The European Parliament,

-  having regard to the conclusions of the informal meeting of the General Affairs Council of 2 and 3 September 2000 in Evian,

-  having regard to the provisions of the TEU on the common foreign and security policy and development policy, and the standing international commitments of the EU,

-  having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Santa Maria da Feira,

-  having regard to the communication from the Commission on the strategic objectives 2000-2005: "Shaping the new Europe” (COM(2000) 154 ),

A.  considering the ever-growing importance of EU foreign policy since the fall of the Berlin Wall, which changed the whole landscape of Europe, and, linked to this, the growing responsibility of all the European institutions, the failure of a European foreign policy that was based exclusively on an intergovernmental system and the need for a combination of intergovernmental contacts and a proper common foreign and security policy,

B.  whereas Parliament has not thus far been consulted on the priorities for EU external action,

C.  whereas the financing of these priorities will have serious implications for the EU budget,

D.  whereas it remains unclear what the respective roles of the Commission and the High Representative will be in the definition and implementation of these priorities,

1.  Notes the conclusions of the informal meeting of the General Affairs Council regretting that intergovernmentalism has been chosen, for the moment, as the common denominator of European external policies, and asks the Council to associate Parliament fully with the definition of the priorities for EU external action;

2.  Stresses that it will not accept the setting of new priorities which require the allocation of financial provisions from the EU Budget without a clear indication of the estimated cost of the action envisaged, the source of financing and, wherever necessary, an adequate revision of the financial perspective; expresses its commitment to using its political and budgetary instruments to the full to achieve these goals;

3.  Urges the Council to address matters relating to parliamentary scrutiny of the European security and defence policy (ESDP) and clearly structure the timing, the modalities and the discussion of any developments or decisions in this field;

4.  Deplores the decision by the Council to exclude ESDP documents from application of the Council's decision on access to documents,

5.  Underlines the duty of the Commission and Council, in cooperation with Parliament, to fully coordinate action in the area of foreign policy in order to improve and guarantee the consistency, effectiveness, transparency and democratic accountability of EU foreign policy, and believes that a sensible and sensitive partnership between the institutions of the Union and the Member States is needed;

6.  Underlines the need for improved coordination in the area of external action and calls for clarification of the respective roles of the Commission and the High Representative in order to improve the effectiveness and accountability of EU action;

7.  Recognises the respective roles of the Vice-President of the Commission/Commissioner for external relations and the Secretary-General/High Representative for foreign affairs and defence as complementary, where the Commission coordinates the foreign affairs aspects of EU policy according to the TEU and the High Representative is in charge of the CFSP within the Council;

8.  Calls on Member States to undertake even greater efforts to contribute to a truly European foreign and security policy, by acting jointly in international bodies, and by continuing along the lines of the Cologne, Helsinki and Feira European Council conclusions aimed at a European Security and Defence Policy;

9.  Believes that adequate funding must be allocated to supporting the further development of the common European Security and Defence Policy with regard, in particular, to its civilian dimension and conflict prevention;

10.  Draws attention to the need, in accordance with the perspectives outlined by the Treaty, to associate Parliament fully with the evolution and definition of the common defence policy;

11.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council.