VP/HR - Resilience as a strategic priority of the external action of the EU

27.4.2017

Question for oral answer O-000034/2017
to the Commission (Vice-President / High Representative)
Rule 128
Linda McAvan, on behalf of the Committee on Development

The 2016 Global Strategy for the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS) identifies ‘State and Societal Resilience to our East and South’ as one of the five priorities for the EU’s external action. This priority will be translated into a joint communication on ‘Resilience as a strategic priority of the external action of the EU’. The EU has already defined its approach to resilience in different policy documents, notably the Commission communication on the ‘EU Approach to Resilience’ (2012), its related ‘Action Plan for Resilience in Crisis Prone Countries 2013-2020’, and the Council conclusions on resilience (2013). Promoting resilience is also part of important international agreements subscribed to by the EU, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement on climate change, or the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS). In light of the foregoing, could the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) clarify the following points?

1. Will the new initiative take forward existing EU policies on the subject and ensure their continuity (notably the existing Action Plan)? How will the new document take into consideration the lessons learned from the implementation of these policies and the results of the evaluation on resilience (initially planned for 2018)?

2. How will the EU promote the alignment of the new initiative on resilience with international commitments – and the ongoing EU actions derived from them, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement and the WHS? How will it comply with the development effectiveness principles, especially that of democratic ownership?

3. How will the new initiative promote a coherent EU approach to resilience and the complementarity of its development, humanitarian, foreign and security policies, while also safeguarding the specific mandate and objectives of each policy area – notably respect for humanitarian principles?

4. The EUGS refers to ‘state and societal’ resilience, while current policies have a clear focus on individuals, households and communities. How will this new communication ensure that the EU’s work on resilience maintains a focus on the needs of the most vulnerable populations and highlight the role of local actors and civil society? How will the key role of women in promoting resilience be addressed?

5. How will the new communication reconcile the global character of existing EU initiatives on resilience in fragile and crisis-affected countries with the intention to include specific proposals for the EU’s surrounding regions?