About

Welcome to the website of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).

In 1993, member states committed themselves to a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). In the last 30 years, the European Union has boosted its global presence and increased its diplomatic outreach with third countries, especially through the European External Action Service and its network of Delegations around the world.

Within the last years, the role of the European Parliament in the EU's external action has grown, gradually evolving from a marginal to a substantial one, combining our legislative and budgetary powers with multiple forms of engagement with third countries.

The 79 Members of this Committee promote, shape and monitor the implementation of the EU's CFSP. We do so by providing recommendations through reports and opinions, by exchanging views with counterparts in non-EU countries during missions or by exercising our authority over the annual CFSP budget. The Committee also needs to give consent to international agreements negotiated by the Commission on behalf of the EU.

Given our wide network of contacts, we have a distinct role to play in complementing the visibility and the impact of the EU's foreign and security policy - alongside the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Commission and the diplomatic services of the Member States. Jointly, the Committee aims to ensure the overall political coordination, the unity, consistency and effectiveness of the Union's external action.

I invite you to regularly check the news and announcements on this website to discover more details about our ongoing work and to watch our meetings via live web stream.

David McAllister MEP

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee