The EU’s external action comprises:
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Portfolio: High Representative
Legal Basis: Council – Unanimity, Art 21-46 TEU
Actors: EEAS, European Defence Agency, DG DEFIS, EUISS, Council (Foreign Affairs Council, Political And Security Committee, which is ambassadorial-level meeting), european Union Satelite Centre (EUSC, agency that analysis of satellite imagery and collateral data), Foreign Policy Intrument (FPI, responsible for operational implementation of external action and for operationa and financial mamangeemnt of the budgets for the EUÄs CFSP)
Foreign Affairds Council meets 1/month and defines EU foreign policy, meetings are chaired by HR/VP
Common Foreign and Security Policy
Legal Basis: Art. 42-46 TEU
Aim: Steps towards a genuine European Defence Union. Integrated and comprehensive approach to our security.
The Commission is developing policies in support of innovation, competitiveness and resilience of the EU defence industry and to build a more open defence equipment market
- the CSDP also entails a mutual defence clause amongst member states as well.
- - 2017: Setting up of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO): PESCO is a Treaty-based framework and process to deepen defence cooperation amongst EU Member States who are capable and willing to do so (integration of armed forces). Members are 26 EU MS, plus also third countries (currently in application phase)
- - 2017: European Defence Fund: The European Defence Fund (EDF) is the European Commission’s initiative to support collaborative defence research and development, and to foster an innovative and competitive defence industrial base. (so far Eur 3 billion disursed + 1.3 billion this year)
- - 2021: European Peace Facility: expands the EU’s ability to provide security for its citizens and its partners. It enables the EU to provide all types of military equipment and security infrastructure to EU partners, in compliance with the highest human rights standards.
- 2022: Strategic Compass for Security and Defence
HR/VP
Key targets
* stablish a strong EU Rapid Deployment Capacity of up to 5000 troops
* boost its intelligence analysis capacities
* develop an EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence
* boost defence technological innovation to fill strategic gaps and reduce technological and industrial dependencies
DG DEFIS
Portfolio: Thierry Breton (Industry and Defence), in Commission Working Programme under Europe fit for the Digital Age
- DG DEFIS is responsible for strengthening the competitiveness of the defence industry, including SMEs, and stimulating the defence internal market.
- Established in 2021, leads activities in space (e.g. EU space programme= and defence industry
Economic security strategy
Goal: de-risk trade relations
across 4 areas:
* risks to the resilience of supply chains, including energy security;
* risks to physical and cyber security of critical infrastructure;
* risks related to technology security and technology leakage;
* risks of weaponisation of economic dependencies or economic coercion.
The Strategy also sets out how to mitigate identified risks through a three-pronged approach, namely by:
* promoting the EU’s competitiveness, by strengthening the Single Market
* protecting the EU’s economic security through a range of existing policies and tools,
* partnering with the broadest possible range of partners to strengthen economic security, including through furthering and finalising trade agreements
Actions
* The Strategy proposes a methodology for this risk assessment. It should be carried out by the Commission and Member States in cooperation with the High Representative, where appropriate, and with input from the private sector.
* further support EU technological sovereignty and resilience of EU value chains, including by developing critical technologies through Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP);
* review the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation.
* fully implement the EU’s export control regulation on dual use items
* examine, together with Member States, what security risks can result from outbound investments and on this basis propose an initiative by the end of the year;
* instruct the EU Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC - provides foresight and situational awareness) to work specifically on the detection of possible threats to EU economic security;
International Development overview
Portfolio: Jutta Urpilainen (Finland, International Partnerships)
Legal Basis: Articles 208, 209, 210 and 211 TFEU
Development lies at the heart of the EU’s foreign policy, with the EU providing 43% of the world’s cooperation funding in 2022, with the EU’s official development assistance reaching EUR 92.8 billion.
Goal: Its primary objective is the reduction and, in the long term, eradication of poverty. Promotes sustainability in all its dimensions – social, environmental, economic and political. Uphold EU values in partnerships.
VDL Agenda: the EU to spend 30% more than we did in 2019 on external action investment in the long-term EU budget,
Funding sources are:
- NDICI
- Budget support (EUR 3 billion in past 3 years, 17% of total Eu external assistance)
- EFSD+
- Guarantees and blending: EUR 51.7 billion external action guarantee
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- Trust funds (since 2013 new financial regulation)
Example: MFA for Ukraine
European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+)
The European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) is part of the EU’s investment framework for external action.It is included in the EU’s long-term budget programme for external action: Global Europe – NDICI.
It is a comprehensive instrument that includes
The investment framework also includes the External Action Guarantee and together, the two components deliver** a firepower of €53,45 billion for sustainable development.**The External Action Guarantee has a capacity of €130 billion to guarantee EFSD+ operations. Together with the private sector and thanks to the leverage effect, this may mobilise more than half a trillion euros in investments for 2021-2027.
The European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus is the main financial tool to mobilise investments under Global Gateway – the EU strategy to narrow the global investment gap in infrastructure. The tool will raise up to €135 billion worth of investments in a variety of Global Gateway sectors.
