European Union's role worldwide: annual debate 1997, financing the CFSP and the budget

OBJECTIVE: in accordance with point L of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16.07.1997 on the financing of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (see COS0439), to present an annual report on the main aspects and fundamental choices of the CFSP, including budgetary aspects. This report supplements the chapter on external relations in the annual report on the progress of the European Union presented to Parliament pursuant to Article D of the Treaty on European Union. SUBSTANCE: The document meets the wish expressed by the European Parliament in the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA) of July 1997 that it should be fully informed about the policies pursued by the Union under the CFSP and their financial implications. It is the first report of its kind, and relates to CFSP measures adopted between the signature of the IIA and 01.03.98. It summarizes activities carried out in this framework, incorporating all the common positions and joint actions of the Council and the Decisions concerning their implementation. It also incorporates all the declarations, official démarches and other initiatives adopted as part of the political dialogue with third countries. In the budgetary sphere, the report covers all expenditure arising from the legal acts concerned. There are 4 priority fields: 1) The Western Balkans and, in particular, the peace and democratization process in Bosnia-Herzegovina; 2) The Middle East peace process; 3) non-proliferation and measures against antipersonnel land mines; 4) Africa and, in particular, the crises in the Great Lakes region and support for the OAU. Other common positions and declarations were adopted which did not entail any budget expenditure but helped to maintain the Union's foreign-policy profile. The Council's document also contains a section concerned more with the future, taking a look at forthcoming priorities. As a prelude to these priorities, the Council says that in future the Union should demonstrate its ability to respond rapidly to international problems or events with CFSP relevance, to enable it to establish its credibility on the international scene. This reaction capacity also implies greater rapidity in mobilizing appropriations. The report mentions other collateral priorities, such as that of continuing support for the Union's special envoys to various parts of the world and specific measures in the following fields: -support for the democratic transition in the Balkans and the Congo (budget heading B8-010), -continuing the mandates of certain of the Union's special envoys and appointment of new envoys as needed (B8-011), -support for mine clearance operations (B8-012), -conflict prevention and support for the peace process in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa (especially Rwanda) (B8-013).