The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted today on two Reports on defining EU Foreign Policy instruments for the financing of the EU's bilateral relations. This will be the new key tool of the Union to provide support to the 16 partner countries located East and South of its external borders for the period 2014-2020.

The two Reports are: 'Establishing a Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries', drafted by Mario Mauro MEP, and 'Establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument', drafted by Eduard Kukan MEP.

"I think this Partnership Instrument is very important because it has a strategic role within the EU's external action. We must build this tool on the basis of the EU's strategic interests, establishing concrete activities, and the programmes and objectives that can be pursued through this instrument. The Partnership Instrument must be able to offer its support to European foreign policy and must be a consequence of the latter", said Mario Mauro MEP.

"Our objective is to strengthen the values-based approach in this Instrument, which should first of all promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, strengthen democracy, good governance and rule of law. I see the necessity to build this instrument around principles of 'differentiation' and 'more for more' which should create incentives for supporting democracy-oriented reforms in our neighbourhood", said Eduard Kukan MEP.

For further information:

Mario MAURO MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845387

Eduard KUKAN MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845216

Francesco Frapiccini, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-473-941652

Atilla Agárdi, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-475-750272

Notes to Editors:

The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 271 Members and 3 Croatian Observer Members.