On the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2026

(2026/2058(INI))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), and in particular Articles 2, 3(5), 14, 21, 24, 31, 36, 41 and 48 thereof,

–having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and in particular Articles 215 and 275 thereof,

–having regard to the report of 30 June 2026 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy entitled ‘Common Foreign and Security Policy Report – Our Priorities in 2026’,

–having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 November 2002 between the European Parliament and the Council concerning access by the European Parliament to sensitive information of the Council in the field of security and defence policy1,

–having regard to its recommendation of 7 July 2026 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the changing geopolitical situation in East Asia and the need for closer cooperation with like-minded partners in the region2,

–having regard to its resolution of 26 March 2026 on Global Gateway – past impacts and future orientation3,

–having regard to its resolution of 11 March 2026 on the EU enlargement strategy4,

–having regard to its recommendation of 11 March 2026 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning an enhanced EU-Canada cooperation in the light of the current geopolitical context, including the threats to Canada’s economic stability and sovereignty5,

–having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2026 on the interim report in view of the consent procedure on the Agreement establishing an association between the EU and the Principality of Andorra and the Republic of San Marino European Union6,

–having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2025 on the continuous Belarusian hybrid attacks against Lithuania7,

–having regard to its resolution of 27 November 2025 on the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement8,

–having regard to its recommendation of 26 November 2025 to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the EU’s diplomatic strategy and geopolitical cooperation in the Arctic9,

–having regard to its resolution of 8 October 2025 on EU political strategy on Latin America10,

–having regard to its previous annual resolutions on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP),

–having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2026),

A.whereas the EU faces a complex geopolitical environment that requires EU foreign policy decision-making to be more coherent, more efficient and more responsive;

B.whereas Parliament ensures the democratic scrutiny, accountability and transparency of the EU’s external action;

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1.Is alarmed by the fragmentation of the global order, escalating security risks and threats to multilateralism; underlines that the rules-based international system is key to global security and prosperity;

2.Underlines the EU’s potential as a global power; calls for a more assertive foreign policy to safeguard its strategic interests while strengthening partnerships with like-minded democracies and partners;

3.Stresses the urgent need for the EU to assume greater responsibility for its security while underscoring that NATO remains the cornerstone of collective transatlantic defence; welcomes significant increases in national defence budgets by EU Member States;

4.Reiterates that Russia, both through its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and its hybrid war against EU Member States, continues to be the most direct threat for Europe;

5.Expects that the upcoming European security strategy will propose concrete actions to foster security, counter current threats and increase resilience;

Eastern Neighbourhood

6.Reaffirms that Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine violates international law and the UN Charter;

7.Welcomes the EU’s continued political, military and financial support for Ukraine; stresses the need to reduce Russia’s war capacity, including through sanctions;

8.Demands an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory;

9.Reaffirms Ukraine’s and Moldova’s integration as a priority for the EU, welcomes the opening of negotiation clusters; calls for Ukraine to be further integrated into the EU’s security architecture;

Southern Neighbourhood and the Middle East

10.Expresses deep concern over instability in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran; urges the swift adoption of the EU Middle East strategy;

11.Calls for a credible political process for a two-state solution within the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as a shared capital; remains concerned by the humanitarian situation in Gaza and expansion of the illegal settlements in the West Bank;

12.Expresses concern about the impact of hostilities in Lebanon on civilians; demands respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity;

13.Voices concern over attacks in the Gulf region, welcomes close coordination with Gulf partners; calls on Iran to fully respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz;

14.Reiterates its call for a stand-alone EU strategy on Syria;

European partners

15.Reiterates that EU enlargement is a geostrategic investment in peace, democracy, stability and security; insists on a merit-based process and CFSP alignment;

16.Underlines that accession promotes democracy and the rule of law and protects candidate countries from malign foreign interference;

17.Encourages European leaders to pursue the establishment of a European security council in order to better coordinate urgent matters of security;

18.Highlights the close relationship with non-EU western European countries; including their alignment with EU sanctions against Russia;

19.Commends the strong partnership with the United Kingdom, the structured dialogue under the EU-UK Security and defence partnership and the biannual foreign policy dialogue; encourages regular EU-UK summits;

20.Underlines Türkiye’s strategic role as a NATO ally; is concerned about the democratic backsliding and reiterates its call for the release of opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu;

21.Expresses concern over militarisation and geopolitical competition in the Arctic; looks forward to an upgraded EU Arctic strategy;

