Implementation of the common security and defence policy - annual report 2022
The European Parliament adopted by 459 votes to 93, with 85 abstentions, a resolution on the implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2022.
Context
Europe is facing the most complex combination of both military and non-military threats since the end of the Cold War, accentuated by Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. In response to these threats, the EU urgently needs to enhance the effectiveness of its foreign, security and defence policy to defend its interests, values and citizens, both within and outside its borders, to deliver peace, human security, sustainable development and democracy and to support its partners.
The Strategic Compass aims to equip the EU with the necessary strategic guidance, realistic and operational tools to move towards a coherent and credible defence policy, and to make it an effective and capable security provider and an assertive global actor. There is a new urgency to boosting EU security and defence capabilities, including building on the unprecedented support for Ukraine, most notably through the European Peace Facility (EPF), and ensuring complementarity with NATO.
Russia’s hybrid aggression makes it necessary to design the defence of a free Europe in a comprehensive and multifaceted manner incorporating all critical areas, from the improvement of traditional military capacities, to the protection of critical civilian infrastructure, supply chains and energy facilities, as well as the active fight against disinformation and cybersecurity threats.
Members also added that China has increased its defence spending over the last decade by about 600 % and is making use of its military power to intimidate and threaten its neighbours, most notably Taiwan.
Using momentum to enhance the CSDP
Members stress that the dramatic deterioration in European security calls for the EU to step up its strategic autonomy and joint efforts to achieve the necessary defence capacities and show greater willingness to continue to act in a united way to deliver the security expected by EU citizens. Member States are called on to accelerate their military assistance to Ukraine, in particular the provision of weapons in response to clearly identified needs.
Parliament remains committed to supporting Ukraine in the defence of its territorial integrity, sovereignty and European values. It called on the European Union to intensify and speed up its efforts and to provide Ukraine with all the financial and humanitarian aid and military equipment it needs to win this war, including lethal equipment and in particular heavy weapons, including Leopard tanks and modern air defence systems. The EU and the Member States are called upon to significantly reduce the gap between the military assistance ‘promised’ and that ‘delivered’ to Ukraine.
Parliament reiterated the need to further increase the EPF ceiling and to create a separate envelope under the Ukraine facility. It stressed the need to ensure continuity of support to African partners, without neglecting other priority regions, including the EU’s immediate neighbourhood. It stressed the importance of permanent structured cooperation in improving the Union's defence capabilities.
Members stressed the need for a much stronger focus across society on the response to hybrid warfare. They called for additional support for capacity building in border and crisis management for countries affected by large migratory flows. They also stressed the need to increase investment in 'green' defence, to strengthen the Union's role as guarantor of global maritime security and to significantly increase investment in arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament.
Strengthening capabilities by increased, joint and smarter spending
Parliament welcomes the EU’s ambition to strengthen its military and civilian capabilities and it stresses the need to make full and better use of EU initiatives and budgets in order to close critical capability gaps and ensure swift deployability of armed forces, replenish depleted stocks and reduce fragmentation in the defence-procurement sector and to achieve full interoperability of our forces. It welcomed the action plan on synergies between the civil, space and defence industries and called for its implementation to be stepped up.
Member States are urged to commit to a significant increase in funding for the envisaged joint EU procurement mechanisms, such as the European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act and a European Defence Investment Programme, by providing adequate funding and to take swift and thorough action in this crucial field while ensuring interoperability with NATO.
Parliament also underlines the urgent need to establish a truly European defence equipment market. It also called for a swift revision of the MFF in order to provide the necessary funds for EU instruments in the area of defence.
Reinforcing CSDP missions and operations
Members support the review and reinforcement of all civilian CSDP missions and military operations to align them more closely with the real needs of the countries concerned. They also support improving force generation and capacity building for all CSDP missions and operations, particularly those affected by the deteriorating threat landscape, by providing them with more robust and flexible mandates, as well as the necessary resources, staffing, funding, training, strategic communication tools and equipment to meet the requirements of more targeted mission objectives.
They call for the adoption of a new Civilian CSDP Compact by mid-2023 that will provide objectives on the type, number and size of civilian missions and calls for a civilian capability development process to be set up by 2024.
The EEAS is invited to re-visit the participation agreements with third countries with the aim of strengthening their participation in CSDP missions.
Systematisation of security and defence partnerships
Parliament called for the strengthening, where strategically relevant, of security and defence partnerships with like-minded partners worldwide, to match the EU's level of ambition as a guarantor of security. It called for a deepening of relations between the EU and NATO, based on the principles of inclusiveness, reciprocity, mutual openness and transparency, while respecting the decision-making autonomy and procedures of the respective organisations.
Members welcomed the EU-US security and defence dialogue as an important milestone in closer transatlantic cooperation. They also reiterated their call for institutionalised security and defence cooperation with the UK. They stressed that the security of the Union is closely linked to the security of its immediate neighbours to the east and south, as well as in the Western Balkans. It is important that candidate and potential candidate countries for membership of the Union closely align themselves with CFSP positions.
Enhancing Parliament’s scrutiny of the CSDP
The need to involve Parliament more actively in CSDP and defence industrial policy decision-making has been stressed. Members encourage proposals for further action by Parliament, and in particular its Subcommittee on Security and Defence, to improve its impact on the CSDP, and to ensure the effectiveness, consistency, democratic accountability and adequate parliamentary scrutiny of EU security and defence policy and initiatives by inter alia:
- including the Subcommittee on Security and Defence as co-deciding committee in accordance with rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament in all legislative files with substantial and relevant implications for security and defence;
- creating a fully-fledged Defence Council;
- setting up a full Committee on Security and Defence;
- reinforcing inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation with national parliaments on European security and defence to reinforce accountability and scrutiny of security and defence policy.