Brussels, 16/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - European Union foreign policy is changing the way it looks and opening up to European citizens, with less being decided in the corridors of power and more in the eyes of the public. The European Parliament, moreover, is one of the most important players for ensuring democratic control of the European Union's foreign, security and defence policy. This was highlighted in Brussels during a seminar organised on 15 November by two European think tanks - the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) of Rome and the Trans-European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) in Brussels. Parliament's role and clout in external policy have been confirmed in talks on the new European External Action Service (EEAS). During the debate, on the basis of analyses provided by IAI and TEPSA researchers, discussion turned to how the European Parliament will assume the work of the WEU Assembly and coordinate with national parliaments on CFSP matters. Regarding the question of why the European Parliament should deal with foreign policy, it has been noticed that European public opinion follows foreign policy with interest and that it expects many subjects to be handled at European level, although a balance must still be struck between effectiveness and democracy, consensus and transparency. Another question under debate relates to the European Parliament's ability to put across to European citizens its new role and new prerogatives under the Lisbon Treaty. It is not to be ruled out that issues under debate during the seminar will be the subject of a European Parliament's foreign affairs committee hearing, especially with regard to communicating to citizens. (Gp/transl.jl)