BETA


2021/2065(INI) Recommendation to the Council taking stock of the functioning of the EEAS and for a stronger EU in the world

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead AFET PAET Urmas (icon: Renew Renew) GAHLER Michael (icon: EPP EPP), SÁNCHEZ AMOR Nacho (icon: S&D S&D), URTASUN Ernest (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), FOTYGA Anna (icon: ECR ECR), MAUREL Emmanuel (icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 118

Events

2023/03/15
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2023/03/15
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 451 votes to 133, with 48 abstentions, a recommendation to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy taking stock of the functioning of the EEAS and for a stronger EU in the world.

Parliament noted that the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS) is at the heart of the implementation of the EU’s foreign, security and defence policies and must show the way to a more comprehensive approach. The EU needs to keep moving forward towards its own and autonomous European diplomacy in all areas, including public and cultural, economic, climate, digital and cyber diplomacy, among others, led by an EU diplomatic service which is underpinned by a common diplomatic culture based on an EU perspective.

There is a need to strengthen the Union's external action and the EEAS by means of own, autonomous and permanent EU instruments and resources for foreign affairs, human rights protection and promotion, and security and defence in order for the Union to be a fully-fledged and credible global player, as well as for it to be able to better pursue and achieve its objectives and defend its values worldwide.

Recommendations

Members recommend that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should:

- take effective steps to improve the coordination and integration of EU foreign policy and the external dimension of EU internal policies, in particular migration, trade and energy;

- reinforce the strategic coordination structure composed of all relevant commissioners, the VP/HR and the Commission and EEAS services to ensure coherence, synergy, transparency and accountability of the EU’s external action;

- ensure that the EEAS has overall responsibility and the leading institutional role for the conduct of all EU external relations, including on the external dimensions of internal policies;

- increase the leverage and the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign policy by ensuring the full use of QMV for certain foreign policy areas, such as human rights and the protection of international law, and for the imposition of sanctions, and with the exception of decisions creating and deploying military missions or operations with an executive mandate under the CSDP, for which unanimity must still be required, as provided for in the Treaty;

- enable the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice in the UN and other multilateral forums;

- submit sound proposals on how to achieve and guarantee an own and permanent seat for the Union in addition to the seats of the Member States in every multilateral forum, including the UN Security Council to strengthen the EU’s actorness, coherence and credibility in the world;

- establish a new sanctions regime dedicated to targeting individuals and entities responsible for large-scale corruption;

- integrate fully the ‘more for more’ principle into relations with third countries, whereby the EU will develop stronger partnerships with those that share the CFSP’s and CSDP’s principles and the fundamental values of the Union;

- adapt the structure of the EEAS in order to develop strategic priorities and enable it to lead on EU action, including the new enlargement policy, cyber and hybrid threats and disinformation, the development of defence instruments and other emerging challenges in the light of ongoing fundamental geopolitical developments such as - most notably - Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Strengthening the toolbox

- end the duplication of Commission and EEAS staff, resources and responsibility in EU delegations; convert the EU delegations into genuine EU embassies, with one clear chain of command for their staff;

- endow EU delegations in third countries with the necessary resources and expertise;

- support the EU Crisis Response Centre (CRC) in coordinating the response of EU and Member State embassies and delegations and the services they offer to EU citizens in times of crisis;

- consider the establishment of a system for the flow of intelligence from Member States to the EEAS on foreign and security issues occurring outside the Union;

- consider updating the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy of 2016 taking stock of the EU Strategic Compass and the need to act in an integrated way on CSDP;

- improve the European Union’s preventive diplomacy as a proactive external policy tool to prevent disputes with and between third countries and to limit the consequences when conflicts break out;

- ensure that EU delegations follow up on Parliament’s urgency resolutions;

- develop an EU instrument that embodies the cultural face of the Union worldwide;

- strengthen significantly and urgently the Union's military planning and conduct capability (MPCC).

Increase legitimacy

- provide Parliament with the means to fully play its role in the external action of the Union, including its functions of political control;

- continue efforts to rejuvenate the EEAS staff and develop a permanent, specialised European diplomatic corps;

- provide the EEAS with a proper political mandate that gives it a real and substantial role in shaping and driving policy planning beyond its current primary focus on its Brussels-centred, consensus-seeking and management role;

- allow for full functional autonomy of the EEAS in terms of recruitment and careers within its structure, including for VP/HR office positions;

- fully support and develop the ‘Towards a European Diplomatic Academy’ pilot project, which has been extended by one year to integrate these functions within permanent organisational structures;

- increase Parliament’s access to documents, as a better formal exchange of information will improve cooperation and understanding between the institutions.

Documents
2023/03/13
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2023/03/06
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the own-initiative report by Urmas PAET (Renew, EE) on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy taking stock of the functioning of the EEAS and for a stronger EU in the world.

As a reminder, the Treaties clarify that the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS) is to assist the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission and work in cooperation with the diplomatic services of the Member States. The EEAS must be consulted by the Commission on matters related to the external action of the EU in the exercise of its functions.

The role of the EEAS is at the heart of the implementation of the EU’s foreign, security and defence policies. It should be reformed to strengthen the EU's role as a more proactive and resilient actor within the international order. Its role and capacity in defining the strategic orientation and contributing to the implementation of EU external financial instruments should be strengthened.

Recommendations

Members recommend that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should:

- reinforce the strategic coordination structure composed of all relevant commissioners, the VP/HR and the Commission and EEAS services to ensure coherence, synergy, transparency and accountability of the EU’s external action, including of its external financing instruments, other relevant policies and programmes and policy coherence for development;

- ensure that the EEAS has overall responsibility and the leading institutional role for the conduct of all EU external relations, including on the external dimensions of internal policies;

- increase the leverage and the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign policy by ensuring the full use of QMV for certain foreign policy areas, such as human rights and the protection of international law, and for the imposition of sanctions, and with the exception of decisions creating and deploying military missions or operations with an executive mandate under the CSDP, for which unanimity must still be required, as provided for in the Treaty;

- submit sound proposals on how to achieve and guarantee an own and permanent seat for the Union in addition to the seats of the Member States in every multilateral forum, including the UN Security Council to strengthen the EU’s actorness, coherence and credibility in the world;

- establish a new sanctions regime dedicated to targeting individuals and entities responsible for large-scale corruption.

Strengthening the toolbox

- end the duplication of Commission and EEAS staff, resources and responsibility in EU delegations; convert the EU delegations into genuine EU embassies , with one clear chain of command for their staff;

- endow EU delegations in third countries with the necessary resources and expertise;

- support the EU Crisis Response Centre (CRC) in coordinating the response of EU and Member State embassies and delegations and the services they offer to EU citizens in times of crisis;

- consider the establishment of a system for the flow of intelligence from Member States to the EEAS on foreign and security issues occurring outside the Union;

- maximise the cooperation and coordination with the rotating presidency and Member States’ ministers of foreign affairs

- improve the European Union’s preventive diplomacy as a proactive external policy tool to prevent disputes with and between third countries and to limit the consequences when conflicts break out;

- ensure that EU delegations follow up on Parliament’s urgency resolutions;

- fully implement the mandate of the High Representative in his capacity of Vice-President of the Commission to ensure consistency of the EU’s external action and the task of the EEAS to support the High Representative in this role;

- reinforce the coordinating role of the EEAS to ensure consistency of the EU’s external action, including with regard to the Commission’s organisational structures, in order to reduce institutional complexity and duplication, increase efficiency and coherence of EU external policy;

- change the name of the position of VP/HR to Commissioner for Foreign Affairs ;

- significantly and urgently strengthen the Union’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), which should be the preferred command and control structure, including also for executive military operations and in particular for operations of the future rapid deployment capability.

