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Foreign Office give evidence before Lords Committee

16 September 2015

On Thursday 17 September, the House of Lords EU External Affairs Sub-Committee takes evidence from Chris Sainty, Head, Europe Directorate, and Richard Lindsay, Head of Department, Defence and International Security Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Witnesses

The evidence sessions will take place on Thursday 17 September in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster.

At 10.05am:

  • Chris Sainty, Head, Europe Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • Richard Lindsay, Head of Department, Defence and International Security Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Likely areas of discussion

The Committee will discuss the High Representative's report, the strengths and capabilities of the European Union as a foreign policy actor, the EU in the MENA region and the Eastern Neighbourhood, and the UK's influence in shaping the EU's strategic review.

Possible questions

Questions the Committee are likely to put to the witnesses include:

  • Does the UK Government support this strategic re-think of EU foreign policy, and is it a UK priority at the EU level?
  • What is the UK's view are the key foreign policy priorities and strategic interests of the Union? How do these align with UK's own foreign policy priorities?
  • What are the strengths of the Union as a foreign policy actor? Where does it add value on the international scene?
  • It seems likely that the current flow of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and North Africa is going to be part of the EU's security context in the mid to long-term. Should the EU reconsider and revise its policies towards these countries of origin and transit in the Middle East and North Africa? Where should it focus its efforts?
  • What is the Government's view of the faltering progress of the Common Security and Defence Policy? What do you diagnose as the main constraints on an effective EU military capability? Is it an important tool for EU foreign policy?

Further information

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