2024/2024(DEC) | [ParlTrack]

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2024/2024(DEC) 2023 discharge: General budget of the EU - European External Action Service
Next event: Indicative plenary sitting date 2025/05/07 more...

Progress: Awaiting committee decision

Role	Committee	Rapporteur	Shadows
Lead	CONT	BRUDZIŃSKI Joachim Stanisław ( ECR)	KOVATCHEV Andrey ( EPP), MOLNÁR Csaba ( S&D), JORON Virginie ( PfE), VASILE-VOICULESCU Vlad ( Renew), BOESELAGER Damian ( Greens/EFA), TRIDICO Pasquale ( The Left)
Committee Opinion	AFET	GAHLER Michael ( EPP)
Committee Opinion	DEVE
Committee Opinion	AFCO

Lead committee dossier:

CONT/10/00615

Subjects

8.70.03.13 2023 discharge

Events

2025/05/07

Indicative plenary sitting date

2025/03/17

Vote scheduled in committee

2024/12/17

European Parliament - Committee draft report

Documents

PE764.994

2024/12/12

European Parliament - Amendments tabled in committee

Documents

PE766.779

2024/10/14

EP - GAHLER Michael (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in AFET

2024/10/10

Court of Auditors: opinion, report - CofA

Documents

N10-0020/2024
OJ OJ L 10.10.2024

2024/09/17

EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament

2024/09/11

EP - BRUDZIŃSKI Joachim Stanisław (ECR) appointed as rapporteur in CONT

2024/06/25

European Commission - Non-legislative basic document

Documents

COM(2024)0272
Go to the pageEur-Lex

2024/06/25

EC - Non-legislative basic document published

Documents

COM(2024)0272
Go to the page Eur-Lex

Documents

Committee draft report: PE764.994
Amendments tabled in committee: PE766.779
CofA: N10-0020/2024
CofA: OJ OJ L 10.10.2024
Non-legislative basic document: COM(2024)0272
Non-legislative basic document: Go to the pageEur-Lex
Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2024)0272
Non-legislative basic document published: Go to the page Eur-Lex
Amendments tabled in committee: PE766.779
Committee draft report: PE764.994
Non-legislative basic document: COM(2024)0272 Go to the pageEur-Lex
CofA: N10-0020/2024 OJ OJ L 10.10.2024

