17 Common Foreign and Security Policy
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| Annual report from the Council to the European Parliament on the main aspects and basic choices of the CFSP
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| Legal base | Article 21 EU; unanimity
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 3 May 2007
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | 21 May 2007 Competitiveness Council
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared, but further information requested
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Background
17.1 Under Article 21 TEU, the European Parliament is to be consulted
on the main aspects and basic choices of the EU's Common Foreign
and Security Policy and kept regularly informed by the Presidency
and the Commission of the development of this policy.
The 2006 Annual Report
17.2 This report covers the year 2006 and also looks at perspectives
for future action. The chapters into which the 119 page report
is divided are:
— CFSP
and ESDP: instruments and institutional aspects
— Financing
of CFSP/ESDP
— Counter
Terrorism
— Non-proliferation/disarmament/arms
trade
— Early
warning and conflict prevention
— Western
Balkans
— Eastern
Europe and Central Asia
— Mediterranean
region and Turkey
— Middle
East/Gulf
— Africa
— Transatlantic
relations
— Asia-Oceania
— Latin
America and Caribbean
A six-page annex lists all the CFSP legislative acts
carried out in 2006.
The Government View
17.3 The report is fully summarised and analysed
by the Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(Mr Geoffrey Hoon) in his Explanatory Memorandum of 3 May 2007.
He says that CFSP "delivered for the UK and the EU around
the world" in crisis management situations (the Balkans,
the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Middle East) and continues
to be excellent value for money. The 2006 budget of €102
million was fully committed and allocated almost entirely to front-line
activity: over 75% to civilian crisis management, conflict prevention
and conflict resolution; over 10% to implementing the strategy
against WMD proliferation and combating the trafficking of small
arms and light weapons; and 10% to the mandates of the nine EU
Special Representatives — to the Middle East, the Great
Lakes, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Afghanistan, the South Caucasus, Moldova, Central Asia and Sudan
— whom he says testify to the EU's growing worldwide involvement
in conflict resolution, conflict prevention and crisis management
in areas where high-level EU engagement and a coherent civilian,
military, diplomatic and economic approach were required. The
Minister says that they ensured an effective flow of information,
helping to formulate policy and deliver results, and were also
directly involved in mediation and dialogue between conflicting
parties.
17.4 He anticipates additional EUSR appointments
in 2007 for Kosovo as part of the post-status arrangements and
to the African Union in Addis Ababa, and undertakes to keep the
Committee informed when the two issues are discussed in working
groups.
17.5 The report also covers the progress made by
the EU's nine Civilian Crisis Management Missions, spanning three
continents. These include one civilian-military action (supporting
action to the African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan)
and a number of border monitoring and security sector reform actions
that are increasingly part of ESDP missions. The Minister notes
that, for the first time, African policeman (from Angola and Mali)
participated in a mission, as part of EUPOL KINSHASA. He also
welcomes Turkey's participation in that mission, as well as in
one other police mission (EUPM in Bosnia and Herzegovina) and
two military crisis management operations (Althea in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, and EUFOR RD Congo).
17.6 On inter-institutional cooperation, the report
says Council and Presidency representatives appeared over one
hundred times at the EP, keeping MEPs briefed on developments.
17.7 The report goes on to identify an extensive
list of areas where, the Minister says, CFSP has demonstrated
its effectiveness:
MIDDLE EAST
"In the Middle East, as a member of the Quartet,
the EU (represented by Javier Solana) played a key role in the
international community's efforts to achieve peace. However, Hamas'
victory in Palestinian legislative elections and the escalation
of violence in Gaza had a serious impact on the two EU missions,
monitoring the border at Rafah (EUBAM Rafah) and supporting the
Palestinian Civil Police (EUPOL COPPS). Despite this, EUBAM Rafah
proved an excellent example of the EU making a practical contribution
to the resolution of a frozen conflict. Over 350,000 crossed the
checkpoint.
"The Government fully supports this work and
welcomes its successes. EUPOL COPPS had more limited success,
but still made some progress. With an improvement in the situation,
both missions will be well placed to make a strategic contribution
to achieving progress between the parties in 2007.
