A4-0083/95

Resolution on progress in implementing the common foreign and security policy (November 1993 - December 1994)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Rule 148 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to Article J.7, second paragraph, of the Treaty on European Union,

- having regard to the report by the foreign affairs ministers on the likely development of the CFSP, presented at the Lisbon European Council (26-27 June 1992),

- having regard to the general report on the activities of the European Union in 1994, drawn up by the Commission,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy (A4-0083/95),

A. having regard to the objectives of the CFSP set out in Article J.1(2) of the TEU, which are to serve as a reference basis for external action by the European Union,

B. whereas, compared with European Political Cooperation (EPC), progress has been made during the first fourteen months of the CFSP; whereas, however, such progress still falls far short of the expectations which public opinion in the Member States of the Union had for the CFSP, as illustrated by the examples of the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda,

C. whereas, as is evident from the Treaty on European Union, the CFSP is an experimental and evolutionary process which can be improved; whereas the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference will need to take the decisions needed to improve its effectiveness and make it function more democratically and more transparently,

D. whereas the purpose of the CFSP must not only be to defend the interests of the European Union and to preserve its security, but also to defend the values which constitute the very essence of European integration, such as democracy, human rights, the rights of minorities and dialogue as a means of settling disputes,

E. whereas the Council has not sufficiently exploited the potential available under the Treaty on European Union in order to implement a bolder common foreign and security policy; whereas it has, in keeping with EPC, practised declaratory diplomacy instead of making more intensive use of the new instruments which the concepts of 'common position' and 'joint action' represent,

F. whereas security and defence aspects have not been given sufficient prominence during these early days of the CFSP; whereas, in 1995 and 1996, the necessary decisions will have to be taken in those fields, in view of the existing and potential conflicts on the periphery of the Union and the redefining by the United States of its position vis-à-vis European security,

G. whereas the provisions of the TEU relating to consultation of the European Parliament have not yet been implemented by the Council, making the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement on the CFSP all the more urgent,

H. whereas implementation of the CFSP has revealed there to be no common capacity for carrying out analyses and assessments which would enable political, economic and military data to be assimilated in a comprehensive and consistent fashion,

1. Calls on the Council to keep it both better and more quickly informed of developments in the field of the CFSP and to consult it on the main aspects and the basic choices of a common foreign and security policy, as it is obliged to do pursuant to Article J.7 of the TEU;

2. Urges the Commission to make more intensive use of its powers pursuant to Article J.8(3) of the TEU to submit proposals to the Council;

3. Takes the view that, in accordance with the principles of parliamentary democracy, which are amongst the fundamental values of the EU, the Council is obliged, particularly in relation to foreign and security policy, to take seriously the political will of Parliament, which is elected by the people, and that the credible development of a common foreign and security policy largely depends on this democratic guarantee;

4. Hopes that, as a result, an interinstitutional agreement on the application of Article J.7 of the TEU and the problem of financing the CFSP will soon be concluded, so that the CFSP may be implemented in a more democratic and more transparent way, in keeping with the respective powers of each institution;

5. Is, in this case, prepared to do everything within its power, by means of effective and swift action, to make its participation in foreign and security policy effective and flexible;

6. Regrets that the annual debate which it must organize pursuant to Article J.7 of the TEU on progress in implementing the common foreign and security policy is not based on a written report by the Council on this subject, which could form part of the yearly written report on the progress achieved by the Union, which the European Council is required to submit to Parliament pursuant to Article D of the TEU;

7. Points out that the Commission, in its general report on the activities of the European Union in 1994, devoted a whole chapter to the CFSP; takes the view, however, that this report does not adequately highlight the Commission's role in drawing up and implementing the CFSP, notably as regards implementation of joint decisions;

8. Considers that the participation at international conferences of a delegation of observers from the European Parliament (as part of the EU delegation) should be standard practice;

9. Takes the view that the shortcomings which have become apparent in the implementation of the CFSP are due largely to its intergovernmental nature and the need to reach a unanimous decision before action is taken; believes also that this new policy suffers as a result of Member States' individual interests continuing to predominate and there being little or no common perception of the European Union's own security interests, although some improvement is beginning to be made in this field;

10. Believes that the European Union must, as indicated in the first report by the group of high-level experts, establish an analysis and assessment centre, whose main task would be to evaluate, on a full-time basis, risks and threats which could prejudice the interests and values of the Union and to prepare, for subsequent discussion within the European Council and the Council of the Union, counter-strategies which are commensurate with the array of resources which the Union and its Member States actually possess;

11. Urges the Council in future to pursue a foreign policy which is aimed at establishing, in a spirit of solidarity, a stable international legal order;

