ABSTRACT
This confused state of affairs was certainly not resolved in the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) which was concluded at Amsterdam in June 1997, despite agreement on a number of decisions designed to clarify the external representation of the Union and strengthen other aspects of CFSP such as planning and decision-making. Although there was broad agreement on some areas, including the appointment of a High Representative and the establishment of a policy planning and early warning unit, there was no consensus on some of the most important CFSP issues under discussion, including the incorporation of the WEU into the EU. PostAmsterdam, the players involved in the Union’s external relations policies continued to reorganise themselves and to jockey for influence against a background of a rapidly changing international system and a difficult financial situation.
