On Monday 13 November, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced she had received political support from the EU's foreign affairs ministers for her request to increase the budget for strategic communication – especially for the three communication teams (Stratcom) for the East, the South and the Balkans.
"I asked the member states to support my request to increase the human and financial resources that we can give" to strategic communication "and especially to the three working groups", she said at a press conference. "I received political support from the foreign affairs ministers; now we need to see if the finance ministers will follow their recommendation in the coming weeks", she added.
Last year, the same request was refused by the Council, although the Parliament was in favour of increased means.
The East Stratcom comprises 14 members (see EUROPE 11601), that of the South four members (see EUROPE 11715) and that of the Balkans two. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)