MSc European Studies (research master) student Sophia Russack recently completed her second-year research internship at the EU Institutions unit of the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels. As part of her internship Sophia co-authored a report on the Commissioners’ Group on External Action published by CEPS in December 2015. She also published a commentary on the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU Council.
Sophia published a report, on ‘The Commissioners’ Group on External Action – Key political facilitator’ together with co-author Steven Blockmans, Senior Research Fellow and Head of EU Foreign Policy. The report examines the reactivation of the Commissioners’ Group on External Action (CGEA), which is is one of the most important institutional initiatives in EU foreign policy-making since the merger of the position of the High Representative for CFSP with that of Vice-President of the Commission (HRVP) and the creation of the European External Action Service (EEAS). The report discussed the mandate and organisation of the CGEA and notes that, in its first year of activity, the Group has injected much-needed political pragmatism into the way the Commission contributes to EU external action, thereby facilitating inter-service cooperation both within the Commission and with the EEAS. The authors argue that the CGEA has in fact become the logical counterpart to the Foreign Affairs Council, which allows the HRVP to deliver on her duty to assist the Council and the Commission in ensuring a comprehensive approach to EU external action, as indeed consistency in its implementation.
In a Commentary, on ‘Balancing Priorities and Emergency Measures: Luxembourg’s Council Presidency’, Sophia together with Vilde Renman, evaluates the EU Council presidency held by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg between 1 July and 31 December 2015. The overall performance of the presidency was marked by a number of drastic external events such as the huge inflow of migrants to Europe and the terroristic attacks in Paris. Against the backdrop of these events, Luxembourg faced the huge challenge of taking clear action beyond their predefined set of priorities. Nevertheless, Luxembourg succeeded in closing a number of difficult long-term negotiations on important legislative files such as European Passenger Name Record (PNR) and the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA).