12. Calls on the Council gradually to develop the 'security interest of the European Union' concept on the basis of the political or historical experiences of each Member State, so that the Union defines a foreign policy geared towards prevention, security, stability, disarmament and cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin;

13. Maintains that the CFSP must also help to safeguard and promote the fundamental values of the European Union (democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and the rights of minorities) and promote the peaceful settlement of disputes, if necessary by implementing preventive diplomacy measures;

14. Maintains that, when the TEU is revised, the principle of greater solidarity between Member States should, in view of the uncertainties which prevail as regards security and stability in Europe, be confirmed; calls for a mutual assistance clause to be incorporated in the TEU, to be applied if Member States' frontiers are violated;

15. Believes that it must be allowed to participate in drawing up and monitoring a common defence policy;

16. Takes the view that the European Union has too often reacted to events instead of practising different preventive measures, such as preventive diplomacy and conflict settlement; stresses therefore that it is important for the Intergovernmental Conference to address the need to give the European Union suitable means and mechanisms to be better able to prevent and solve conflicts by peaceful means;

17. Calls on the Council to make maximum use of common positions and joint actions within the framework of the United Nations and the OSCE, with the aim of strengthening the role of these international organizations, including their peacekeeping capabilities;

18. Calls on the Council, in the field of foreign policy, to make less use of declarations and greater use of common positions, particularly during the run-up to international conferences such as those organized by the OSCE or the United Nations, and to be bolder in its use of joint actions;

19. Considers the insertion of clauses relating to democracy and respect for human rights in agreements with non-member countries to be a fundamental principle of the CFSP and regards adherence thereto as crucial and calls on the Council and Commission to consider further what action to take with countries which do not adhere to such principles;

20. Calls for the Intergovernmental Conference to consider the unanimity rule, which applies to the majority of CFSP decisions, and to draw up, as a result, a typology of decisions for which a majority (qualified or double qualified) or unanimity is required;

21. Stresses that the geographical areas identified at the Lisbon European Council as priorities for the CFSP must not take on an exclusive character leading to a loss of interest in other vitally important areas, such as the Asia-Pacific region, which will play a prominent role in the next century; welcomes, therefore, the Commission's communication 'Towards a new Asia Strategy' (COM(94)0314);

22. Calls on the European Union to devote particular attention to Latin America owing to the close cultural ties which exist between that region and Europe; welcomes, therefore, the Commission's communication 'The European Community and Mercosur: an enhanced policy' (COM(94)0428); is, however, of the opinion that Europe should play a more active role in the economic development of the region and in order to support its democratization, so that a 'Euro- Latin American partnership' is established;

23. Considers it vital, as indicated by the Commission in its communication 'Strengthening the Mediterranean policy of the European Union: establishing a Euro-Mediterranean Partnership' (COM(94)0427), to establish a Euro- Mediterranean zone of political stability and security, given the increase in aggressive fundamentalism in certain countries along the southern shore of the Mediterranean; supports the idea of a Euro-Mediterranean conference in 1995, the preparation for which must take the form of a joint action by the European Union;

24. Believes also that the Middle East/Caucasus region is crucially important for world peace; takes the view that the European Union must become more actively involved in encouraging political dialogue, economic cooperation and democracy in that region in order to contribute to its stability, given also the possibility of disengagement by the United States;

25. Takes note of the Commission's communication SEC(94)1747 on 'orientations for a Union approach towards the Baltic Sea region' which seeks to promote stability and cooperation in the region, and recalls that the Baltic States have embarked on a process of association with the European Union with a view to accession;

26. Takes a favourable view of current experience with the Pact for Stability in Europe, a joint action by the European Union which contributes to the implementation of the European Union's strategy vis-à-vis the countries of central and eastern Europe and the Baltic States;

27. Maintains that the European Union's foreign policy measures would be more effective if the Union had the necessary physical infrastructure and human resources;

28. Believes that it is essential for the European Union to have a diplomatic apparatus of its own; is of the opinion that the Commission's delegations to non-member countries should be upgraded to embassies of the European Union and, on this basis, have a special role in relation to the embassies of the Member States; regrets that the Member States have not been able, for example, to establish joint embassies in the independent states of the former Soviet Union as originally envisaged;

29. Believes that the European Union must have its own means of gathering intelligence, including optical reconnaissance satellites and radar to complement conventional means, so as to provide the analysis and assessment centre referred to above with data which is as up-to-date as possible; stresses in this connection the importance of the current transnational satellite programmes;

30. Considers, finally, that the CFSP must constitute an instrument of peace, security, detente and stability between North and South, which promotes a new world order, and must become a prestige element of the European Union in accordance with the Union's democratic and humanistic traditions;

31. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and, for information, to the Commission, the parliaments of the Member States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the Secretary of the OSCE.