EU Foreign and Security policy

8th to 12th March 2010 - Strasbourg

The parliament will debate two reports on foreign and security policy.

The first looks at the implementation of the European Security Strategy and Common Security and Defence Policy following the adoption of the Lisbon treaty. ECR defence and security spokesman Geoffrey Van Orden will speak against the report, which fails to recognise that the EU's policy duplicates NATO's efforts, and poorly perceives the threats of energy security and the militarisation of Kaliningrad and Belarus.  It calls, furthermore, for the EU to expand its role in Somalia beyond the ill advised training mission of the Somali Transitional Federal Government.  This is in spite of the obvious shortcomings of the other EU training mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL) which still has not reached the authorised strength of 400 after three years.

The second report is the annual report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). ECR foreign affairs spokesman Charles Tannock will argue that much of the report can be welcomed, such as a clear definition of the role of the new High Representative and strengthening democratic scrutiny over the CFSP. Mr Tannock also supports the parliament's calls to hold a hearing with any major appointments to the External Action Service.

Debate: Wednesday morning

Contact

ECR enquiries: James Holtum on +32 473 861762
British delegation: Alex Benjamin on +32 476 056450
Polish delegation: Jakub Piasecki on +32 470 504614
Czech delegation: Jan Krelina on +32 493 214346
Dutch delegation: Maurits van Stuijvenberg on +31 6 52 24 44 64