CFSP decision-making processes and instruments

Like all international actors, the European Union uses public declarations as vehicles to express its views on given situations and for the public adoption of positions. Over two hundred declarations are published each year in French and in English in Brussels and the capital of the Mem-ber State holding the Presidency. The conclusions of GAERC and European Council meetings, like the declarations that may be adopted on those occasions, contribute to the Union’s public expres-sion. A distinction is made between two types of declaration:

  Those made by the Presidency in the name of the European Union after their adoption on a consensus basis between the Member States (in most cases using the written procedure following COREU exchanges, or following a debate in a working group validated subsequently using COREU or by the PSC),

  Those made by the Presidency alone when this is justified by a natural disaster, an emergency or other exceptional situation. A declaration is made in this case at the initiative of the Presidency but it must be sure that the line taken is acceptable to all its partners. In practice, and depending on the topic, the Presidency may consider it appropriate to consult rapidly with a few other Member States before publishing its declaration.

The Presidency is also charged with the task of expressing and defending the positions defined by the Council in international organisations and in international conferences. For example, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Member State holding the Presidency speaks in the name of the European Union at the opening of the General Assembly of the United Nations.