Amendments	Dossier
43	2024/2024(DEC) 2024/12/12 AFET 43 amendments... Amendment 1 # António TÂNGER CORRÊA Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; ~~underlines the c~~stresses the difficulties faced by the EEAS and its delegations in conducting the European Union's foreign policy due to fundamentral ~~role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS)~~inadequacies: a. Diplomacy is one of the pillars of state sovereignty, and the European Union can only exercise it within the framework of subsidiarity and proportionality (Articles 5 and 24 of the Treaty of the European Union). Therefore, the EEAS requires a profound review; b. The so-called EEAS ambassadors are not career diplomats and, i~~ts delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy~~n the overwhelming majority of cases, lack adequate academic preparation and relevant experience; c. The EEAS relies on local hires who, in addition to not meeting the required qualifications, lack the necessary conditions for impartiality and conflict of interests; Amendment 10 # Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Insists on the budgetary increase for CFSP actions and other appropriate peace, conflict and crisis response instruments, as well as IT and security protocols, in order to fully match EU’s activities and capabilities with current challenges and conflicts worldwide; Amendment 11 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Highlights the EEAS's contribution to the EU's overarching efforts to demonstrate steadfast support for Ukraine with initiatives like the #StandWithUkraine campaign and targeted communication projects such as Faces of Ukraine, Art vs War, and Share Your Light; Amendment 12 # Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Reminds that is crucial to further strengthening our support to human rights, democracy and development in third countries through the NDICI - Global Europe, as a world of democracies is a safer world; underlines that resources to the EU’s Digital Diplomacy should be further increased given the current context of rapid technological advancements and geopolitical competition; insists that “green diplomacy” and the green transition, as one of the EU's priorities, should be enhanced towards third countries through the EU's External Action; Amendment 13 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Acknowledges the EEAS's role in gathering evidence against EU-sanctioned Russian state-backed outlets and individuals involved in spreading disinformation and manipulating information to justify Russia's war of aggression; Amendment 14 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1 c. Expresses strong concern over the continued support of EEAS for UNRWA, despite mounting evidence indicating misuse of its resources and allegations of UNRWA personnel being affiliated with Hamas; Amendment 15 # Alexander SELL Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Regrets that the European Court of Auditors in its Annual Report for the financial year 2023 observes that they found quantifiable error in one of the 13 payments examined, concerning the absence of a valid procurement procedure and six non-quantifiable findings concerning procurement at EU Delegations, including weaknesses in the methodology for selecting tenderers and evaluating tenders, as well as entering into a legal commitment before making the budgetary commitment; calls for stricter financial controls and regular audits within the EEAS to prevent budget overruns and ensure taxpayer money is utilized effectively; Amendment 16 # Marta TEMIDO Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Notes that the Special Report 14/2023 of the European Court of Auditors found deficiencies in the methodologies used by the Commission and the EEAS for allocating funding to partner countries and in the setup of the monitoring framework and recommended that the Commission and the EEAS notably improve the methodology for allocating funding and the assessment of the impact of EU support, focus the scope of the programming process and simplify and consistently use the indicators in the multiannual indicative programmes. Amendment 17 # António TÂNGER CORRÊA Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. ~~Welcomes~~Regrets the critical failures identified by the Court of Auditors’ Special Report ~~regarding~~in areas theat co~~ordination role of the EEAS and its conclusions that coordination is mostly~~nstitute the very purpose of the EEAS, particularly the lack of feedback from EEAS headquarters on planning and political reporting; regrets the lack of professionalism and effective~~, allow~~ness ing the ~~service to properly support the High Representative/Vice-Presid~~EEAS’s actions noted by the ECA Report, including the absence of action plans and implementation timetables; underscores the limited impact of measures takent to ~~deliver their mandate; notes that nevertheless some weaknesses in information management, staffing and reporting remain; calls on the EEAS to implement~~counteract this trend of low effectiveness, noted by the same Report. reinforces that the deficiencies observed indicate the need for a review of the EEAS’s responsibilities, as it fails to address critical areas that can be handled by sovereign states and their political advisers in their re~~commendations of the Special Report by the deadline in 2025~~spective missions, in line with the principle of subsidiarity; Amendment 18 # Alexander SELL Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Court of Auditors’ Special Report regarding the coordination role of the EEAS and its conclusions that coordination is mostly effective, allowing the service to properly support the High Representative/Vice-President to deliver their mandate; notes that nevertheless some weaknesses in information management, staffing and reporting remain; calls on the EEAS to implement the recommendations of the Special Report by the deadline in 2025; recommends a comprehensive review of the EEAS's global presence, focusing on scaling back or closing missions that do not directly serve EU interests, thereby reallocating resources to more critical areas; Amendment 19 # Ioan-Rareş BOGDAN Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Court of Auditors’ Special Report regarding the coordination role of the EEAS and its conclusions that coordination is mostly effective, allowing the service to properly support the High Representative/Vice-President to deliver their mandate; notes that nevertheless some weaknesses in information management, staffing and reporting remain; calls on the EEAS to prioritize the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Report by the deadline in 2025; as timely action is important in reinforcing its operational capacity and enhancing its contribution to the EU foreign policy objectives. Amendment 2 # Tonino PICULA Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; underlines the central role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy; acknowledges that the EEAS budget was disproportionately affected in comparison to other EU institutions by the higher inflation rates and subsequent energy crisis caused by Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine; Amendment 20 # Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Reminds that the EEAS