Las islas Senkaku/Diaoyu : Implicaciones en la política exterior y de seguridad de Japón

El presente trabajo de investigación se centrará en el estudio de uno de los conflictos territoriales más candentes que existen en la región de Asia Oriental y, por ende, en la escena internacional, que enfrenta a Japón contra China y Taiwán por la soberanía de las Islas Senkaku/Diaoyu. Aunque dadas las dimensiones del mismo, nos centraremos en la postura nipona. No en vano, el objetivo general que pretendemos alcanzar se sustenta en analizar la política exterior y de seguridad japonesa ante tal contencioso, como también las consecuencias e implicaciones que puede tener para la misma a la hora de entender el papel que debe desempeñar Japón en la escena internacional.

'Les relacions entre la Unió Europea i els països de la conca del Mediterrani' : Barcelona, 24-28 de novembre de 1995

An Alternative Mediterranean Conference under the auspices of several NGOs frorn several countries of the Mediterranean basin was held in Barcelona from 24th to 26th Novernber 1995. Its purpose was to discuss the relationships arnong the European Union and the eastern and southern shore countries in the Mediterranean basin from a non-official point of view, and to evaluate the project of a Euro-Mediterranean Association which was to be launched by the Intergovernmental Euro-Mediterranean Conference at its meeting in Barcelona on 27th and 28th November. This Serninar was the focus of most discussion at the Alternative Mediterranean Conference

Turkey's accession to the EU: interests, ideas and path dependence

The paper is divided into four sections. The first offers a critical assessment of explanations of both rationalist and constructivist approaches currently dominating European studies and assesses the notion of path dependence. The second and third sections analyse the role of both material interests and polity ideas in EU enlargement to Turkey, and conclude that explanations exclusively based on either strategic calculations or values and identities have significant shortcomings. The fourth section examines the institutional path of Turkey's candidacy to show how the course of action begun at Helsinki restricted the range of possible and legitimate options three years later in Copenhagen.

The EU as a security provider in its neighbourhood: the case of non-proliferation of WMD in the Mediterranean area

As a consequence of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the US-led war against Iraq, WMD and their proliferation have become a central element of the EU security agenda. In December 2003, the European Council adopted even a EU Strategy against Proliferation of WMD. The approach adopted in this Strategy can be largely described as a ‘cooperative security provider’ approach and is based on effective multilateralism, the promotion of a stable international and regional environment and the cooperation with key partners. The principal objective of this paper is to examine in how far the EU has actually implemented the ‘cooperative security provider’ approach in the area which the Non-proliferation Strategy identifies as one of its priorities – the Mediterranean. Focusing on the concept of security interdependence, the paper analyses first the various WMD dangers with which the EU is confronted in the Mediterranean area. Afterwards, it examines how the EU has responded to these hazards in the framework of the Barcelona process and, in particular, the new European Neighbourhood Policy. It is argued that despite its relatively powerful rhetoric, the EU has largely failed, for a wide range of reasons, to apply effectively its non-proliferation approach in the Mediterranean area and, thus, to become a successful security provider.

When ESDP confronts ENP: security sector reform as a bridge in the EU’s foreign policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy’s birth has taken place in parallel with the renewed momentum of the European Security and Defence Policy, which has launched 14 operations since 2003. Both policies’ instruments have converged in the neighbouring area covered by ENP: Georgia, in the East and the Palestinian Territories in the South. In both cases, the Security Sector Reform strategies have been the main focus for ESDP and an important objective for ENP. In this paper, two objectives are pursued: first, to assess the EU’s involvement in both cases in SSR terms; and second, to analyse whether the convergence of ESDP operations with a broader EU neighbourhood policy implies that the former has become an instrument for the a EU external action.

Learning the ropes and embracing the rules: CFSP institutions as arenas for learning and strategic socialisation

The aim of this article is to analyse those situations in which learning and socialisation take place within the context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), in particular, at the level of experts in the Council Working Groups. Learning can explain the institutional development of CFSP and changes in the foreign policies of the Member States. Some scope conditions for learning and channels of institutionalisation are identified. Socialisation, resulting from learning within a group, is perceived as a strategic action by reflective actors. National diplomats, once they arrive in Brussels, learn the new code of conduct of their Working Groups. They are embedded in two environments and faced with two logics: the European one in the Council and the national one in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The empirical evidence supports the argument that neither rational nor sociological approaches alone can account for these processes.

La política europea de España 2005-2006

El presente working paper es la versión española del capítulo escrito por la autora sobre la política europea de España para un anuario alemán sobre construcción europea (W. Weidenfeld y W. Wessels (Hrsg.). Jahrbuch der Europäischen Integration 2005/06, Institut fur Europäische Politik. Europa Union Verlag, en prensa). La autora escribe dicho capítulo para el Jahrbuch regularmente desde el año 1990. Producto de dichos textos es el libro de la autora que lleva por título La política europea de España, Barcelona, Ariel, 1999. En dicho libro se recogen aspectos conceptuales y de análisis en profundidad que sirven de marco al presente texto, cuyas características responden al objetivo de la publicación (alemana) en la que apareció: un anuario de seguimiento de la construcción europea de carácter coyuntural.

