
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.
EU Summit a missed opportunity to make progress towards EMU
Welcoming the official endorsement by EU leaders of the single supervisory mechanism for Europe's systemic banks, as decided by ECOFIN Ministers early on Thursday morning, ALDE group leader Guy Verhofstadt said: "EU leaders...
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Iranian Human Rights activists receive EP Sakharov prize in honour of their fight for freedom
Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh and Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi have been awarded the Sakharov Prize 2012 during a ceremony in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today. They were nominated for...
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If EU leaders are not prepared to agree on how to end the crisis, they should stay at home
"Tomorrow's EU summit in Brussels lacks ambition", according to ALDE group leader, Guy Verhofstadt, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
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