is structurally underfunded and should not be subjected to the same constraints as the other institutions regarding the approach to the administrative budget; is deeply concerned by the serious and far-reaching negative consequences for the EU’s External Action, and the performance of the EU institutions in this area, of these abovementioned budgetary issues; highlights the increasing responsibilities tasked to the EEAS by EU institutions, including the Council and the Parliament; acknowledges that the lack of action to rectify the current budgetary situation of the EEAS can severely impact in the EU’s relations with third countries; recalls the lack of operational budget of the EEAS and calls to analyse its consequences and alternatives; Amendment 21 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Welcomes the steadfast support provided to Ukraine, including through the civilian EU Advisory Mission (EUAM Ukraine) and the training of Ukrainian soldiers under the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM); Amendment 22 # Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3 b. Is deeply concerned by the proposal for a radical restructuring of the EU’s presence abroad through a drastic reduction in staff numbers of EU Delegations, within the context of the abovementioned budgetary constraints; notes that, if approved, the plan will negatively impact the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) - Global Europe; Amendment 23 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3 b. Welcomes the appointment of the first EU Special Representative for the Gulf region; Amendment 24 # Tonino PICULA Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; acknowledges that the EAEAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, which impact the core functions of a Diplomatic service, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects; notes with concern that these cuts lead to postponing security installations in a number of EU Delegations hampering the EEAS’ ability to fulfil its mandate and properly ensure the duty of care to all staff in Delegations; Amendment 25 # Alexander SELL Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; acknowledges that the EAAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects; calls on the EEAS to prioritize essential functions and eliminate non-essential expenditures, ensuring that all spending aligns with the EU's core strategic objectives and delivers tangible benefits to EU citizens; Amendment 26 # Hilde VAUTMANS, Marjan ŠAREC, Dan BARNA, Lucia YAR, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Malik AZMANI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; ~~acknowledge~~regrets that the EAAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget~~, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects~~; expresses concern that, in these times of global challenges, such budgetary constraints could lead to excessive closures of EU embassies, which are crucial for defending EU values and interests around the world; Amendment 27 # Željana ZOVKO Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023 despite increasing geopolitical challenges; acknowledges that the EAAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects; Amendment 28 # António TÂNGER CORRÊA Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. ~~Note~~Considers that ~~that~~ the EEAS ~~is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; acknowledges that t~~should scale down its representation missions, which should be conducted by straightened sovereign States. The EEA~~AS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects~~S’s role shall focus on implementing EU programs and supporting the embassies and missions of Member States, whenever necessary and upon request and the budget must be accordingly adapted; Amendment 29 # Hana JALLOUL MURO Draft opinion Paragraph 4 – point 1 (new) (1) Underline that the EU must increase funding to reinforce the dedicated budget line within EU foreign policy actions specifically for gender equality and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, in order to ensure consistent financing for initiatives that promote gender-responsive leadership, protect women’s rights, and combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in conflict and post-conflict settings; stresses that such funding is essential to support local civil society organizations, provide survivor-centered support, and integrate gender perspectives into EU diplomatic and security efforts. Amendment 3 # Hilde VAUTMANS, Marjan ŠAREC, Dan BARNA, Lucia YAR, Nathalie LOISEAU, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Malik AZMANI Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; underlines the central role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy and in fighting foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); stresses the importance of the EEAS for the EU’s relations with the 25 to 30 million EU citizens living outside the Union; Amendment 30 # Marta TEMIDO Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Is worried by the current underfunding of the EEAS, aggravated by the recent increase in inflation rates worldwide which jeopardises the EU’s relations with third countries and the operations of 145 Delegations worldwide amidst rising geopolitical and security crises; is indeed extremely concerned about the about the alleged strategic plan to revamp the full network of the EU Delegations across the world, including plans to cut back staff from Delegations and close some Delegations; Urges the Members States to provide enough financing to the EEAS and the Commission to ensure the EU maintains its network of Delegation untouched as a signal of its global engagement; underlines the negative impact this plan may have in the implementation of the external affairs instruments, such as NDICI and Global Gateway; Amendment 31 # Tineke STRIK Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Stresses that the Gender Action Plan (GAP) III dictates that 85% of new EU actions must contribute to gender equality and women and girls’ empowerment; calls on the EEAS to accelerate the progress towards the goals of GAP III by meaningfully focusing in its every day work on the GAP III’s key areas of engagement, including ending gender-based violence, promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights, economic and social rights and empowerment, equal participation and leadership; notes that GAP III will expire in 2027 and urges the EEAS to this end to develop a more ambitious GAP IV that will ensure a stronger connection between women’s rights and empowerment and the EU’s foreign and security policy, ready for implementation as of 2028; Amendment 32 # Hilde VAUTMANS, Marjan ŠAREC, Dan BARNA, Lucia YAR, Nathalie LOISEAU, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Malik AZMANI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Underlines the extremely vulnerable situation of children in the world, specifically in armed conflict; expresses serious concern about the tens of thousands of children that were affected by armed conflict across the globe and suffered abhorrent abuses and violations of their most basic rights in 2023; calls on the EEAS to put children's rights at the centre of their efforts; Amendment 33 # Alice TEODORESCU