Increase legitimacy

- provide Parliament with the means to fully play its role in the external action of the Union, including its functions of political control;

- continue efforts to rejuvenate the EEAS staff and develop a permanent, specialised European diplomatic corps;

- provide the EEAS with a proper political mandate that gives it a real and substantial role in shaping and driving policy planning beyond its current primary focus on its Brussels-centred, consensus-seeking and management role;

- allow for full functional autonomy of the EEAS in terms of recruitment and careers within its structure, including for VP/HR office positions;

- fully support and develop the ‘Towards a European Diplomatic Academy’ pilot project, which has been extended by one year to integrate these functions within permanent organisational structures;

- increase Parliament’s access to documents, as a better formal exchange of information will improve cooperation and understanding between the institutions.

Documents
2023/02/28
   EP - Vote in committee
2022/12/09
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2022/10/28
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2021/05/20
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2021/03/04
   EP - PAET Urmas (Renew) appointed as rapporteur in AFET

Documents

Votes

Le fonctionnement du SEAE et une Union européenne plus forte dans le monde - The functioning of the EEAS and a stronger EU in the world - Die Funktionsweise des EAD und eine stärkere EU in der Welt - A9-0045/2023 - Urmas Paet - § 1, point i #

2023/03/15 Outcome: +: 423, -: 147, 0: 57
DE IT ES RO NL PT BG DK AT SE EL SI CZ FI LT SK BE HR LU IE MT LV EE CY PL HU FR
Total
87
64
51
31
27
20
13
13
16
21
15
8
20
10
9
14
20
12
6
13
4
8
6
4
50
13
72
icon: PPE PPE
156

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Finland PPE

For (1)

1

Slovakia PPE

Against (1)

4

Luxembourg PPE

2

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Cyprus PPE

2

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
128

Slovenia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Finland S&D

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Slovakia S&D

3

Belgium S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

1

Hungary S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
92

Bulgaria Renew

For (1)

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1
3

Greece Renew

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

2

Poland Renew

1

Hungary Renew

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
69

Italy Verts/ALE

2

Romania Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
32

Germany NI

2

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Slovakia NI

Against (1)

2

Croatia NI

2

Latvia NI

Against (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
35

Germany The Left

3

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

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1

Belgium The Left

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1

Ireland The Left

4

Cyprus The Left

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1
icon: ID ID
53

Denmark ID

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1

Austria ID

3

Czechia ID

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1

Finland ID

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1

Estonia ID

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1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Germany ECR

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1

Romania ECR

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1

Bulgaria ECR

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1

Sweden ECR

3

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Against (1)

1

A9-0045/2023 - Urmas Paet - § 1, point l #

2023/03/15 Outcome: +: 442, -: 170, 0: 16
DE ES RO FR NL SE PT BG AT IT SI CZ FI LT BE LU IE LV EE EL DK HR CY SK MT PL HU
Total
87
53
30
72
27
21
20
13
16
64
8
20
11
9
20
6
13
8
6
14
13
12
4
14
4
50
13
icon: PPE PPE
157

Finland PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Croatia PPE

For (1)

Against (1)

4

Cyprus PPE

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Slovakia PPE

Against (1)

4

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Hungary PPE

1
icon: S&D S&D
129

Slovenia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Finland S&D

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Belgium S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

1

Malta S&D

For (1)

3

Hungary S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
92
3

Bulgaria Renew

For (1)

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

2

Greece Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Poland Renew

1

Hungary Renew

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
70

Romania Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Italy Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
32

Germany NI

2
1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Latvia NI

Against (1)

1

Greece NI

1

Croatia NI

2

Slovakia NI

2
icon: The Left The Left
34

Germany The Left

Abstain (1)

3

France The Left

For (1)

Abstain (1)

6

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
53

Austria ID

3

Czechia ID

Against (1)

1

Finland ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
61

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Sweden ECR

3

Bulgaria ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

A9-0045/2023 - Urmas Paet - § 1, point af/2 #

2023/03/15 Outcome: +: 442, -: 158, 0: 23
DE ES RO FR IT NL PT BG EL AT FI SI SE CZ HR LT BE LU SK IE LV EE DK MT CY PL HU
Total
87
52
30
71
64
27
18
13
15
16
10
8
21
20
12
9
19
6
14
13
8
6
13
4
4
50
13
icon: PPE PPE
155

