 delighted today to be joined by Dr. Charles Powell. He is director at Leading Spanish Think Tank, the El Cano World Institute. Dr. Powell, you're very, very welcome to join us today. Thank you so much. It's a great pleasure and an honor to be here. Fantastic. When we look forward to hearing your reviews on the future of Europe, I might start by looking at the global role of Europe. You're coming today to talk about the opportunities and challenges that Europe faces as a global actor. What steps do you think the Union needs to take to be a more effective player on the global scale? As you may recall, at the future, a high representative and vice president, Dr. Seth Porre, in his hearings made, I think, an interesting point when he said that basically we have to think more strategically. We've all heard that this is going to be a geopolitical commission. But I think his main point is, which is interesting, is that we have to join the dots. In other words, we have to take fuller advantage of the things that the EU does best, for example, commercial policy, trade policy, and link that to other strategic goals. And I think this is something that hasn't been fully achieved. We often forget what an enormous normative power the EU still has because of its 500 million inhabitants who provide and make up the largest trading block in the world. And so in this current crisis in which the liberal international order is obviously under a lot of stress, basically I think working with like-minded democracies all over the world should be our top priority. And you mentioned their policy linkage. How much will this ability to project influence globally depend on the EU's ability to solve crises at home? Am I mentioning inequality, migration? It's not very original, but I think it's true when people say that globalization begins at home, in other words, unless we make our societies function better, unless we convince our own citizens that the EU is a worthwhile project at home, we will never be a credible global actor. I like quoting Danny Roderick, the famous Harvard Professor, economist who argues that basically we have to make three things compatible, economic localization, political democracy, and national sovereignty. And it's probably only the EU that can help us do that. And if we manage to do that within our individual member states, then perhaps we will be able to make the EU a more serious and incredible global actor. And looking then specifically at Jose Bordel who you mentioned, obviously the Spanish Foreign Minister, what particular skill set do you think he will bring to the role of higher representative? Well, I'm probably a bit biased because I've known him for 25 years and I've worked with him quite closely. But I think two things. First of all, he knows the European Parliament extremely well. Of course, he was president of the European Parliament, but also he has a strong national background, not only now as Spanish Foreign Minister, but previously in earlier governments in the 1990s. So I think he will work well with member states, but also understand the growing importance of the European Parliament and the legitimacy that comes with that. He doesn't suffer falls gladly and he has a tendency to speak his mind, but I think that is also a positive aspect of his personality. So I'm pretty confident that he's going to be a very strong HIPP. And obviously a core part of his role will be building consensus for foreign policy issues. You recently mentioned that Brexit has brought the EU closer together, made it easier to build consensus on these key issues. Can the universe in any situation where it will become easier to build consensus on foreign policy issues? Well, I strongly believe that both Trump and Brexit have been external federations as we sometimes describe them. In other words, we have all realized how much is at stake and how much we actually have in common, although there is, of course, there are tensions within the EU. It's a very heterogeneous organization now. But in spite of that, I think we will be able to forge these agreements, essentially because of the external environment. I'm thinking mainly of the U.S.-China trade and commercial rivalry, which is affecting all of us, and also the technological challenges that go with that. I'm not saying that without external threats or challenges, we wouldn't be able to forge any kind of consensus, but obviously it is going to help. Perhaps the Russian revisionism is also another factor, although obviously threat perceptions vary very considerably. I think basically the China-U.S. rivalry will be the 21st century issue that's going to bring this process together. And finally then, just on Spain's role in this debate, traditionally where does Spain position itself within the European Union? Which countries does it tend to ally with and on which issues? Well, I like silly jokes, and my silly joke about that is if I have to define Spanish-European policy in one sentence, I always say everything with Germany, nothing against France. So we have a very close relationship with both of those member states. And Spain has a problem, I think, which is that it has traditionally only really thought in terms of Western Europe, and it needs, especially in a post-Brexit Europe, it needs to think about new partners, new partnerships and new leaderships. And for example, the Netherlands, which is a country that Spain doesn't have much in common with, for example, in its attitudes to the Eurozone, is now turning to Spain as a possible ally because of its strong position on the single market and so on. So I think Spain is beginning to move out of its traditional comfort zone and think of, for example, countries in Central East and Europe, the Baltics as potential allies and partners, and not just relying on the traditional Franko-German tandem. Dr. Powell, thank you so much for joining us. It's been a pleasure. My pleasure. Thank you very much. Thank you.