MÅWE Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Continues to encourage the EEAS and Union delegations to promote and engage with local actors and civil society organisations in third countries to stimulate dialogue about the rule of law, fundamental human rights and the fight against corruption and the misuse of EU funds; Amendment 34 # Pierre-Romain THIONNET, Jordan BARDELLA, Matthieu VALET Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Recalls that the EEAS must implement the Union’s foreign policy, adopted unanimously by the Council, in close collaboration with the diplomatic services of the Member States in order to avoid any duplication or even competition between the diplomacy of the Member States and the EEAS; Amendment 35 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Underlines the need to provide adequate resources to the Strategic Communication and Foresight division of the European External Action Service (EEAS) to effectively combat disinformation campaigns deployed as strategic tools by authoritarian and illiberal regimes; Amendment 36 # Marta TEMIDO Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Stresses that, ahead of increasing geopolitical challenges and crisis worldwide, the EU needs to be able to rely on necessary first-hand information on global issues occurring outside its borders; calls, in this regard, for strengthening the EU INTCEN, the EEAS Crisis Response Center and the SatCen by enhancing its staff and financial resources, as well as its capabilities Considers it essential for the EU to increase its investment in public and cultural diplomacy and communication efforts, particularly ahead of the active engagement of authoritarian and illiberal regimes; stresses, therefore, the need to allocate the necessary resources to the Strategic Communication and Foresight division of the EEAS; Highlights the EEAS and Commission’s efforts to fight disinformation and foreign interference, and welcomes the announcement of the creation of the Task Force for Strategic Communication and Countering Information Manipulation in DG COMM; stresses the need to ensure adequate resources for the EEAS and the Commission in this regard; Amendment 37 # Tineke STRIK Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Calls on the EU Delegations to enhance support to genuine democratic actors and civil society in the Western Balkans, go strongly and publicly denounce actions by illiberal and undemocratic actors that go against the Union’s interest and to ensure that the implementation of the Instrument for Pre- accession Assistance (IPA) III funding is in line with the EU's objectives; calls on the EU Delegations in the region to apply a more credible and merit-based approach based on the Copenhagen criteria, notably on the rule of law, democracy and the protection of human rights, especially given the limited progress made by some countries in the Western Balkans; Amendment 38 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Calls for enhanced EU support for Moldova in combating disinformation, hybrid threats, and cyberattacks; calls the EU Delegation to Moldova to enhance its efforts to promote a more proactive and effective communication strategy regarding the European perspective, including outreach in the Russian language; Amendment 39 # Hilde VAUTMANS, Marjan ŠAREC, Dan BARNA, Lucia YAR, Nathalie LOISEAU, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Malik AZMANI Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. 6. Recalls the dire situation of women’s rights and LGBTQI+ rights in many parts of the world; stresses the urgent need to better protect these rights; highlights the central role of the EEAS in advancing human rights around the world; calls on the EEAS to enhance their efforts in this regard; Amendment 4 # Geadis GEADI Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Türkiye's unacceptable acts of provocation in the European seas of the Eastern Mediterranean, in Greece and Cyprus, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; underlines the central role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy; Amendment 40 # Marta TEMIDO Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Sees electoral observation mission as a practical and effective foreign policy instrument that remains central to the EU’s democracy support policies and strategies; calls on the EU to ensure adequate resources to the EU electoral observation missions, in view also of extending them to elections in candidate and neighbouring countries. Amendment 41 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Welcomes the establishment of EU Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM Moldova); highlights the essential role of the EUPM Moldova and calls the EU and its Member States to extend the mission's mandate beyond May 2025 while increasing resources to enhance its effectiveness; Amendment 42 # Tineke STRIK Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4 c. Urges the EEAS and the EU Delegations to closely monitor the state of democracy in the different countries and to provide logistical and technological support to human rights defenders and indigenous persons, in particular women; Amendment 43 # Cristian TERHEŞ Draft opinion Paragraph 4 d (new) 4 d. Emphasizes that freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental value of the free world and the European Union; urges the European External Action Service to incorporate faith diplomacy into its actions, recognizing religion as a part of the solution to global challenges; underlines that this approach should include actively safeguarding the rights of Christians and other religious groups especially in countries where they are a minority, as well as promoting tolerance, and ensuring that religious freedom is part of all relevant external engagements and policies of the EU; Amendment 5 # Sebastian TYNKKYNEN Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its hostile attempts to influence democratic processes in Europe, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; underlines the central role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy; Amendment 6 # Željana ZOVKO Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and growing instability in the Middle East, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; underlines the central role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy; Amendment 7 # Tineke STRIK Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; underlines the central role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and its delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy; Amendment 8 # Hana JALLOUL MURO Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new) (1) Emphasizes the need for the European External Action Service (EEAS) to play a central role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, to increase funding to ensure humanitarian aid in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria, and to strengthen human rights monitoring. Amendment 9 # Hana JALLOUL MURO Draft opinion Paragraph 1 – point 2 (new) (2) Highlight financial support for the European External Action Service (EEAS) delegations deployed in the Middle East, Gulf countries, and Africa to ensure they can continue implementing the EU's External Action in the region. source: 766.779

Amendments

Dossier

2024/2024(DEC)

2024/12/12 AFET 43 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

António TÂNGER CORRÊA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Highlights that recent events, notably Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have brought EU foreign policy and its implementation to the forefront of concerns among the EU Member States and institutions; ~~underlines the c~~stresses the difficulties faced by the EEAS and its delegations in conducting the European Union's foreign policy due to fundamentral ~~role played by the European External Action Service (EEAS)~~inadequacies: a. Diplomacy is one of the pillars of state sovereignty, and the European Union can only exercise it within the framework of subsidiarity and proportionality (Articles 5 and 24 of the Treaty of the European Union). Therefore, the EEAS requires a profound review; b. The so-called EEAS ambassadors are not career diplomats and, i~~ts delegations in conducting the Union’s external policy~~n the overwhelming majority of cases, lack adequate academic preparation and relevant experience; c. The EEAS relies on local hires who, in addition to not meeting the required qualifications, lack the necessary conditions for impartiality and conflict of interests;

Amendment 10 #

Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Insists on the budgetary increase for CFSP actions and other appropriate peace, conflict and crisis response instruments, as well as IT and security protocols, in order to fully match EU’s activities and capabilities with current challenges and conflicts worldwide;

Amendment 11 #

Cristian TERHEŞ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights the EEAS's contribution to the EU's overarching efforts to demonstrate steadfast support for Ukraine with initiatives like the #StandWithUkraine campaign and targeted communication projects such as Faces of Ukraine, Art vs War, and Share Your Light;

