More coherence in EU external action: what we need is a strategy, coordination and priorities

"The failures and successes of the Union’s external policy aside, there is one major area which we always have to rebuild, it is giving coherence to the EU’s external action", said Arnaud Danjean MEP during the debate on his Report on the EU comprehensive approach and coherence of EU external action during the plenary session of the European Parliament on Thursday 3 April. The debate was the occasion for an exchange of views, the last one of the mandate, with Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Arnaud Danjean MEP said: “All organisations, the UN, NATO, the EU, want a comprehensive approach to respond to challenges and crises. The EU is the only one that has such a large range of instruments to conduct this policy: humanitarian, development, trade, the CSDP mission, military operations. We have all the instruments at our disposal to fulfil this legitimate ambition."

"But in order for the comprehensive approach to work, we need three things. We need an upstream strategy agreed together with all stakeholders. However, despite knowing that the strategy is developed on paper, it is not always enough. As we saw in the Sahel in 2011, although the strategy was well built, its implementation was much more complicated and the results were insufficient", continued Danjean.

"Secondly, a lot of coordination is needed. On this point, your role is central because you have three hats: High Representative, President of the Foreign Affairs Council and Vice-President of the European Commission. You must play your role of Vice-President of the European Commission fully to get everyone to work together. Finally, it is necessary to define priorities because the comprehensive approach does not mean a ‘geographical approach’. The EU cannot be everywhere at the same time with the same intensity and efficiency", he said, addressing the High Representative.

Arnaud Danjean paid tribute to the action of Catherine Ashton, emphasising the complexity of her mandate: "I think that critics are too often ungrateful and forget that foreign policy, diplomacy and military action remain essential prerogatives of the Member States", he concluded.

MEPs adopted Arnaud Danjean's Report by a large majority (492 in favour, 94 against and 28 abstentions).