EU foreign policy towards Georgia: just for energy?

The paper analyses how the EU foreign policy towards Georgia changed after the Rose Revolution, reaching greater levels of involvement and assistance. It is argued that the pro-western and reformist new government in Georgia triggered a new orientation in the EU foreign policy towards the country based on a logic of appropriateness, that is EU´s values, in addition to energy interests. Comparative analysis in the Southern-Caucasus and other Eastern-European countries shows how reformist and pro-EU governments receive more EU support and assistance. This does not mean that material interest do not play an important role. However, the EU seems to be coherent with its values when regarding the European neighbourhood.

The European Union Police Mission: The Beginning of a New Future for Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The creation, reform and/or restructuring of the police in post-conflict societies remains one of the key challenges for practitioners and scholars in the contemporary fields of peace and security, particularly due to the changing nature of conflicts. Since the 1990s the world has witnessed a proliferation of international police missions, with regional organisations gradually acquiring a prominent role. This paper analyses the 2003-2005 period of the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Much is at stake in this mission, both in terms of the development of the EU´s external identity but also for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s road to EU membership and sustainable peace. This paper will argue that by 2005 the balance sheet was mixed. EUPM fell short of fulfilling its overall goal of ‘Europeanising’ Bosnian police services, and of its desire to be seen as providing that additional ingredient in police matters that would set it apart from the earlier UN mission. Nevertheless, despite its shortcomings, the Mission did not merit the harsh criticisms it was faced with. Its lack of success was not entirely the Mission’s doing. The paper focuses on three aspects: political and economic viability and sustainability, security levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and institution and capacity building. The explanatory framework used in this paper is based on the democratic policing discourse. In doing so the argument developed here will also shed light on the nature of so-called “best European practices” in police matters.

La comunidade de traballo Galicia-norte de Portugal. Elementos para la comparación

Contribució al Seminari: "Les Euroregions: Experiències i aprenatges per a l’Euroregió Pirineus-Mediterrània", 15-16 de desembre de 2005

Cumbre de Viena: energía, polarización y búsqueda de liderazgos

La IV Cumbre Unión Europea – América Latina y el Caribe (UE-ALC), celebrada en Viena los días 11, 12 y 13 de mayo, estuvo marcada por una creciente polarización interna latinoamericana, por los problemas europeos para definir un liderazgo sobre el futuro del proyecto de integración y por la crisis global de energía.

La Investigació d'incendis i explosions

En el marc de les Jornades sobre investigació de sinistres que es van realitzar a l’Institut el juny de 2008, es va copsar la necessitat de crear un grup de recerca per facilitar l’intercanvi d’experiències professionals i per impulsar la coordinació en l’actuació dels diferents agents i sectors implicats en la investigació d’incendis i explosions. Així, l’octubre de 2008 l’Àrea de Recerca, Coneixement i Relacions Exteriors de l’Institut va posar en marxa el Grup de recerca sobre investigació d’incendis i explosions (GRIE), de caràcter multidisciplinari i transversal, amb la participació de persones d’expertesa reconeguda, en representació dels diferents àmbits que poden intervenir en la investigació d’aquest tipus de sinistres: bombers, mossos d’esquadra, companyies d’assegurances, empreses privades, universitat, judicatura i medicina forense. L’Àrea de Recerca va dur a terme la coordinació del Grup, que es va reunir amb una regularitat mensual —de l’octubre de 2008 fins al desembre de 2009—, per tal d’acomplir els objectius següents: d’una banda, posar en comú el coneixement i el bagatge dels diversos professionals per poder valorar l’estat de la qüestió en la investigació d’incendis i explosions; de l’altra, elaborar un document descriptiu i didàctic, a partir de l’anàlisi de casos concrets, amb el propòsit d’oferir unes pautes generals —des del pensament i amb total respecte a les competències i responsabilitats dels protagonistes de les actuacions on intervenen—, amb informació i una metodologia útil per a tots els sectors. Al llarg d’aquest temps també es va comptar amb la participació puntual d’altres professionals per a l’avaluació d’aspectes específics. Cal remarcar que l’abast de l’estudi es limita als incendis i les explosions en edificis i indústries de qualsevol ús i en infraestructures. No s’han tractat, doncs, els incendis forestals, que són un àmbit molt més específic i determinat, ni tampoc els incendis que afecten matèries perilloses i d’altres en entorns singulars, que en qualsevol cas poden ser objecte d’estudis posteriors més especialitzats. La investigació d’incendis i explosions és, clarament, una matèria transversal ja que, com s’ha dit, en els casos complexos hi intervenen policies, bombers, companyies d’assegurances, gabinets tècnics i universitats, jutges i forenses. Els objectius de cada agent són lògicament sectorials, és a dir orientats a respondre a les qüestions habituals del seu camp d’actuació. La policia intervé quan es sospiten actes il·lícits o quan és requerida per l’autoritat judicial per fer-ho; la intervenció, doncs, no és exhaustiva i es limita a un percentatge relativament petit dels casos, i sempre l’objectiu és recollir proves per atribuir, en judicis, responsabilitats civils o, en el seu cas, penals.