Amendment 12 #

Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Reminds that is crucial to further strengthening our support to human rights, democracy and development in third countries through the NDICI - Global Europe, as a world of democracies is a safer world; underlines that resources to the EU’s Digital Diplomacy should be further increased given the current context of rapid technological advancements and geopolitical competition; insists that “green diplomacy” and the green transition, as one of the EU's priorities, should be enhanced towards third countries through the EU's External Action;

Amendment 13 #

Cristian TERHEŞ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Acknowledges the EEAS's role in gathering evidence against EU-sanctioned Russian state-backed outlets and individuals involved in spreading disinformation and manipulating information to justify Russia's war of aggression;

Amendment 14 #

Cristian TERHEŞ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Expresses strong concern over the continued support of EEAS for UNRWA, despite mounting evidence indicating misuse of its resources and allegations of UNRWA personnel being affiliated with Hamas;

Amendment 15 #

Alexander SELL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Regrets that the European Court of Auditors in its Annual Report for the financial year 2023 observes that they found quantifiable error in one of the 13 payments examined, concerning the absence of a valid procurement procedure and six non-quantifiable findings concerning procurement at EU Delegations, including weaknesses in the methodology for selecting tenderers and evaluating tenders, as well as entering into a legal commitment before making the budgetary commitment; calls for stricter financial controls and regular audits within the EEAS to prevent budget overruns and ensure taxpayer money is utilized effectively;

Amendment 16 #

Marta TEMIDO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Notes that the Special Report 14/2023 of the European Court of Auditors found deficiencies in the methodologies used by the Commission and the EEAS for allocating funding to partner countries and in the setup of the monitoring framework and recommended that the Commission and the EEAS notably improve the methodology for allocating funding and the assessment of the impact of EU support, focus the scope of the programming process and simplify and consistently use the indicators in the multiannual indicative programmes.

Amendment 17 #

António TÂNGER CORRÊA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Welcomes~~Regrets the critical failures identified by the Court of Auditors’ Special Report ~~regarding~~in areas theat co~~ordination role of the EEAS and its conclusions that coordination is mostly~~nstitute the very purpose of the EEAS, particularly the lack of feedback from EEAS headquarters on planning and political reporting; regrets the lack of professionalism and effective~~, allow~~ness ing the ~~service to properly support the High Representative/Vice-Presid~~EEAS’s actions noted by the ECA Report, including the absence of action plans and implementation timetables; underscores the limited impact of measures takent to ~~deliver their mandate; notes that nevertheless some weaknesses in information management, staffing and reporting remain; calls on the EEAS to implement~~counteract this trend of low effectiveness, noted by the same Report. reinforces that the deficiencies observed indicate the need for a review of the EEAS’s responsibilities, as it fails to address critical areas that can be handled by sovereign states and their political advisers in their re~~commendations of the Special Report by the deadline in 2025~~spective missions, in line with the principle of subsidiarity;

Amendment 18 #

Alexander SELL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Court of Auditors’ Special Report regarding the coordination role of the EEAS and its conclusions that coordination is mostly effective, allowing the service to properly support the High Representative/Vice-President to deliver their mandate; notes that nevertheless some weaknesses in information management, staffing and reporting remain; calls on the EEAS to implement the recommendations of the Special Report by the deadline in 2025; recommends a comprehensive review of the EEAS's global presence, focusing on scaling back or closing missions that do not directly serve EU interests, thereby reallocating resources to more critical areas;

Amendment 19 #

Ioan-Rareş BOGDAN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Welcomes the Court of Auditors’ Special Report regarding the coordination role of the EEAS and its conclusions that coordination is mostly effective, allowing the service to properly support the High Representative/Vice-President to deliver their mandate; notes that nevertheless some weaknesses in information management, staffing and reporting remain; calls on the EEAS to prioritize the implementation of the recommendations of the Special Report by the deadline in 2025; as timely action is important in reinforcing its operational capacity and enhancing its contribution to the EU foreign policy objectives.

