On the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2023

(2023/2117(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Articles 21 and 36 thereof,

– having regard to the report of 15 June 2023 by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) entitled ‘CFSP Report – Our priorities in 2023’,

– having regard to the ‘Strategic Compass for Security and Defence – For a European Union that protects its citizens, values and interests and contributes to international peace and security’, endorsed by the European Council on 24 March 2022,

– having regard to the European Council conclusions of 29 and 30 June 2023,

– having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2021/509 of 22 March 2021 establishing a European Peace Facility, and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2015/528,

– having regard to the Commission proposal of 20 June 2023 for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing the Ukraine Facility (COM(2023)0338),

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank of 1 December 2021 entitled ‘The Global Gateway’ (JOIN(2021)0030),

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Parliament and the Council of 7 June 2023 entitled ‘A New Agenda for Relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean’ (JOIN(2023)0017),

– having regard to the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 23 February 2023 entitled ‘Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine’ (A/RES/ES-11/6), and to previous UN General Assembly resolutions on the aggression against Ukraine,

– having regard to the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on 7 April 2022 entitled ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council’ (A/RES/ES-11/3),

– having regard to the mid-term revision of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe,

– having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A9-0000/2023),

A. whereas the rules-based international order is increasingly being challenged by autocratic actors that attempt to undermine multilateral organisations, cause destabilisation and threaten global security;

B. whereas Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has prompted the EU to give renewed priority to its enlargement policy, which remains its most effective foreign policy instrument;

C. whereas Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has accentuated the need for more ambitious, credible and unified EU action on the world stage and has highlighted the necessity for Member States to demonstrate the required political will to redefine the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) into a fully-fledged European policy;

1. Stresses that the EU’s ability to act as a global foreign policy player, a reliable international partner and a credible security and defence actor rests on its ability to promote its values while also proactively defining, asserting and defending its interests in the world;

2. Recalls that the EU should be guided in its external action by the values and principles enshrined in Article 2, Article 3 (5) and Article 21 TEU, which have inspired the EU’s own creation, development and enlargement; believes that the EU should shape its CFSP accordingly, and on the basis of the following four principles: addressing the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, adapting EU structures and decision-making procedures, reinforcing rules-based multilateralism, and asserting interests through the development of robust strategic partnerships;

Addressing the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

3. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest possible terms, of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; demands that Russia and its proxy forces cease all military action and that the Russian leadership immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine and from any other country whose territory, or parts thereof, it unlawfully occupies;

4. Pays tribute to the brave people of Ukraine, who are not only courageously defending their country, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, but also the European way of life;

5. Emphasises that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine destabilises the Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans, which in turn jeopardises the security of the EU itself; considers that the EU should therefore prioritise the enlargement process and the reform of the neighbourhood policy;

6. Reiterates the need for the Member States to make collective investments in defence and calls for the full implementation of the Strategic Compass;

7. Commends the Council and the Member States for the determined response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; calls for the Russian Federation to be isolated further by reinforcing the application of restrictive measures, also against Belarus; appeals for proactive diplomacy with third countries in order to minimise the circumvention of these sanctions; encourages the Commission, the VP/HR and the Member States to mobilise international support for the peace formula presented by Ukraine; underscores the urgent need for the EU and its Member States to push for the creation of a special international tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine perpetrated by the political and military leadership of the Russian Federation and its allies; urges the Commission to come up with a legally sound proposal for using immobilised Russian assets to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine;

8. Welcomes the rapid creation of the European Union Military Assistance Mission; notes that this mission is a tangible demonstration of the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine;

9. Calls on the Member States to maintain the resolve that they have already demonstrated and to provide Ukraine with further political, humanitarian, military, infrastructurerelated, economic and financial support for as long as it takes; welcomes, in this respect, the Commission proposal on establishing the Ukraine Facility;

10. Insists that the EU cannot persistently rely on ad hoc mobilisation and recalls, in this context, the need to improve the EU’s capacity to act in response to global crises;

Adapting EU structures and decision-making procedures

11. Regrets that the potential for fast, efficient and effective foreign, security and defence action, as provided for by the passerelle clauses of the TEU, has been used only in a very limited manner; reiterates its call for the Council to gradually switch to qualified majority voting for decisions in areas of the CFSP that do not have military or defence implications;

12. Reiterates that Parliament plays an integral role in the CFSP, making a specific contribution thereto by virtue of its distinct instruments, channels and contacts;

13. Calls for full use to be made of the ‘Team Europe’ approach in order to ensure the effective allocation of resources; insists that Parliament is part of ‘Team Europe’ and should be treated as such;

14. Believes that there is a need for stronger parliamentary oversight of EU external action, including regular access to confidential information;

15. Urges the Member States to dedicate sufficient funding to the CFSP;

Reinforcing rules-based multilateralism

16. Emphasises that multilateral forums, chief among them the UN and its agencies, should be considered the EU’s format of cooperation of choice; expresses concern, in this respect, about the increasing relevance of exclusive formats of cooperation, which bear witness to increasing competition between great powers; calls on the Member States to reinforce inclusive forms of multilateral governance and encourages, in this context, the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Council to step up interinstitutional cooperation with multilateral organisations that are integral to the international rules-based system and the management of global commons;

17. Underlines that the EU must remain a reliable ally in development cooperation worldwide; expresses its concern that the EU is facing increasing scepticism and disengagement; calls for the EU to respond to partner countries’ expectations and to deliver quickly on political agreements with them in order to demonstrate that the international rules-based system can meet contemporary challenges;

