Implementation of the common foreign and security policy: statement by David McAllister

The EU must be able to respond with greater unity and capacity to act, while defending the international rules-based order, said the Foreign Affairs Committee chair.

Following the adoption of the annual report on implementation of the EU common foreign and security policy (CFSP) for 2025, the chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister (EPP, Germany) said:

“Today, the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted this year’s CFSP report with a broad majority, setting out a clear and strategic orientation for the EU’s foreign policy at a time of rapidly growing instability. We are facing accelerating authoritarian pressure, a weakened multilateral system and rising global competition. The European Union must respond with greater unity, resilience and capacity to act.

A central priority remains the defence of the international rules-based order, including our unwavering support for Ukraine and a firm stance against any attempt to undermine sovereignty, territorial integrity or international law. Since only credible diplomacy and sustained engagement can deliver lasting stability, a coherent European approach to other ongoing crises, including in the Middle East, remains vital.

The EU’s broader strategic task is to strengthen our global partnerships, enhance our ability to deter threats, and ensure that enlargement, neighbourhood policy and cooperation with like-minded democracies serve our long-term security. At the same time, the EU must increase its visibility, sharpen its external representation and ensure that its instruments – from sanctions to strategic communication and the Global Gateway – are used effectively and consistently.

Parliament will vote in plenary on the CFSP report in January 2026.”