Discussion Session with Helga Maria Schmid

In the second discussion session Helga Schmid, director in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, described the specifically European approach to foreign and security policy. Today’s complex set of threats consisting of international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, poverty, pandemics, the consequences of climate change, etc. could be countered only with an appropriate “policy mix.” In this respect the EU was playing a pioneering role and had demonstrated on its past missions that it was prepared to take action at short notice and under difficult circumstances. The EU was the continent’s logical answer to the dynamic nature of globalization. The Europeans could only assert themselves in a fragmented and diverse world community by acting together to defend their values and interests. As a result of the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon the EU now had more clout and was far more coherent. Lady Ashton, the new High Representative, was now responsible for foreign policy questions, and thus the long-awaited telephone number had at last been activated.

This report was written by Munich Young Leader Sebastian Groth, Policy Planning Staff, Federal Foreign Office, Berlin.

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