The European Commission took stock of the situation in Iraq and assessed the impact on European interests of the acute crisis between the United States and Iran on Wednesday 8 January, following an extraordinary meeting of the College of European Commissioners.
We have "analysed potential consequences of the current crisis on the European Union", said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a press briefing before her departure for London (see other news). She mentioned areas such as "transport, energy, or neighbourhood and migration, but also the economic development, the stabilisation and the reconstruction" that the EU is doing in these areas. European involvement on the ground means that "its voice is heard", she said.
The Commissioner for Transport, Adina-Ioana Vălean, has been charged with analysing the impact of the situation and reporting back to the College. This concerns maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and air traffic over Iraq and Iran. Several European airlines, such as Air France, have announced that they will no longer fly over these two countries after the crash of a Ukrainian plane near Tehran. Such a decision is a national matter, the Commission stressed, mentioning the coordinating role of the European Aviation Safety Agency.
At the same press briefing, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, recalled that a year and a half ago the EU and Iraq signed a partnership agreement that paved the way for programmes financed from the EU budget (see EUROPE 12055/8).
The two political figures urged the parties to resume dialogue to ease growing tensions in the Middle East, as Iranians launched missiles at bases hosting international coalition soldiers in Iraq. They promised to spare no effort to keep the Iranian nuclear deal alive, despite recent announcements by the Iranian authorities.
"The use of weapons must stop now to make space for dialogue", said von der Leyen.
"The latest rocket attacks on air bases in Iraq used by the US and the coalition forces, among them European forces, are yet another example of escalation and increased confrontation. It is in no one's interest to turn up the spiral of violence even further", Borrell said.
On Wednesday, Germany, France and Britain condemned the Iranian attack aimed at avenging the assassination of General Soleimani by the United States.
The High Representative recalled that a Foreign Affairs EU Council meeting would be held on Friday 10 January to take stock of the situation in Iraq and Libya (see other news and see EUROPE 12397/1, 12398/2).
The day before, the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee will debate the US-Iranian conflict behind closed doors with the Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Helga Schmid. On Thursday, the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament's political groups will also decide to put this dossier on the agenda for the next plenary session (13-16 January), with the adoption of a specific resolution, based on a request from the Greens/EFA group. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)