Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 11 December 2018 - Strasbourg

Annual report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy - Annual report on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (debate)

  Eduard Kukan (PPE). – Mr President, thanks and congratulations to the rapporteurs. This year showed once again that we face many challenges on the international scene, yet we can hardly fulfil our ambitions if we do not have control over our closest neighbourhoods. This goes for our strategies and actions in the eastern and southern neighbourhood and also for our relations and influence on the countries of the Western Balkans.

It is imperative for the EU to be surrounded by stable and like-minded partners. We need to stand behind the values of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as the core of our external policies. Be it in the Balkans where the situation might deteriorate, be it in our eastern neighbourhood where the situation is already tense, or be it in the south where we are facing constant challenges, we need to bring more credibility and confidence to our EU external policy.