By Martin Banks - 11th December 2007
A high-ranking commission official says the controversial reform treaty will give EU foreign policy more "visibility and coherence".
But Eneko Landaburu, director general for external relations, warned that in future member states must be prepared to "share" sovereignty in foreign policy in order for the EU to become a genuine world power.
He said: "At present, there is a lack of continuity in EU external relations policy and there needs to be more coherence between the member states. Hopefully, this is something the reform treaty will put right."
The treaty, set to be approved by EU leaders in Lisbon on Thursday, includes a proposal to create a role of president of the European council.
The post, alongside that of high representative for the common foreign and security policy, currently occupied by Javier Solana, will give EU foreign policy more "visibility", says the Spaniard.
Landaburu was speaking at an event organised by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, a German foundation, on the 'results of the EU's international relations".
The official said that, in some respects, the EU has already become a real world power, so much so that other world regions, such as south America, had used it as a model to establish similar organisations.
But he said there was "no room for complacency", pointing out that while the EU may, economically, be a world player, it was not politically.
"This was illustrated, most graphically, over the war in Iraq where the EU, as we all know, was divided," he said.
"It is important that, both politically and economically, the EU does not stagnate. I hope that the dream of political union does not remain out of reach."
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