Amendment 2 #

Tonino PICULA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 20 #

Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Reminds that the EEAS is structurally underfunded and should not be subjected to the same constraints as the other institutions regarding the approach to the administrative budget; is deeply concerned by the serious and far-reaching negative consequences for the EU’s External Action, and the performance of the EU institutions in this area, of these abovementioned budgetary issues; highlights the increasing responsibilities tasked to the EEAS by EU institutions, including the Council and the Parliament; acknowledges that the lack of action to rectify the current budgetary situation of the EEAS can severely impact in the EU’s relations with third countries; recalls the lack of operational budget of the EEAS and calls to analyse its consequences and alternatives;

Amendment 21 #

Cristian TERHEŞ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Welcomes the steadfast support provided to Ukraine, including through the civilian EU Advisory Mission (EUAM Ukraine) and the training of Ukrainian soldiers under the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM);

Amendment 22 #

Nacho SÁNCHEZ AMOR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Is deeply concerned by the proposal for a radical restructuring of the EU’s presence abroad through a drastic reduction in staff numbers of EU Delegations, within the context of the abovementioned budgetary constraints; notes that, if approved, the plan will negatively impact the effectiveness of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) - Global Europe;

Amendment 23 #

Cristian TERHEŞ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Welcomes the appointment of the first EU Special Representative for the Gulf region;

Amendment 24 #

Tonino PICULA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; acknowledges that the EAEAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, which impact the core functions of a Diplomatic service, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects; notes with concern that these cuts lead to postponing security installations in a number of EU Delegations hampering the EEAS’ ability to fulfil its mandate and properly ensure the duty of care to all staff in Delegations;

Amendment 25 #

Alexander SELL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; acknowledges that the EAAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects; calls on the EEAS to prioritize essential functions and eliminate non-essential expenditures, ensuring that all spending aligns with the EU's core strategic objectives and delivers tangible benefits to EU citizens;

Amendment 26 #

Hilde VAUTMANS, Marjan ŠAREC, Dan BARNA, Lucia YAR, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Malik AZMANI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; ~~acknowledge~~regrets that the EAAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget~~, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects~~; expresses concern that, in these times of global challenges, such budgetary constraints could lead to excessive closures of EU embassies, which are crucial for defending EU values and interests around the world;

Amendment 27 #

Željana ZOVKO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that that the EEAS is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023 despite increasing geopolitical challenges; acknowledges that the EAAS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects;

Amendment 28 #

António TÂNGER CORRÊA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Note~~Considers that ~~that~~ the EEAS ~~is committed to make itself more cost- effective while continuing to face significant budgetary constraints in 2023; acknowledges that t~~should scale down its representation missions, which should be conducted by straightened sovereign States. The EEA~~AS has substantially cut mission and representation budget, reducing non- compulsory expenditure and freezing and postponing building maintenance, infrastructure and IT projects~~S’s role shall focus on implementing EU programs and supporting the embassies and missions of Member States, whenever necessary and upon request and the budget must be accordingly adapted;

Amendment 29 #

Hana JALLOUL MURO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – point 1 (new)

(1) Underline that the EU must increase funding to reinforce the dedicated budget line within EU foreign policy actions specifically for gender equality and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, in order to ensure consistent financing for initiatives that promote gender-responsive leadership, protect women’s rights, and combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in conflict and post-conflict settings; stresses that such funding is essential to support local civil society organizations, provide survivor-centered support, and integrate gender perspectives into EU diplomatic and security efforts.

Amendment 3 #

Hilde VAUTMANS, Marjan ŠAREC, Dan BARNA, Lucia YAR, Nathalie LOISEAU, Ilhan KYUCHYUK, Malik AZMANI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 30 #

Marta TEMIDO