Increasing the effectiveness of common actions

Adopting the orally amended recommendation by Mr BARON CRESPO, the Committee on Foreign Affairs stated that it intended to develop the current system of joint actions, which is considered to have had a limited impact both quantitatively and qualitatively. The aim is to improve this fundamental instrument in order to bolster the efficacy of the Union's foreign policy. The main idea contained in the recommendation is that joint actions decided on by the Council, insofar as they operate in the interests of the European Union and are prompted by the existence of substantial common interests, should be funded from the Union's budget, thereby enabling the budgetary authority to exercise democratic control. All administrative expenditure under Article J11 is non-compulsory; administrative expenditure under the CFSP should come under "Administration" and operational expenditure should come under "External Action" in the financial perspectives. Even if consultation of the European Parliament would appear difficult to reconcile with the demands inherent in foreign policy actions (confidentiality, speed), Parliament must be given greater involvement in the form of information from the relevant committee. Recommendations in connection with the CFSP adopted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs are entered on the agenda for the session following their adoption and are considered to be adopted unless opposed by one-tenth of the Members of the European Parliament, in which case they are tabled for voting in plenary.