What constitutes a state? The definition comes in Article One of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States:
The state as a person of international law should possess the following qualifications: a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states.
The EU has qualified for decades on a), (b) and (c). Now it has ticked the final box. The European Constitution Lisbon Treaty, which came into effect on 1 December 2009, gave the EU “legal personality”: that is, the right to sign treaties; it also created a diplomatic corps to negotiate those treaties and regulate the EU’s relations with third countries:
the European External Action Service.
Now, Eurocrats want formal recognition from the United Nations. They want Herman Van Rompuy to be able to address the General Assembly as a head of state, and to create a seat for
Baroness Ashton, the EU’s foreign minister (hat-tip,
EU Observer).
Not everyone is happy with the plan. Many developing countries complain that it would be wrong to accord the EU privileges that are not enjoyed by other regional associations. Indeed, opponents of the scheme commanded a majority when the issue came to a vote. But the EU is continuing to press its claim and – given that it is the original
patron and sponsor of most of the other regional blocs – it will surely be only a matter of time before it gets its way.
I shouldn’t be surprised if, as part of the negotiations, Eurocrats offer to exchange the British and French seats on the Security Council for a consolidated EU seat, as long demanded by the two main blocs in the European Parliament, the socialists and the EPP. And British politicians still talk about Europe “coming our way”.