IRAQ
"the report sets out the EU's support for the
political and economic reconstruction of Iraq, in accordance with
UN Security Council Resolution 1546. It details how the EU contributed
60% of the contributions to the International Reconstruction Fund
Facility for Iraq in 2006. It also amended and extended the Integrated
Rule of Law Mission (EUJUST LEX), which focuses on Iraq's criminal
justice system, providing training to officials in the police
and judicial system. Despite the difficult security situation
in Iraq, we believe EUJUST LEX can still make a contribution to
reconstruction and it will continue in 2007.
AFGHANISTAN
"the report points out that the European Council
in December adopted conclusions committing the EU as a whole to
the future development of Afghanistan. It will do this through
the EU Special Representative and by continuing its long-term
support, promoting Afghan leadership, responsibility and ownership,
and fostering democracy. It is also planning a European Security
and Defence Policy mission in the police and justice sector, of
which counter narcotics will be a key part. The UK fully supports
the EU's commitment to the long-term reconstruction and development
of Afghanistan.
IRAN
"the report reiterates that the Council aims
to build a long-term relationship with Iran based on confidence
and cooperation, but this is dependent on progress on all issues
of concern, in particular nuclear, terrorism, Middle East Peace
Process and regional issues. It also highlights the role the Government
played in developing with France and Germany a package of incentives
that Solana presented to Iran. In 2007 the EU will continue to
seek a negotiated long-term solution and will keep the situation
under review.
LEBANON
"the EU continued to show its support for the
democratically elected Lebanese government. We can be proud of
the fact that 40% of the total pledges of US$7.6 billion at the
January Paris conference came from the EU.
AFRICA
"The report makes clear that the EU Africa Strategy
has become the central reference for EU action in Africa. A second
EU/Africa summit, in late 2007, is now a political priority, giving
the EU a chance to show its commitment towards Africa and deepen
the partnership.
SUDAN
"the report details the small but targeted contingent
of EU personnel supporting the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS),
as well as the EU contribution of €242 million under the
African Peace Facility. They act as military observers, and provide
logistics, advice and training for the police.
"The Government agrees that the EU and its Member
States need to continue to work closely with international partners
to achieve a workable UN deployment and support urgent implementation
of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
"Separately, the Council reiterated support
for sanctions under UN Security Council Resolution 1591 and applied
sanctions against four people in accordance with UN Security Council
Resolution 1672. The Council has called for close cooperation
between the Sudanese Government and the African Union and UN.
It has also made clear it will consider taking further measures
against those obstructing implementation of the support package
and preparations for the hybrid Africa Union/UN force. We agree
with the report that the regional dimensions of the conflict will
require much attention in 2007.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
"the report sets out how the EU mission EUSEC
RD Congo continued to fulfil its security sector reform mandate,
including integrating 14 brigades into the new Congolese army.
In 2007 the mission is due to be extended, and focused on assisting
the reconstruction of the armed forces. The report also rightly
states that the military mission EUFOR RD Congo, which terminated
in November, decisively prevented violence spreading in August
during the Congolese elections. It significantly limited the number
of incidents, allowing transparent, democratic elections for the
first time in over 40 years."
Lastly, in the Africa context, the Minister notes
that the EU has implemented UN sanctions against Liberia
and the Ivory Coast and extended its autonomous sanctions
against Zimbabwe. He says that he will ensure these measures
are kept under constant review.
KOSOVO
"the report highlights the future EU police
and rule of law mission, which will blend a direct approach to
law enforcement with a programme based on mentoring and monitoring
that will build and develop local capacities. The EU presence
will aim to develop workable operational relationships with the
Kosovo Police Service, the Kosovo Ministries of Justice and Interior
as well as with the future international military presence (NATO).
The EU planning team already based in Kosovo has been actively
taking work forward in all these areas. It continues to work closely
with the UN Mission and other international players such as the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and
NATO.
RUSSIA
"Two EU-Russia summits took place last year.
This reflects the intensive political and expert level discussions
covering areas of cooperation such as the Middle East, the Balkans,
non-proliferation and terrorism, and seeking progress towards
resolving the frozen conflicts. The report also makes clear that
the existing Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia
remains valid until there is a new agreement. Negotiations are
set to start in 2007.
