On a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts around the world – missed opportunity or change for the future?
A-9-2023-0404
Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Željana Zovko
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
A committee report from Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee sets out a draft recommendation to the Council, Commission and VP/HR on the role of preventive diplomacy in tackling frozen conflicts worldwide.¶¶ It recommends that the EU acknowledge the link between internal and external security, place human rights at the core of security policy, and adapt conflict prevention tools to changing conflicts including climate change and new technologies.¶¶¶ It asks for a stronger EU conflict Early Warning System, better use of special representatives and envoys with parliamentary scrutiny, and lessons learnt from past EU mediation in regions such as the Western Balkans, South Caucasus, Cyprus and the Middle East.¶¶¶ It calls for stronger partnerships with the UN, OSCE, African Union and others, more funding for conflict prevention under NDICI – Global Europe, and a comprehensive EU strategy for preventive diplomacy.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Foreign Affairs proposes that Parliament adopt a recommendation to the Council, Commission and VP/HR setting out measures to strengthen EU preventive diplomacy, including better early warning, scrutiny of special representatives, lessons learnt from past mediation, stronger partnerships and more funding.¶¶¶
Key points
- Recommends that the Council, Commission and VP/HR acknowledge the link between EU internal and external security and reflect this in conflict prevention and resolution.¶
- Asks them to place fundamental, constitutional and human rights and civil liberties at the core of internal and external security policy and preventive diplomacy.¶
- Calls for adapting EU conflict prevention tools to climate change, geopolitical instability, new technologies, raw materials competition, inequalities and food scarcity.¶
- Urges them to act as guarantor of EU-mediated ceasefire agreements and as an equidistant, values-based mediator, respecting the sovereignty of countries.¶
- Calls on member states to set aside individual interests in external relations and build joint capacity in conflict prevention and mediation.¶
- Asks for clear rules on external representation by the VP/HR, Commission President and European Council President, and for annual assessments to Parliament on preventive diplomacy.¶¶
- Recommends improving understanding of local and cultural contexts, diversifying diplomatic corps, and tailoring state-building assistance to local conditions.¶¶¶
- Calls for strengthening gender-responsive approaches, including gender equality among special representatives and envoys, and women's participation in early warning and conflict prevention.¶¶¶
- Asks for a proactive EU conflict Early Warning System with necessary resources, involving EU delegations, INTCEN, the EEAS Crisis Response Centre and the Satellite Centre.¶¶¶
- Calls for assessing and scrutinising EU special representatives and envoys, with appointments confirmed only after a positive assessment by Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs.¶¶¶
- Recommends a study on lessons learnt from EU actions in the Sahel, West Africa, Horn of Africa, Western Balkans, South Caucasus, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Moldova and Ukraine.¶
- Calls for strengthening partnerships with the UN, OSCE, African Union, ECOWAS, Organization of American States and ASEAN, and for a comprehensive EU strategy for preventive diplomacy.¶¶
Who is affected
- The Council, Commission and VP/HR, who are the addressees of the recommendations.¶¶
- EU member states, asked to set aside individual interests and build joint capacity in conflict prevention.¶
- EU special representatives and envoys, whose appointments and work would face parliamentary scrutiny.¶¶
- The EEAS, whose staff, delegations and resources would be strengthened for preventive diplomacy.¶
- At-risk groups in conflicts, including women, children, people with disabilities, political prisoners, human rights defenders, journalists and LGBTI people.¶
Figures and deadlines
- EUR 870 970 044 allocated for 2021-2027 to the NDICI – Global Europe thematic programme on peace, stability and conflict prevention.¶
- Only 13 %-18 % of that allocation will go to conflict prevention.
- Global funding for conflict prevention and peacebuilding is at a 15-year record low.¶
- The EU covers 30 % of UN costs and 33 % of expenses for UN peacekeeping missions.¶
- The EU-mediated ceasefire agreement between Russia and Georgia was signed on 12 August 2008.¶¶
- The Hamas terrorist attack against Israel took place on 7 October 2023.¶
- The Commission's recommendation on Bosnia and Herzegovina is dated 8 November 2023, with accession negotiations potentially opening before March 2024.¶
Legal basis: Article 21(2) of the Treaty on European Union.¶