Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) - European Parliament

"In the context of the exponential growth of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the President of the European Parliament has announced a number of measures to contain the spread of epidemic and to safeguard Parliament's core activities.

On 2 April, the Conference of Presidents updated the EP's calendar of activities to introduce an extraordinary plenary session on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 April in Brussels, and additional dates for remote meetings for EP governing bodies, committees and political groups.

The current precautionary measures adopted by the European Parliament to contain the spread of COVID-19 do not affect work on legislative priorities. Core activities are reduced, but maintained to ensure that the institution's legislative, budgetary, scrutiny functions are maintained.

Following these decisions, the next AFET Committee meeting will take place on 1 September (via videoconference).

New Calendar 2020
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The EU is currently working towards updating its Arctic policy. It needs to respond to two major changes that affect the region and pose challenges to the role of the EU in the Arctic; accelerated climate change and increased geoeconomic and geopolitical competition. The EU finds itself in a rather unique position. As a supranational institution with competences in parts of the Arctic, and with Member States having territories in the region, as well as institutionalised linkages with Arctic countries Iceland and Norway — with whom the EU shares the European Economic Area (EEA) — it needs to balance sectoral policies, priority areas and addressing different Arctics. The EU should therefore create ‘more EU in the Arctic’ by broadening the scope of its existing Arctic policy, as well as incorporating ‘more Arctic in the EU’ by stipulating that the Arctic becomes a cross-cutting consideration in other relevant EU policies. In addition, the EU will need to address hard and soft security issues within existing functional, regional and global frameworks and continue engaging in dialogue and confidence-building measures with Russia. Finally, a revised EU Arctic policy needs to be proactive and ambitious, based on existing strengths and expertise within the EU. At the same time, in an Arctic that witnesses the return of geopolitics, the ‘civilian power’ EU will encounter challenges assuming its role in the region. How it narrates its future position in the Arctic will play a tangible role in negotiating this position politically.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

OPINION on artificial intelligence: questions of interpretation and application of international law insofar as the EU is affected in the areas of civil and military uses and of state authority outside the scope of criminal justice
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Urmas Paet

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 351 - Draft report Recommendation to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning the Implementation and governance of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Radosław Sikorski

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the European Parliament reiterates its deep concern at the severity of the humanitarian emergency in Venezuela.
Committee on Foreign Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On Friday the names of the MEPs who will sit on the new committees established in June were announced.
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On 13 July, AFET will debate external policy priorities with Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany. The Minister and MEPs will discuss the upcoming challenges and possible solutions, as Germany takes over the rotating presidency of the Council in a very challenging moment for the European Union.
During this Presidency, the EU will need to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects, reach an agreement on the next multiannual budget and finalise negotiations on future relations with the United Kingdom. Enlargement, Eastern and Southern neighbourhood, Africa and transatlantic relations will also be high on the foreign affairs agenda.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

OPINION on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Hannah Neumann

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Ministers are outlining the priorities of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings.
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Committee on Budgets
Committee on Budgetary Control
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on Development
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Committee on Fisheries
Committee on Petitions
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Subcommittee on Human Rights
Subcommittee on Security and Defence

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 234 - Draft opinion on a new EU-Africa Strategy - a partnership for sustainable and inclusive development
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Anna Fotyga

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The Monthly Highlights publication provides an overview, at a glance, of the on-going work of the policy departments, including a selection of the latest and forthcoming publications, and a list of future events.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On 6 July, the Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold an online hearing on the geopolitical implications of the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic has had profound geopolitical consequences that inevitably affect key aspects of EU foreign policy, including relations with major global powers, humanitarian aid, development and peacekeeping, and the fight against disinformation and cyber-attacks.
The hearing will provide AFET Members with more insights on foreign policy consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak from leading experts in the area.
Geopolitical implications of the COVID-19 crisis - online hearing
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On 6 July, the Committee on Foreign Affairs will hold an online hearing on the geopolitical implications of the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic has had profound geopolitical consequences that inevitably affect key aspects of EU foreign policy, including relations with major global powers, humanitarian aid, development and peacekeeping, and the fight against disinformation and cyber-attacks.
The hearing will provide AFET Members with more insights on foreign policy consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak from leading experts in the area.
Location : (Remote) - 2Q2 - European Parliament - Brussels
Draft programme
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

OPINION with recommendations to the Commission on framework of ethical aspects of artificial intelligence, robotics and related technologies
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Urmas Paet

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP