EU External Affairs

The EU started to develop a Common Foreign and Security Policy with the Maastricht Treaty (1993), aiming at preserving world peace, promoting international cooperation and consolidating democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

The Lisbon Treaty (2009) provided the Union with legal personality and an institutional structure for implementing these tasks through the EU’s external action. Inspired by the Church’s vision for Europe as “a promise of peace” and a “source of development”, COMECE closely accompanies the major fields of EU external policies (Common Foreign and Security Policy, Development Cooperation & Humanitarian Assistance, Trade Policy, Human Rights Policy and Neighbourhood & Enlargement Policy) and seeks to contribute to strengthening EU’s leading global role as an integrating force for a more peaceful, just, welcoming and sustainable world.

COMECE is assisted in this mission by the Commission on EU External Relations.