South Caucasus and Central Asia

22.Emphasises the strategic importance of the South Caucasus; deplores Georgia's trajectory towards full authoritarianism;

23.Calls for continued EU engagement in the normalisation of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations;

24.Urges the full implementation of the EU Black Sea strategy;

25.Calls for swift action on the joint declaration following the First EU-Central Asia Summit, especially on countering sanctions circumvention;

Transatlantic engagement

26.Stresses that a robust transatlantic partnership with the United States and Canada within NATO is the cornerstone of Europe’s security architecture;

27.Encourages a constructive partnership with the United States while safeguarding EU interests; emphasises the importance of sustained US support for Ukraine’s defence; firmly rejects any attempts to undermine the sovereignty of any Member State or to interfere in its internal politics, including elections;

28.Commends the excellent state of bilateral relations with Canada and supports the deepening of cooperation through the upcoming EU-Canada Summit;

29.Encourages the EU to deepen partnerships with like-minded countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) on peace and security; expects the 2027 EU-CELAC Summit to further strengthen the EU-LAC Alliance for Citizen Security;

30.Highlights the strategic importance of the political part of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement; stresses the need to uphold the neutrality of the Panama Canal; calls for coordinated efforts to support a Venezuelan-led democratic transition of Venezuela;

Indo-Pacific

31.Reiterates that a peaceful, stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific is of vital European interest; encourages the full use of security and defence partnerships with the Republic of Korea, Japan, India and Australia;

32.Expresses concern about China’s growing display of force in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait; is concerned about China’s destabilising nuclear-capable weapons tests in the Pacific; calls for enhanced cooperation with Australia and New Zealand to bolster security in Oceania;

33.Highlights the geostrategic significance of the Pacific Island States; acknowledges their role in promoting multilateralism and upholding the rules-based international order;

34.Highlights that the 2027 EU-ASEAN Summit will mark 50 years of diplomatic relations; encourages further cooperation on security while rejecting any recognition of Myanmar’s military junta;

35.Expresses deep concern over the accelerating militarisation of China, and its military and political partnerships with Russia and North Korea; calls for a multidimensional EU strategy that combines principled diplomacy with pragmatic engagement and effective de-risking measures;

36.Calls for the swift implementation of the key deliverables from the 2026 EU-India Summit;

37.Recognises the pivotal role of Pakistan in mediating between the US and Iran;

38.Welcomes the youth movements in South Asia which have led to democratic reforms in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh;

Partners in Africa

39.Calls for an upgraded EU-Africa partnership and stronger bilateral ties with like-minded African countries based on the ‘more for more’ principle; welcomes the EU-Ghana security and defence partnership as a model for enhanced cooperation;

40.Is concerned by democratic backsliding, electoral challenges, humanitarian crises and violence in Africa, including the conflict in Sudan and worsening democratic standards in Tanzania;

Non-negotiable positions

41.Reaffirms the importance of the rules-based international order with the UN at its core; calls on the EU to coordinate efforts with partners in driving forward UN reform, notably through the UN80 initiative;

42.Reaffirms its unconditional support for the International Criminal Court; urges the EU to defend its values, based on the Treaties, as a principled global actor;

43.Stresses the need for coherent EU decision-making, including on the conditions for the operationalisation of Article 42(7) TEU;

44.Calls for an expanded EU Magnitsky-style sanctions regime with regular updates to Parliament;

Principled EU external action

45.Calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to develop a strategic communication strategy highlighting the positive impact of the EU’s external action and countering foreign disinformation;

46.Calls for the reinforcement of the European External Action Service (EEAS) with adequate financial and human resources, including in EU delegations;

47.Calls on the Commission to systematically coordinate its external action with the EEAS;

48.Calls for enhanced convergence between the diplomatic services of the EU and its Member States, in line with the ‘Team Europe’ approach;

49.Reiterates its call on the Council to gradually move to qualified majority voting for non-military CFSP decisions, balancing sovereignty concerns with the urgency of decisive EU collective action;

50.Highlights the Global Gateway’s geopolitical and geoeconomic potential; calls for improved communication, private sector mobilisation and a meaningful involvement of Parliament in its governance;

51.Recalls that Parliament has a distinct role in complementing the visibility and impact of the EU’s external action; stresses the need for stronger parliamentary oversight, including access to confidential information;

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52.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commission, VP/HR and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.