Brussels, 14/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 13 April, the European Parliament adopted by 427 to 232 and 43 abstentions a report by Sandra Kalniete (EPP, Latvia) on the EU in a changing global environment - a more connected, more challenged and more complex world, which is its contribution to the EU's strategy for foreign policy and security that will be unveiled in June by the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
In the report, the MEPs say that the EU strategy should be focused on the “identification and hierarchy of threats and challenges, defining responses to be made and determining measures to devote to this”. The EP says an inventory should be drawn up of the “strategic interests” of the common foreign policy of all member states in all regions of the world and in all relevant policy domains. The MEPs say that making these interests visible would in itself significantly boost the EU as a player on the world scene. They add that the European External Action Service (EEAS) should help define strategic and operation objectives that could directly lead to tangible outcomes.
According to the MEPs, the EU foreign policy priority should be stabilising security crises in its neighbourhood.
Moreover, the EP feels that the EU and its member states should boost their defence capabilities and spend at least 2% of GDP on defence spending by 2024. The MEPs feel that the EU should achieve greater autonomy and develop a genuine European surveillance capacity.
The MEPs want the strategy to be reviewed every five years and for implementation reports to be submitted to the EP each year. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)