The EU´s inaction and silence during the war in Gaza landed a heavy and long-standing blow to the EU’s credibility in the Global South. But we now have both instruments and a window of opportunity to address it, writes S&D MEP Nacho Sánchez Amor.
Ursula von der Leyen’s flurry of diplomacy after the US-Israel strikes on Iran is very hard to ignore. In the span of one day, she had conversations with eight foreign leaders, as well as with three EU countries — greatly overdoing communications by both the president of the European Council (António Costa) and the high representative (Kaja Kallas). Here’s why this is seen as highly controversial, or even problematic, within the EU institutional system.
Each year, the European External Action Service (EEAS), responsible for coordinating the EU’s global diplomacy, is underfunded by €40m. This shortfall jeopardises the operations of 145 EU delegations worldwide, especially with heightened security needs and growing inflation.
Join journalists, civil society, and policy makers to discuss enforcing a binding global framework that marries economic pursuits with ethical imperatives.
The first opportunity to discuss the creation of a ‘Human Rights League’ will be the event organised this Thursday in the European Parliament.