Brussels, 29/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - Welcoming “with interest” the presentation of the Global Strategy on the foreign and security policy (CFSP) by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, the EU heads of state and government “invited” the high representative, the European Commission and Council on Tuesday 28 June to move the work forward.
The 32-page document offers a strategic vision for the global role of the EU by setting out common European principles and interests, priorities for EU external action and for EU action (see EUROPE 11581).
“In these times of uncertainty in the world we have to exercise our responsibilities together, as Europeans, and we can do that only all together. There is one thing that all European citizens understand very well, which is that in the world of today every single EU member state is a small one and if we want to play our role in the world we have to do it together, as a European Union”, Mogherini said when she arrived at the European Council.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz described the strategy as “very interesting” and significant. In his speech, he said that the EU must ensure the security of its citizens and of its territory by strengthening a global system based on democracy, good governance, the rule of law and human rights. He added that the EU also had to ensure coherence between development aid, the management of migration and military operations. Schulz stated that the European Parliament expected the strategy to be reviewed every five years with the arrival of the new Parliament and new Commission. He said they also expected all the EU's actions to be under democratic control, especially by means of annual reports on how it is being implemented. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)