Pillar Security | NEW EU COMMISSION, OLD EU PRIORITIES?
The new European Commission will be sworn in amidst one of the most challenging periods for the EU’s foreign policy and standing at the global level, with wars at both its Eastern and Southern neighbourhood. The war in Gaza and Lebanon – with its humanitarian and political implications – has added another layer of complexity to this picture, impacting directly on the relations between the EU and regional actors. Yet, especially in the Mediterranean region, new and old challenges like geopolitical competition, migration, climate change and economic growth all represent opportunities for greater cooperation. Indeed, to promote regional stability and tackle these challenges, a strengthened Mediterranean partnership must remain a strategic imperative for the European Union in the new institutional cycle. In such a context, how can the inauguration of this new political phase be leveraged to relaunch relations with the Southern Neighbourhood? What issues should the new EU Commission prioritise in its partnerships with Mediterranean countries? What old and new tools (such as the EU Global Gateway Strategy) should it utilise to tackle common challenges and build synergies? How to ensure that the new budgetary cycle will create new opportunities and perspectives for the Southern Neighbourhood?
