Brussels, 27/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Sunday 26 June, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini published her much awaited global strategy for the EU's common foreign and security policy, named “Shared vision, common action, a stronger Europe”.
The 32-page document, of which EUROPE has obtained a copy, “offers a strategic vision for the EU global role”, the European External Action Service (EEAS) press release states. “The purpose, even existence, of our Union is being questioned. Yet, our citizens and the world need a strong European Union like never before (…) This is no time for uncertainty: our Union needs a strategy. We need a shared vision, and common action”, Mogherini stated, making reference to Brexit in the foreword to the strategy, resumed by the EEAS press release. “We will deliver on our citizens' needs and make our partnerships work only if we act together, united. This is exactly the aim of the Global Strategy for European Foreign and Security Policy”, she adds in the foreword.
The strategy highlights the common interests and principles of Europeans: - promoting peace and ensuring the security of the territory and of European citizens, advancing the prosperity of Europeans, supporting the resilience of EU democracies, and promoting a global order based on rules. “A fragile world calls for a more confident and responsible European Union, it calls for an outward- and forward-looking European foreign and security policy”, the document states. It adds that responsibility will go hand in hand with the reorganisation of the EU's external partnerships, be it with states, with regional and international organisations, or with civil society and the private sector.
The strategy lists the priorities of the EU's external action: the security of the EU, the resilience of state and society to the south and east of the EU, an integrated approach to conflicts, regional cooperation or “global governance for the 21st century”, which counts on a global order based on international law, with an important role for the UN.
In addition, the strategy unveils the EU's actions. It states that there must be collective investment in a “credible, responsive and joined-up” Union. Foreign policy must be joined up between the member states and the European institutions, and between the internal and external policy dimensions. And the common security and defence policy must be responsive. According to the strategy, it is also important to invest in all the dimensions of foreign policy, including security and defence. The member states remain sovereign in their defence decisions. But in order to acquire and maintain a large number of capabilities, cooperation in terms of defence must be the norm, the document states. It also highlights a robust European defence industry.
This strategy will be presented officially to the European Council on 28 June (see other article). In order to translate it into action, Mogherini would like a review of the existing strategies and the implementation of new thematic or geographical strategies in line with the political priorities of this strategy. The state of progress of the strategy will be examined annually. A new process of strategic reflection will be launched each time the EU and its member states deem it necessary in order to enable the Union to live through our time effectively, the strategy states (for further information, see Europe Diplomacy and Defence of 28 June, EDD 902). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)