EU High Representative Federica Mogherini presented yesterday to the European leaders at their Summit in Brussels the new Global Strategy for the EU´s Foreign and Security Policy. COMECE, who actively participated in the reflection process, welcomes the document and hopes for its proper and effective implementation.

Despite a packed crisis agenda at the EU Summit, EU High Representative Federica Mogherini presented yesterday to the European Council the EU Global Strategy which she was mandated with by the European Heads of State one year ago. The COMECE Bishops issued last 14 June a report on “Europe´s Vocation to Promote Peace in the World”. The new EU Global Strategy reflects several of the recommendations put forward in COMECE´s contribution.

Particularly welcome is the explicit reference in the Strategy to “pre-emptive peacebuilding” as the major priority of an integrated approach to conflicts and crisis which is based on the notion of “human security”. The document also entails ideas for a joined-up use of policy instruments for promoting justice and ensuring security.

The Strategy emphasises the need for better policy coherence and coordination across European institutions and Member States, and calls for a stronger adherence to the founding values of the European Union. It offers a robust and ambitious vision for EU´s role in its neighbourhood and in the world by recalling the principles of strategic partnership, regional cooperation and an effective and reformed global governance.

COMECE also salutes the fact that the Global Strategy recognises inter-religious dialogue and inter-faith diplomacy as important tools in the prevention and settlement of conflicts.

It is, however, regrettable that the European Heads of State did not bestow on the Global Strategy that level of ownership as on its predecessor, the Security Strategy from 2003, by merely “welcoming the presentation of the Global Strategy” without formally adopting it.

Nevertheless, COMECE hopes that this will not lower the level of commitment of EU Member States and European institutions who share a common responsibility for a proper and effective implementation of the Strategy. It forms a solid basis for an integral European External Action but it needs to take shape in subsequent sub-strategies and actions.

COMECE with its Commission on the External Relations of the EU which functions at the same time as a working group of the Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions, will closely accompany the follow-up process and seek to actively contribute to its further development.  SOURCE