
Promoting a coherent European strategy in the World
The development of a coherent European foreign policy is essential if the Union is to play a role in the world. The Union must focus on its traditional strengths and put a very strong and special emphasis on human rights and democracy promotion. Foreign policy must always promote and defend European values and in a way that reflects the uniqueness of the European Union.
The development of the External Action Service will be a key element in providing the Union with the tools for greater coherence and efficiency. The Union must develop its foreign policy potential enabling it to act in a way commensurate with its weight in financing development and peace building policies.
The Union must also have a clear agenda of human rights and bring its experience in conflict resolution and crisis management to bear. The Union must also be involved in humanitarian relief missions where either human conflict or nature have caused devastation.
Finally, the Union must develop its defence procurement thereby enabling the emergence of a truly common defence market, strengthening European defence and its technological and industrial base through the exploitation of economies of scale and ensuring European forces benefit from the best equipment when sent on ESDP missions.
ALDE welcomes Schengen 'health check' to enhance Member States' cooperation
Today the European Commission presented its first ever Schengen 'health check', a biannual overview of the functioning of the area of free movement, with the aim of ensuring a coherent interpretation and implementation of the...
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Homophobia remains a stain on our free and open society
On the eve of the International Day against Homophobia, the Group of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament (ALDE) calls on EU institutions, Member States and international organizations to continue the fight against...
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MEPs oppose any weakening of Schengen acquis
Today the European Parliament's Civil liberties committee (LIBE) voted to amend the common rules on the reintroduction of controls at internal borders in exceptional circumstances. A Regulation was proposed by the Commission to...
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