18. Calls on the Commission to effectively use the Global Gateway as an instrument to increase the EU’s presence and visibility worldwide by means of infrastructure investment that creates national value in partner countries, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals;

Asserting interests through the development of robust strategic partnerships

19. Emphasises the need to strengthen existing partnerships with like-minded countries and highlights the significance of building alliances with other countries in the Global South;

20. Stresses the importance of strong and strategic transatlantic cooperation; calls on the Commission to foster closer ties with key partners in both the United States and Canada in order to counter global challenges that affect our shared values, interests, security and prosperity;

21. Welcomes the conclusion of the Windsor Framework; calls for more structured engagement with the UK in foreign affairs and for greater involvement of the UK in European security and defence projects;

22. Welcomes both the launch of the Belarus-EU consultative group to enable continuous dialogue between the EU and Belarusian democratic forces, and the ongoing support provided to Russian human rights defenders and to independent media inside and outside Russia;

23. Recalls the need to demonstrate genuine political commitment to accession negotiations with Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, conditional on the implementation of EU-related reforms;

24. Welcomes the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina and the lifting of visa requirements for Kosovo citizens; recalls that Georgia’s bid for accession to the EU will be assessed on the basis of its own merits and of the country’s success in meeting the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership;

25. Believes that Ukraine’s and Moldova’s accession to the EU would be a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe; commends the progress already achieved on reforms and urges the Commission to present an ambitious roadmap for accession negotiations to start before the end of this year, as well as for Ukraine’s and Moldova’s gradual integration into EU policies and programmes;

26. Stresses that in the absence of a drastic change of course by the Turkish Government, Türkiye’s EU accession process cannot be resumed; calls for the EU and the Turkish Government to move forward towards a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership; calls on the Commission to find a parallel and realistic framework for EU-Türkiye relations that encompasses the interests of all parties involved;

27. Encourages the VP/HR and the Commission to strengthen the southern dimension of the EU’s neighbourhood, including through increased dialogue, and to secure adequate resources for the timely and effective implementation of the new agenda for the Mediterranean;

28. Takes note of the political agreement on a comprehensive partnership package with Tunisia; recalls that this memorandum of understanding comes with conditions and urges the Commission to ensure compliance with these;

29. Highlights the necessity of engaging more strategically with the Gulf countries, particularly on the promotion of regional security, cooperation, climate action and human rights;

30. Welcomes the resumption of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran; condemns the brutal crackdown by Iranian police and security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, on demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini;

31. Welcomes the Abraham Accords and expects that they will lead to peace, stability and the de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East; reiterates its unwavering support for a negotiated two-state solution for Israel and Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders, with two sovereign, democratic states and with Jerusalem as their shared capital;

32. Stresses the need to scale up the EU’s presence in Central Asia in response to Russian and Chinese engagement in the region; underlines the EU’s interest in increasing economic relations and intensifying political ties with the countries of Central Asia, in part to minimise the circumvention of sanctions against Russia and Belarus;

33. Reiterates that a peaceful, stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific is a vital European interest and encourages, to this end, closer political ties with like-minded partners in line with the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, in particular with Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand;

34. Notes that geopolitical challenges have strengthened the shared interest of the EU and India in ensuring security, prosperity and sustainable development; welcomes the creation of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council; calls for an India-EU summit to keep bilateral relations high on the agenda;

35. Considers that the rise of China remains one of the primary geopolitical challenges of the 21st century and requires a multi-dimensional response through which the EU maintains its engagement with China on a number of key issues while de-risking its relationship by reducing economic over-dependence in critical sectors;

36. Condemns the Chinese government-led system of forced labour and its crimes against humanity in Xinjiang; recalls that the ‘One China policy’ remains a cornerstone of EU-China relations;

37. Strongly condemns China’s continued military provocations against Taiwan and reiterates its firm rejection of any unilateral change to the status quo in the Strait of Taiwan;

38. Highlights that resources need to be pooled, meaning a genuine ‘Team Europe’ approach is needed to effectively enhance the EU’s political footprint in the Pacific;

39. Underlines that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a crucial ally in reinforcing rules-based multilateralism; calls for close cooperation in line with the EUASEAN joint leaders’ statement of 14 December 2022 in order to shape regional dynamics beyond the binary constraints of Chinese-American competition;

40. Welcomes the signature of the Post-Cotonou Agreement and its regional protocols, which, once ratified, will allow for an unprecedented regional focus on African, Caribbean and Pacific countries; urges the Commission and the VP/HR to ensure that the EU-African Union summit of February 2022 is followed up on in order to deepen cooperation on initiatives of shared interest and to meet the needs of partner countries in Africa;

41. Takes note of the summit between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, but expresses concern that it did not mark a turning point in biregional relations, particularly given the growing influence of China and Russia in Latin America and the Caribbean; calls on the Member States and the EEAS to pursue proactive diplomacy in the region, with a strong emphasis on defending the multilateral global order, international law and respect for democracy and human rights; welcomes the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-Chile Advanced Framework Agreement and the EU-Mexico Association Agreement; urges the Commission to advance decisively on the agreement with Mercosur and recalls the need to finalise the ratification of the EU-Central America Association Agreement;

42. Calls for stronger EU engagement in the Arctic in view of the consequences of climate change, industrial and economic competition and freedom of navigation;

43. Highlights that the southern polar region should be considered an emerging area of interest given shifting geopolitical dynamics; underlines the importance of multilateral cooperation in the management of marine protected areas;

°

° °

44. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.