Ο ρόλος του Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών στον κομβικό συντονισμό της εθνικής πολιτικής στην ενωσιακή διαδικασία

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to examine the coordination role of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the EU process. How much effective is the Ministry acting as a hub between Greece and the EU? How do its experts manage to implement and impose national priorities dealing with the EU of 28 member states (while the notion of the “national policy” is perceived to be the maximizing national benefits achieved during the negotiations held at the EU institutions?) To this end, the methodology of the thesis is based on Greek, English and French bibliography; a total of 8 interviews were also taken by the MFA and other Ministries executives in order to understand the procedures and the particularity of the FMA as a hub between the “national: and the “Union” aspect. The first thing to be clarified, is the dual dimension of the Greek MFA coordination role; In the EU process, the elaboration of common policies means the voluntary commitment of the m-s to adopt those policies as well-and this is mandatory. Accordingly, the FMA coordination ability lies in the way in which the country presents its national aspects on different issues in the EU institutions aiming at the conformation of common public policies through voting and issuing a common legislation. At the same time, the thesis refers to the concern of the MFA for the transposition and the implementation of EU law within the country: this is achieved by adopting national additional measures known as “prerequisites regulatory instruments” that will contribute to the full harmonization with European legislation. The institutional triangle of decision making in the EU (the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament) is also described; the whole decision making process is recorded in those institutions not to mention the engagement of the Permanent Representation of Greece (MEA) within this triangle. (The latter actually consists of the MFA’s department abroad). Besides all that, the flow of the procedures followed in the domestic administration system is presented as well, aiming at the integration of the EU law. The role of the MFA is noted as well since it is the one to have contact with both the competent ministries and the General Secretariat of the Greek government: its “coordination importance” is nevertheless obvious every time its Special Legal Department (also known as ENYEE) acts as its defender against complaints set up by the EU Commission for infringement of Directives integration.

Finally, the thesis emphasizes on the need for the Greek MFA to foster networks and alliances with other member states –not to mention the need for a more intense open and public diplomacy- in order to optimize its role. The aspect of some foreign authors for a “total absence of an integrated strategy” on the part of the Greek MFA is not something to be overlooked, nevertheless, the paper ends by raising a worrying matter: All European /FMs seem to strengthen their effort in coordinating their national policies to those proposed by the EU, on the other hand, the EU is being seen as a project fully derogating itself from the EU political integration vision.