Finland PPE

2

Luxembourg PPE

2

Slovakia PPE

Against (1)

4

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Cyprus PPE

2

Hungary PPE

Against (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
127

Finland S&D

1

Slovenia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Belgium S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Slovakia S&D

Abstain (1)

3

Latvia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Malta S&D

For (1)

3

Cyprus S&D

1

Hungary S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
92

Bulgaria Renew

For (1)

1

Greece Renew

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Finland Renew

3

Slovenia Renew

2
3

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Lithuania Renew

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

2

Poland Renew

1

Hungary Renew

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
70

Romania Verts/ALE

1

Italy Verts/ALE

3

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
32

Germany NI

2
1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Greece NI

1

Croatia NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Slovakia NI

2

Latvia NI

Against (1)

1
icon: The Left The Left
33

Germany The Left

Abstain (1)

3

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Portugal The Left

3

Finland The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Cyprus The Left

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Germany ECR

Against (1)

1

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Bulgaria ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Sweden ECR

3

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
52

Austria ID

3

Czechia ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

A9-0045/2023 - Urmas Paet - Projet de recommandation #

2023/03/15 Outcome: +: 451, -: 133, 0: 48
DE ES IT RO FR NL SE PT BG EL DK BE AT SI CZ FI LT HR LU IE LV EE SK CY MT PL HU
Total
87
53
65
31
73
27
21
20
12
16
14
20
15
8
20
11
9
12
6
13
8
6
14
4
4
50
13
icon: PPE PPE
157

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Finland PPE

2

Croatia PPE

Abstain (1)

4

Luxembourg PPE

2

Estonia PPE

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia PPE

Abstain (1)

4

Cyprus PPE

2

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Hungary PPE

Abstain (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
129

Belgium S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

2

Czechia S&D

For (1)

1

Finland S&D

1

Lithuania S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

2

Estonia S&D

2

Cyprus S&D

1

Malta S&D

3

Hungary S&D

2
icon: Renew Renew
92
3

Greece Renew

1

Austria Renew

For (1)

1

Slovenia Renew

2

Finland Renew

3

Lithuania Renew

1

Croatia Renew

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Renew

2

Ireland Renew

2

Latvia Renew

For (1)

1

Estonia Renew

2

Poland Renew

1

Hungary Renew

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
70

Italy Verts/ALE

3

Romania Verts/ALE

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Portugal Verts/ALE

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

2

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Czechia Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

3

Lithuania Verts/ALE

2

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Ireland Verts/ALE

2

Poland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: NI NI
33

Germany NI

2
1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1

Croatia NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Latvia NI

Against (1)

1

Slovakia NI

2
icon: The Left The Left
35

Germany The Left

Abstain (1)

3

Netherlands The Left

Against (1)

1

Sweden The Left

Against (1)

1

Denmark The Left

Against (1)

1

Belgium The Left

Against (1)

1

Czechia The Left

Against (1)

1

Finland The Left

Abstain (1)

1

Ireland The Left

4

Cyprus The Left

Against (1)

1
icon: ID ID
54

Denmark ID

Against (1)

1

Austria ID

3

Czechia ID

Against (1)

1

Finland ID

Against (1)

1

Estonia ID

Against (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
62

Germany ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Romania ECR

Against (1)

1

Sweden ECR

3

Bulgaria ECR

Against (1)

1

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Against (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Abstain (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
226 2021/2065(INI)
2022/12/09 AFET 226 amendments...
source: 739.698