DG INTPA
How EU implements development policies
Included funds:
- ESDF+, which will cover the EUR 53 billion guarantee volume, which will leverage EUR 232 billion of sustainable investments. Additional financing by grants to develeponent institutions that can blend them with loan.
- Connecting Europe facility (CEF): supports global gateway investments.
Governance:
* Global Gateway projects are developed and delivered jointly by Team Europe,
* Implemented by Presiedent and HR/VP and responsible Cssr.
* EU delegation and MS embassies and project offices help coordinate and implement Global Gateway projects and Team Europe initiatives
* A Global Gateway Board provides strategic guidance to Global Gateway and the development of Team Europe initiatives.
Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) (2021-2027)
Creatd in 2021 and unified several previous funding instruments under one umbrella
- With an** overall allocation of €79.5 billion,** the new Global Europe will cover the EU cooperation with all third countries, except for the pre-accession beneficiaries and the overseas countries and territories from the geographic programmes
The total allocation will be divided as follows:
* €60.38 billion for geographic programmes (at least €19.32 billion for the Neighbourhood, at least €29.18 billion for Sub-Saharan Africa, €8.48 billion for Asia and the Pacific, and €3.39 billion for the Americas and the Caribbean);
* €6.36 billion for thematic programmes (Human Rights and Democracy; Civil Society Organisations; Peace, Stability and Conflict Prevention; and Global Challenges);
* €3.18 billion for rapid response actions.
* Focus on: tackling climate change, supporting eduaciton and human development, fostering diigtalisation, boosting sustainable growth and trade, promoting rule of law and Europaen values
Investment framework:
The new instrument will furthermore contain an investment framework for external action financed from the geographic pillar to raise additional financial resources for sustainable development from the public and private sector
It will consist of the European Fund for SustainableDevelopment (EFSD+) and the External Action Guarantee, with fire-power of €53,45 billion.
Together with the private sector and thanks to the leverage effect, this may mobilise more than half a trillion euro in investments for the period 2021-2027
cross-cutting priorities
- 30% on climate change mitigation
- 85% shoul dhave gender equality as primary objective
- At least 93% of funding will meet the requirements of the OECD Development Assistance Committee and hence count as Official Development Assistance
Initiatives under A Stronger Europe in the World
Portfolio: Janez Lenarčič (Slovenia, Crisis Management, DG ECHO)
Legal Basis: Art. 214 TFEU - Humanitarian Aid, Art 196: TFEU: coordinate civil protection systems of MS . This is a supporting competency of the European Union
The EU is the world’s largest donor of humanitarian aid, providing assistance to crisis zones, countries facing post-conflict instability and countries dealing with ‘forgotten crises’.
Yet EU aid accounts for less than 1% of the EU’s total annual budget – just over €2 per EU citizen. VDL agenda to increase this share.
When the EU offers emergency assistance, it does so respecting humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. This means aid is distributed without any political considerations, and regardless of nationality, religion, gender, ethnic or political affiliation of the people who need help.
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EU englargement
Portfolio: Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary, Neighbourhood and Enlargement)
Legal Basis: Art. 49 TFEU
How does enlargement work?
Accession Criteria – Copenhagen Criteria
- The first step is for the country to meet the accession criteria. These criteria were defined at a European Council meeting in Copenhagen in 1993, and referred to as the ‘Copenhagen criteria’.
The Copenhagen criteria set a number of democratic, economic and political conditions for countries who want to join the EU:
* 1) stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities
* 2) a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU
* 3) the ability to take on and effectively implement the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union
The EU also needs to be able to integrate new members.
**3-step process: **
* when country is ready, it becomes candidate for membership
* the candidate moves on to formal membership negotiations (initiated through unanimous decision from EU Council), a process that involves the adoption of established EU law, preparations to be in a position to properly apply and enforce it and implementation of judicial, administrative, economic and other reforms necessary for the country to meet the conditions for joining, known as accession criteria.
* When the negotiations and accompanying reforms have been completed to the satisfaction of both sides, the country can join the EU.
Benefits of enlargement
* increased prosperity for all member states: 3 times more trade exchanges between old and new member states, 5 times more among new member states
* greater stability in Europe
* more weight for the EU in global affairs
Funding for enlargement
List of candidate countries
Candidates:
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Moldova
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Serbia
Türkiye
Ukraine
Potential candidates: otential candidate countries do not yet fulfil the requirements for EU membership:
Georgia, Kosovo
European Neighbourhood Policy
ENP objectives:
Total allocation under Global Europe is EUR 19.3 billion
Trade policy goals
Legal Basis: Art. 3 TFEU and in its scope Art 207 TFEU, Exclusive Competence
The European Union manages its trade and investment relations with non-EU countries through its trade and investment policy.
The EU’s responsibilities cover:
* trade in goods and services
* the commercial aspects of intellectual property, such as patents
* public procurement
* foreign direct investment