The Changing Politics of Information in European Foreign Policy

Abstract

This article studies the development of European foreign policy from an informational perspective. It illustrates how since the establishment of European Political Cooperation in 1970, the European Union has gradually evolved from a platform to share foreign policy information into a Brussels‐based system that gathers and processes information autonomously. Building upon the broader literature of delegation in international organisations, it explains the gradual shift in the centre of informational gravity from the national capitals to Brussels through motives of efficiency and credibility. The development of an operational foreign policy after the Treaty of Amsterdam has considerably raised the demands for rapid and high quality data. A system entirely dependent on the ad hoc information flows from the member states proved incompatible with these new ambitions. The recent establishment of the European External Action Service and the transformation of the European Commission delegations into Union delegations is the most recent step in this long‐term and highly institutionalised process of European informational cooperation.

Key Words:

• European Union
• foreign policy
• information
• information‐sharing
• bureaucracy
• decision‐making

Notes

1. European foreign policy is defined as the sum of what the EU and its member states do in terms of their ‘political’ foreign policy (Hill 1998). It excludes trade and development.

2. Diplomatic posts also serve other purposes than information‐gathering, but the collection of information constitutes a key function.

3. The recent Wikileaks affair only emphasises this point.

4. Decision adopted by the Foreign Ministers (17 February 1986).

5. The German Democratic Republic became part of the internal market and thus had to comply with the acquis communitaire.

6. The EU Troika consisted of the Presidency‐in‐office as well as the preceding and succeeding presidencies. The administration in Mostar was part of an agreement between the Bosnian Croats and Muslims.

7. Information provided by the Council Secretariat. See also Smith (2004) and Bicchi (2010).

8. The EPC Secretariat was integrated into the Council Secretariat and became the CFSP unit.

9. When the EEAS will become operational, the Policy Unit will be integrated in this new service.

10. The Western European Union previously constituted the defence arm of the European Union.

11. Information provided by Council Secretariat.