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

docs/2
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0077_EN.html title: T9-0077/2023
type
Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
body
EP
events/4
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0077_EN.html title: T9-0077/2023
events/4
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
type
Results of vote in Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=59548&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
events/5
date
2023-03-15T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0077_EN.html title: T9-0077/2023
events/5/summary
  • The European Parliament adopted by 451 votes to 133, with 48 abstentions, a recommendation to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy taking stock of the functioning of the EEAS and for a stronger EU in the world.
  • Parliament noted that the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS) is at the heart of the implementation of the EU’s foreign, security and defence policies and must show the way to a more comprehensive approach. The EU needs to keep moving forward towards its own and autonomous European diplomacy in all areas, including public and cultural, economic, climate, digital and cyber diplomacy, among others, led by an EU diplomatic service which is underpinned by a common diplomatic culture based on an EU perspective.
  • There is a need to strengthen the Union's external action and the EEAS by means of own, autonomous and permanent EU instruments and resources for foreign affairs, human rights protection and promotion, and security and defence in order for the Union to be a fully-fledged and credible global player, as well as for it to be able to better pursue and achieve its objectives and defend its values worldwide.
  • Recommendations
  • Members recommend that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should:
  • - take effective steps to improve the coordination and integration of EU foreign policy and the external dimension of EU internal policies, in particular migration, trade and energy;
  • - reinforce the strategic coordination structure composed of all relevant commissioners, the VP/HR and the Commission and EEAS services to ensure coherence, synergy, transparency and accountability of the EU’s external action;
  • - ensure that the EEAS has overall responsibility and the leading institutional role for the conduct of all EU external relations, including on the external dimensions of internal policies;
  • - increase the leverage and the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign policy by ensuring the full use of QMV for certain foreign policy areas, such as human rights and the protection of international law, and for the imposition of sanctions, and with the exception of decisions creating and deploying military missions or operations with an executive mandate under the CSDP, for which unanimity must still be required, as provided for in the Treaty;
  • - enable the EU and its Member States to speak with one voice in the UN and other multilateral forums;
  • - submit sound proposals on how to achieve and guarantee an own and permanent seat for the Union in addition to the seats of the Member States in every multilateral forum, including the UN Security Council to strengthen the EU’s actorness, coherence and credibility in the world;
  • - establish a new sanctions regime dedicated to targeting individuals and entities responsible for large-scale corruption;
  • - integrate fully the ‘more for more’ principle into relations with third countries, whereby the EU will develop stronger partnerships with those that share the CFSP’s and CSDP’s principles and the fundamental values of the Union;
  • - adapt the structure of the EEAS in order to develop strategic priorities and enable it to lead on EU action, including the new enlargement policy, cyber and hybrid threats and disinformation, the development of defence instruments and other emerging challenges in the light of ongoing fundamental geopolitical developments such as - most notably - Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
  • Strengthening the toolbox
  • - end the duplication of Commission and EEAS staff, resources and responsibility in EU delegations; convert the EU delegations into genuine EU embassies, with one clear chain of command for their staff;
  • - endow EU delegations in third countries with the necessary resources and expertise;
  • - support the EU Crisis Response Centre (CRC) in coordinating the response of EU and Member State embassies and delegations and the services they offer to EU citizens in times of crisis;
  • - consider the establishment of a system for the flow of intelligence from Member States to the EEAS on foreign and security issues occurring outside the Union;
  • - consider updating the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy of 2016 taking stock of the EU Strategic Compass and the need to act in an integrated way on CSDP;
  • - improve the European Union’s preventive diplomacy as a proactive external policy tool to prevent disputes with and between third countries and to limit the consequences when conflicts break out;
  • - ensure that EU delegations follow up on Parliament’s urgency resolutions;
  • - develop an EU instrument that embodies the cultural face of the Union worldwide;
  • - strengthen significantly and urgently the Union's military planning and conduct capability (MPCC).
  • Increase legitimacy
  • - provide Parliament with the means to fully play its role in the external action of the Union, including its functions of political control;
  • - continue efforts to rejuvenate the EEAS staff and develop a permanent, specialised European diplomatic corps;
  • - provide the EEAS with a proper political mandate that gives it a real and substantial role in shaping and driving policy planning beyond its current primary focus on its Brussels-centred, consensus-seeking and management role;
  • - allow for full functional autonomy of the EEAS in terms of recruitment and careers within its structure, including for VP/HR office positions;
