Editor's note

Both the European states and the Baltic Sea region are facing enormous threats, which are too large for any single state to tackle; only together the EU states can successfully meet most global and regional challenges, such as terrorism, migration, climate change and disruption. A prosperous EU shall be based on greater coordination among numerous EU institutions and the member states, argued the Commission in its foreign and security strategy.

However, present period in European history is also a time of extraordinary opportunities: global growth, mobility, and technological progress enable European states to thrive, and allow ever more people to live longer, freer and comfortable lives.

The EU provides the member states with a “compass” in such exceptional circumstances in the form of a strategic sense of direction, a shared vision and a platform for common actions. Already a couple of years ago, in June 2016, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini presented a new global strategy for the Union’s foreign and security policy: "Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe". The booklet of 60 pages can be seen at:  

https://europa.eu/globalstrategy/sites/globalstrategy/files/pages/files/eugs_review_web_7.pdf.

After extensive consultation process, the EU states adopted the Strategy with a set of core principles for dealing with the rest of the world, explaining the core values on which the EU stands for and what it hopes to achieve. For Baltic States it has to be a sort of road map in foreign policy directions.

See: https://europa.eu/globalstrategy/en/global-strategy-promote-citizens-interests and https://europa.eu/globalstrategy/en/state-and-societal-resilience  

Strategy’s principles

In a complex, connected, and contested world, it is essential for the EU to ensure peace and security both for the citizens and states’ territory, as well as advance wellbeing and prosperity for the people. Besides, the EU institutions have to uphold the values of democracy and champion a rules-based global order. Therefore, European external policy and actions are aimed at promoting these interests; these external actions are guided by clear principles.

European Union has greatest influence in the world when it stands united on the global stage. As soon as barriers between the EU and the rest of the world are not acceptable, the EU is creating stable partnerships both with various states and international organisations, as well as with civil society’s representatives and the private sector. Finally, the EU will be steered by a strong sense of responsibility in order to effectively respond to the growing problems of the world.

There are five broad priorities in the EU’s external action: a) supporting the Union’s security; b) achieving “societal resilience” in the member states. c) providing an integrated approach to various conflicts; d) elaborating cooperative order in the EU’s regions; and e)Regional Orders, and c) supporting a fair “global governance” for the 21^st century.

Role of new diplomacy

It is obvious that none of the EU states alone has strength or resources to address modern threats and existing challenges: only the Union as a whole has the needed potential. The new diplomatic sectors in the EU external service and in the member states have had an important role to play. For example, the EU diplomatic network “runs wide and deep” in all corners of the globe. Economically, the EU-28 are among three world leaders, together with the US and China. The EU is the first trading partner and the first foreign investor in almost every country in the world. The EU-28 invests more in development cooperation than the rest of the world combined.

However, the Commission argues, the EU states are not making full use of existing potentials. The states in the Baltic Sea region has to understand that only in collective actions they can assume the needed actions and behavior responsibility.  

The aim of the EU global strategy for European foreign and security policy is to provide for more active partnerships work with new diplomatic efforts. Baltic States’ citizens need new diplomacy moves like never before.