INDONESIA
"the report describes how the EU Aceh Monitoring
Mission was extended three times in 2006 before reaching a successful
conclusion. The Government agrees with the report that the EU
should maintain its interest in sustaining the peace process.
BURMA
"the report details how the EU continues to
take all appropriate opportunities to deplore the human rights
violations and lack of political reform and social development.
It called several times for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
It is the biggest humanitarian assistance donor, focusing on food
aid, health and education. It is important to note that the Council
renewed EU sanctions against Burma in 2006 and that it will discuss
the issue of Burma with regional partners, including ASEAN, China
and India in 2007".
17.8 The report will now be considered by the 21
May Competitiveness Council, and presented to the European Parliament
no later than 15 June 2007.
Conclusions
17.9 We are grateful to the Minister for his helpful
Explanatory Memorandum, and particularly his renewed commitment
to keep us informed of developments as issues are discussed in
working groups, ahead of the depositing of the draft legislation.
17.10 It is not clear why this report has not
been deposited for scrutiny since 2002. We should be grateful
if the Minister would look into this and write to us with an explanation.
17.11 Also, he refers in the title of his Explanatory
Memorandum to "(point G, paragraph 43 of the Interinstitutional
Agreement of 17 May 2006)". Point G, paragraphs 42 and 43
of the IIA deal with the financing of Common Foreign and Security
Policy.[47] However,
as paragraph 43 covers several aspects of the process whereby
the European Parliament shall be consulted on CFSP, we are not
clear precisely to what the Minister is referring. We should be
grateful if he would clarify this too.
17.12 More generally, we should be grateful if
he would explain what changes have been introduced in paragraphs
42 and 43 by comparison with the IIA of 1999, and their significance
in terms of the involvement of the European Parliament in the
scrutiny of CFSP, particularly as to its focus and its financing.
17.13 A year and a half ago, the then Minister
for Europe, in commenting on the ESDP Report at the end of the
UK Presidency, said that ESDP had now come of age : the key challenge
was no longer institution building, but ensuring an effective
EU response and making ESDP more active, more capable and more
coherent, including through better cooperation and coordination
with other international organisations and non-EU states. The
picture in this present Report is very much in line with this
approach, consolidating and taking forward activities on an ever-wider
front, with which we are familiar from the documents we have scrutinised
that are listed in the Annex.
17.14 At that time, we noted that there was a
further major challenge to which the Minister had not referred
— finance. We recalled that the informal Hampton Court meeting
of EU Heads of State and Government in October 2005 had noted
the EU's rapid expansion in crisis management and its increasingly
important role in the world, and asked the Secretary General/High
Representative to take work forward in four specific areas, which
included increasing CFSP funding; that he in turn had noted that
most of the increase in the CFSP budget was already earmarked,
and that additional funding was likely to be required (without
including a possible operation in Kosovo); and that there was
general agreement at the Hampton Court meeting on the need for
a substantial increase in funds to cover the common costs of EU
crisis management operations and other CFSP measures, with the
figure of €300 million per annum suggested by one head of
government having received widespread support — a figure
which he said was, given the Union's ambitions and capacities,
not unreasonable.[48]
17.15 At that time, it was unclear what the annual
figure was, but no such figure appeared to be in prospect; it
thus seemed to us also unclear as to how realistic the Union's
ESDP ambitions were. Looking ahead, we asked that future Explanatory
Memoranda on Presidency ESDP Reports should include an explanation
and assessment of the financial context of both current and prospective
activity.
17.16 We think that the same should apply with
future annual reports on Common Foreign and Security Policy. With
a large part allocated to the planned EU mission in Kosovo, a
2007 budget of €159.2 million is a long way short of the
estimates under discussion 18 months ago, which suggests that
the Union's ambitions continue to run ahead of its willingness
adequately to finance them. We should be grateful for the Minister's
comments when he responds to the points raised above.
17.17 We now clear the document.
47 See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/c_139/c_13920060614en00010017.pdf
for the full Interinstitutional Agreement Back
48
http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/reports/87644.pdf Back
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