  • - fully support and develop the ‘Towards a European Diplomatic Academy’ pilot project, which has been extended by one year to integrate these functions within permanent organisational structures;
  • - increase Parliament’s access to documents, as a better formal exchange of information will improve cooperation and understanding between the institutions.
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2023-03-15T00:00:00
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events/2/summary
  • The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the own-initiative report by Urmas PAET (Renew, EE) on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy taking stock of the functioning of the EEAS and for a stronger EU in the world.
  • As a reminder, the Treaties clarify that the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS) is to assist the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission and work in cooperation with the diplomatic services of the Member States. The EEAS must be consulted by the Commission on matters related to the external action of the EU in the exercise of its functions.
  • The role of the EEAS is at the heart of the implementation of the EU’s foreign, security and defence policies. It should be reformed to strengthen the EU's role as a more proactive and resilient actor within the international order. Its role and capacity in defining the strategic orientation and contributing to the implementation of EU external financial instruments should be strengthened.
  • Recommendations
  • Members recommend that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy should:
  • - reinforce the strategic coordination structure composed of all relevant commissioners, the VP/HR and the Commission and EEAS services to ensure coherence, synergy, transparency and accountability of the EU’s external action, including of its external financing instruments, other relevant policies and programmes and policy coherence for development;
  • - ensure that the EEAS has overall responsibility and the leading institutional role for the conduct of all EU external relations, including on the external dimensions of internal policies;
  • - increase the leverage and the effectiveness of the EU’s foreign policy by ensuring the full use of QMV for certain foreign policy areas, such as human rights and the protection of international law, and for the imposition of sanctions, and with the exception of decisions creating and deploying military missions or operations with an executive mandate under the CSDP, for which unanimity must still be required, as provided for in the Treaty;
  • - submit sound proposals on how to achieve and guarantee an own and permanent seat for the Union in addition to the seats of the Member States in every multilateral forum, including the UN Security Council to strengthen the EU’s actorness, coherence and credibility in the world;
  • - establish a new sanctions regime dedicated to targeting individuals and entities responsible for large-scale corruption.
  • Strengthening the toolbox
  • - end the duplication of Commission and EEAS staff, resources and responsibility in EU delegations; convert the EU delegations into genuine EU embassies , with one clear chain of command for their staff;
  • - endow EU delegations in third countries with the necessary resources and expertise;
  • - support the EU Crisis Response Centre (CRC) in coordinating the response of EU and Member State embassies and delegations and the services they offer to EU citizens in times of crisis;
  • - consider the establishment of a system for the flow of intelligence from Member States to the EEAS on foreign and security issues occurring outside the Union;
  • - maximise the cooperation and coordination with the rotating presidency and Member States’ ministers of foreign affairs
  • - improve the European Union’s preventive diplomacy as a proactive external policy tool to prevent disputes with and between third countries and to limit the consequences when conflicts break out;
  • - ensure that EU delegations follow up on Parliament’s urgency resolutions;
  • - fully implement the mandate of the High Representative in his capacity of Vice-President of the Commission to ensure consistency of the EU’s external action and the task of the EEAS to support the High Representative in this role;
  • - reinforce the coordinating role of the EEAS to ensure consistency of the EU’s external action, including with regard to the Commission’s organisational structures, in order to reduce institutional complexity and duplication, increase efficiency and coherence of EU external policy;
  • - change the name of the position of VP/HR to Commissioner for Foreign Affairs ;
  • - significantly and urgently strengthen the Union’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), which should be the preferred command and control structure, including also for executive military operations and in particular for operations of the future rapid deployment capability.
  • Increase legitimacy
  • - provide Parliament with the means to fully play its role in the external action of the Union, including its functions of political control;
  • - continue efforts to rejuvenate the EEAS staff and develop a permanent, specialised European diplomatic corps;
  • - provide the EEAS with a proper political mandate that gives it a real and substantial role in shaping and driving policy planning beyond its current primary focus on its Brussels-centred, consensus-seeking and management role;
  • - allow for full functional autonomy of the EEAS in terms of recruitment and careers within its structure, including for VP/HR office positions;
  • - fully support and develop the ‘Towards a European Diplomatic Academy’ pilot project, which has been extended by one year to integrate these functions within permanent organisational structures;
  • - increase Parliament’s access to documents, as a better formal exchange of information will improve cooperation and understanding between the institutions.
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