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DRAFT OPINION (2023/2134(DEC))

On 2022 discharge: General budget of the EU - European External Action Service

AFET-PA-755025

Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Katalin Cseh

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

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The Committee on Foreign Affairs gives its opinion on the 2022 discharge of the European External Action Service (EEAS) budget. It asks the Budgetary Control Committee to include its suggestions in the discharge resolution. It notes the EEAS role in supporting partners after Russia's aggression against Ukraine, calls for more efficient use of resources and more visible EU-funded projects, and asks for better gender and diversity balance in EEAS staffing. It recognises the EEAS Crisis Response Centre, stresses cybersecurity and a security culture, and calls for a stronger toolbox against foreign interference and disinformation, including more resources for the strategic communication task force. It welcomes stronger EU delegation engagement in the neighbourhood and Western Balkans, and urges the EEAS to adopt its announced rules on outside activities and assignments for heads of delegations.

Committee position. The Committee on Foreign Affairs proposes that the Committee on Budgetary Control incorporate its suggestions into the discharge resolution, covering EEAS support to partners, resource efficiency, gender and diversity balance, cybersecurity, counter-disinformation, neighbourhood engagement and rules on outside activities.

Key points

  1. The Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Committee on Budgetary Control to incorporate its suggestions into the discharge resolution.
  2. It notes the EEAS and its delegations' role in supporting partner countries and global alliances after Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and calls for more efficient use of resources and more visible EU-funded projects.
  3. It notes that 40% of appointed Heads of Delegations in 2022 were women, and calls on the EEAS to improve representation of women and marginalised groups and on member states to nominate more such candidates.
  4. It recognises the creation of the EEAS Crisis Response Centre and stresses adequate cybersecurity and a security culture across all entities, with sufficient personnel, procedures, infrastructure, tools and budget.
  5. It calls for a stronger EU toolbox against foreign interference, propaganda and influence operations, including reinforcing the EEAS strategic communication task force and broadening its mandate to cover disinformation from China and the Middle East, particularly Iran.
  6. It asks the EEAS to let the task force track foreign interference routes, reveal sources spreading disinformation, and provide it with more financial and human resources.
  7. It welcomes stronger EU delegation engagement in the neighbourhood and Western Balkans to support communication on the European perspective and assist pro-democratic and pro-European reforms.
  8. It urges the EEAS to adopt and apply its self-standing implementation provisions on outside activities and assignments, as announced in its written answers to the Committee on Budgetary Control in the 2019 discharge.

Who is affected

  • The EEAS and its delegations: asked to improve resource use, staffing balance, security and counter-disinformation work.
  • Member states: called on to nominate more women and candidates from marginalised groups to seconded EEAS positions.
  • Heads of delegations: urged to follow new provisions on outside activities and assignments.
  • Neighbourhood and Western Balkan countries: to receive stronger EU delegation engagement and assistance for reforms.

Figures and deadlines

  • 40% of appointed Heads of Delegations were women in 2022.