By Behlul Cetinkaya and Selen Valente
LONDON / BRUSSELS (AA) – The European Political Community (EPC), which includes EU and non-EU countries, will hold its 4th summit in the UK on Thursday to discuss Ukraine, energy, democracy protection, and irregular migration.
Heads of state or government from about 45 European countries will attend the summit at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, located approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from London.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris before or after the summit, but the location will not be disclosed for security reasons.
The summit will be Starmer's first international meeting since assuming office on July 6. King Charles III will also host a reception for summit participants.
- NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe to participate for 1st time
The summit will feature an opening session, a closing session, and three roundtable discussions, with Ukraine as the main agenda item. Increased international support for Ukraine ahead of the winter season will also be discussed.
The leaders will also discuss global and regional challenges, with a focus on collaboration to combat irregular migration and strengthen European security.
This summit, unlike previous ones, will include NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe as participants for the first time.
The roundtable meetings will address migration, energy, and connectivity issues, as well as the defense and protection of democracy.
- Environmental awareness
The EPC Summit will emphasize sustainability and environmental awareness. In this regard, 80% of the vegetables and fruits served to participants will come from the gardens of Blenheim Palace and the Oxfordshire region. This approach is to minimize transportation costs and carbon emissions, using seasonal fruits and vegetables.
During the summit, the media and local officials will take public transportation. Besides, the palace generators will use plant-based fuels rather than diesel.
The palace will be powered entirely by low-carbon emissions and renewable energy sources. Instead of single-use plastics, summit attendees will use reusable and recyclable alternatives.
The summit's furniture and items will be donated to local charities to generate income after the event.
This will ensure many items are reused or recycled back into the economy.
- Broader political debate platform than EU
The EPC's foundations were laid on Europe Day 2022.
On May 9, 2022, during France's EU presidency, Macron proposed an alternative to EU membership at the closing of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
"I believe what I am talking about here today can be referred to as a 'European Political Community'. This new European organization will establish a new framework for democratic European nations committed to our values to collaborate in areas such as politics, security, energy, and transportation," Macron said.
The proposal echoed Francois Mitterrand's 1989 concept of a "European Confederation," which sought to address the impact of the Ukraine conflict while also ensuring European security and stability.
The French leader suggested that countries, which share EU values, like Ukraine, could unite under a "European Political Community" rather than pursuing lengthy EU membership processes.
Macron's proposal was viewed as an attempt to mask the evident lack of political will for granting Ukraine candidate status.
During the June 24, 2022 EU Summit, leaders discussed Macron's proposal for the first time. The summit's concluding statement highlighted that EPC could potentially encompass all European countries closely linked to the EU, serving as a platform for political coordination to enhance the continent's security, stability, and prosperity.
It was clarified that the EPC would not replace EU enlargement or form a new international organization, but rather serve as a broader "political debate platform" in Europe than the EU.
On Sept. 7, 2022, the EU confirmed the establishment of EPC. The first EPC meeting took place before the informal EU Leaders Summit in Prague on October 6-7, 2022, which was hosted by the Czech Republic's presidency.
- 1st EPC Summit
The EPC invited leaders from 27 EU members, as well as Türkiye, Western Balkan countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, UK, Iceland, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
During the meeting, they discussed Russia's attack on Ukraine, the energy crisis, and the economic situation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined via videoconference.
Moreover, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also held a quadrilateral meeting with Macron and EU Council President Charles Michel on the sidelines of the summit. This format was repeated at subsequent summits.
The summit concluded with the decision to continue the EPC.
- 2nd summit in Moldova
The second EPC meeting in Moldova sent a strong unity message to Moscow from the EU and Western countries.
It highlighted support for Moldova amid concerns about Russia's intentions following Ukraine. President Zelenskyy attended in person, focusing on Ukraine's support, alongside discussions on peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the crisis in Kosovo.
- 3rd summit in Spain
Under Spain's EU presidency, leaders met in Granada to discuss "digitalization, energy-ecological transition, and multilateralism – Europe's political future" in roundtable meetings and bilateral discussions.
Despite Ukraine and Zelenskyy's support being a key focus, planned talks between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders did not occur due to disagreements over participation requirements, which led to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Aliyev opting not to attend, impacting the summit's agenda, which focused on Karabakh developments.
