EU three

For the strategy computer game, see Europa Universalis III.

EU-3 ministers and Iran's top negotiator Hassan Rouhani, Sa'dabad Palace, Tehran, October 2003

The foreign ministers from the EU three in 2006

The EU three (or EU-3) refers to an informal troika consisting of the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, who collectively wield most influence within the European Union.

The group is most noted for negotiations started in 2003 attempting to limit the Iranian nuclear program, which led to the Tehran Declaration of 21 October 2003 and the voluntary Paris Agreement of 15 November 2004.

"EU 3 + 3", now more commonly referred to as the "E3+3", refers to a grouping which includes the EU-3 and China, Russia, and the United States. It was coined when these states joined the EU diplomatic efforts with Iran in 2006. In the United States and Russia, it is more commonly known as P5+1, which refers to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

"E3/EU+3") refers to a grouping of the "E3+3" plus an EU representative, namely: China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Following the 2004 enlargement of the European Union, the EU-3 group had a declining influence in the European Union other than in negotiations with Iran, and has acted more often within the G6.

Current Ministers

• 

  France
  Laurent Fabius,
  Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development

• 

  Germany
  Frank-Walter Steinmeier
  Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs

• 

  United Kingdom
  Philip Hammond
  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

See also

• EU-15
• G4 (EU)
• Visegrád Group
• Inner Six
• Iran–European Union relations
• European balance of power

External links

• EU calls for UN action over Iran, BBC News, 12 January 2006