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PRIORITY

Security: A European Security Pact

In a world in turmoil, faced with wars, pandemics, increased criminality and cyber threats, we call for a European Security Pact for a Europe that protects its citizens. We know what needs to be done; now, it is time to deliver. We need a true common European Defence, compatible with NATO, and to invest in the defence technologies of the future. We have to better protect our external borders and better manage migration flows, but also to ensure our internal security when it comes to fighting terrorism, organised crime as well as space and cyber threats. Faced with a new geopolitical order, Europe must also protect our interests by understanding and reinforcing our role in the world, speaking with one voice on the global stage. In the next legislative term, we want a European Security Pact to protect all Europeans.

Security: A European Security Pact

Protecting

  • Our external borders with FRONTEX as a fully-fledged coast and border guard, equipped with implementation powers. We defend and promote the New Pact on Migration and Asylum to fight human traffickers, stop illegal migration, and address the root causes of migration through common European solutions, such as physical infrastructures, and agreements with neighbouring countries like Tunisia or Morocco.
  • Our strategic industries from unfair competition as well as our critical infrastructure against foreign take-overs and illegitimate pressures from autocratic countries. This includes the design of a European Ports Strategy to protect maritime ports.
  • Our children in the digital space, by creating a safe online environment with a European Action Plan against cyberbullying and child abuse. Bullying in the online space should be considered a criminal offence all over Europe.
  • Our girls and women, by criminalising violence against women everywhere in Europe and applying the same standards to punish perpetrators.
  • Our rule of law, with a new Rule of Law Instrument for Europe in the hands of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU): the CJEU would be tasked with a regular review of the state of play within Member States and the power to impose sanctions, including financial sanctions, if necessary. We must avoid the rule of law from being politically misused or ignored by any Member State.

Creating

  • The momentum for the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) to be deepened in order to work towards a European Defence Union with integrated European forces on land, sea and air by 2030, complementing national military forces, aligned with NATO’s new force model, with a rapid deployment capacity of a permanent and immediately available force. This force should be gradually extended towards a European Corps by assigning additional troops and force elements coming from the Member States, deepening their operational links and interoperability. We should promote the Common Security and Defence Policy and revive Europe’s military industry, ensure military mobility across the EU and step up Member States’ national spending on defence and new joint investments.
  • A true European Defence Union with a dedicated and increased budget, a European Defence Commissioner, and a Defence Formation in the Council of the EU.
  • A European Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to boost and promote research in innovations and technologies of the future for defence purposes. At the same time, we want to remove obstacles to financing European defence companies and achieve the goal of 35% joint procurement of defence equipment.
  • A joint civil-military headquarter on a European level that combines the civil and military instruments in order to make full use of the EU’s integrated approach in crisis management right from strategic planning to the actual conduct of the mission or operation.
  • A fully operational European Cyber-brigade to fight cyber-attacks, and new forms of hybrid warfare from terrorists, organised crime, foreign interference and disinformation, protecting our critical infrastructure, media freedom and the independence of the judiciary.
  • A long-term, forward-looking EU Security Strategy towards China, the Mediterranean and Africa. Europe must proactively define its role in the world and assert its interests, especially when it comes to uncontrolled migration, energy and supply of raw materials, and tackling the rise of authoritarianism, developing its resilience and effective early warnings before conflicts arise. A European Security Council, comprised of Member State ministers responsible for internal and external security, should be created to swiftly respond to emergencies and develop an integrated approach to conflict and crisis.

Strenghtening

  • Europol to become “Eurocops”: a fully operational police agency with enforcement powers when it comes to fighting terrorism, child abuse, corruption, and combating cross-border organised crime, including human trafficking and smuggling of drugs and weapons. We support the principle of free movement, but there should be no free movement for criminals. We also want to improve the protection of victims of terrorism and strengthen the European Arrest Warrant.
  • Our democracy, defending it against disinformation and foreign interference, safeguarding the independence of our judicial systems, media freedom and the functioning of our democratic institutions. Europe must remain at the forefront of global democracy support and - together with NATO - create a Centre for Democratic Resilience.
  • EU diplomacy, bringing it to the 21st century: we want to establish an EU Foreign Minister, give the External Action Service a stronger role, promote an EU common seat within the multilateral United Nations system and other multilateral institutions and move from unanimity to qualified majority in Foreign and Security Policy decisions.
  • Our citizens with a European Civil Contingencies Resilience Plan to enhance the resilience of Europeans in the event of crises, such as COVID-19, and to make sure local and state authorities can react faster and in a targeted way to emergencies.
  • Ukraine and our Eastern neighbours against the Russian war of aggression. We want to reach sustainable peace with a robust strategy towards Russia and a joint EU-NATO European Security Shield. A forward-looking European enlargement strategy for Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans that evaluates each candidate country individually based on concrete results while safeguarding the necessary integration capacity of the Union.
publications 27.03.2024

Modernisation agenda

Explore the priorities of the EPP Group's Modernisation Agenda for a united and secure Europe with economic strength and social responsibility. We want to ensure that every European, regardless of their background, has a fair chance to earn a living...

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