In written questions obtained by Agence Europe on Tuesday 8 October, MEPs on the Committee on Foreign Affairs question the High Representative-designate, Kaja Kallas, on “her priorities and concrete objectives in the short, medium and long term on the road to a more strategic, assertive, united and human rights-centred Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), guided by the values and principles of the EU” and on the ways of overcoming the challenges she is likely to encounter on this road.
MEPs would like to know what Ms Kallas intends to do to improve the use of available instruments or develop new instruments to maximise the EU's international influence and the political impact of joint European external action.
In particular, they highlight investment in partnerships around the world, including through Global Gateway, strategic use of the EU’s external financing instruments, “coherent, effective and strategic” communication, evaluation of the effectiveness of CSDP missions and operations, making the EU a stronger power in global affairs, and finally, a “coherent and implemented” EU sanctions policy.
The Committee on Development, for its part, would like to know what approach will be taken to ensure that the “remodelled external action funding” continues to reflect a balanced regional and thematic distribution of funds.
Members of the Subcommittee on Human Rights are interested in the concrete measures that Ms Kallas intends to take to ensure that the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law is a strategic objective of the Union’s action on the international stage.
Ms Kallas is also being questioned by MEPs on the Subcommittee on Security and Defence on whether or not it is necessary to launch a review of the ‘Strategic Compass’ and on the links between the ‘White Paper’ on the future of European defence that she is due to present and the frameworks provided by the ‘Strategic Compass’ and NATO's Strategic Concept.
Their counterparts on the Committee on International Trade are looking both at Ms Kallas’ initial ideas for a “new foreign economic policy”, which she has been asked to draw up in collaboration with the Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, and at their future cooperation.
The issue of qualified majority voting - mentioned in Ms Kallas’ mission statement - is also being highlighted, with MEPs wondering how she intends to reach a consensus to allow it to be used as widely as possible. “How do you intend to reach a common understanding on issues that divide the Member States?”
Finally, MEPs are interested in the means the High Representative designate will want to use to improve coordination between Commissioners, to increase cohesion between external policies and the external dimension of internal policies, and to strengthen cooperation between the Commission, the European External Action Service and the European Parliament and role of the latter in foreign policy.
Ms Kallas’ responses must be sent by 22 October at the latest. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)