has been held in Bratislava since 2005. It is recognised as one of the world’s leading conferences on foreign affairs and security issues.
