1. Calls on the EU and its Member States to address the root causes of the rapidly deteriorating situation across the MENA region through a holistic and ambitious approach; supports the international campaign against ISIL/Da’esh and welcomes the commitment of the coalition partners to working together under a common strategy; welcomes, in particular, the action taken by the EU Member States participating in the international coalition against ISIS, whether in the form of military strikes or through logistical, financial and humanitarian participation; calls, however, for increased mobilisation in all spheres and emphasises the need for better-articulated actions; notes that these actions could usefully be coordinated under the auspices ...[+++]of the EU, if necessary as part of a Common Security and Defence (CSDP) operation, and to this end calls on the EU to develop sufficient operational capacity and to put in place a true common European defence; stresses, however, that a tailored response must be found, based on political and cross-regional differences, to the issue of combating ISIL/Da’esh, the al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups; calls on the EU to take on the role of main facilitator of a regional dialogue involving all regional stakeholders, in particular the LAS, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran; recalls the importance of addressing the legitimate demands of local populations, notably as expressed during the Arab uprisings of 2011, with a view to ensuring the long-term stability of the region; notes the recent announcement by the LAS of the formation of a standing rapid-response unit, with a particular emphasis on fighting ISIS and other emerging terrorist groups;

1. Calls on the EU and its Member States to address the root causes of the rapidly deteriorating situation across the MENA region through a holistic and ambitious approach; supports the international campaign against ISIL/Da’esh and welcomes the commitment of the coalition partners to working together under a common strategy; welcomes, in particular, the action taken by the EU Member States participating in the international coalition against ISIS, whether in the form of military strikes or through logistical, financial and humanitarian participation; calls, however, for increased mobilisation in all spheres and emphasises the need for better-articulated actions; notes that these actions could usefully be coordinated under the auspices ...[+++]of the EU, if necessary as part of a Common Security and Defence (CSDP) operation, and to this end calls on the EU to develop sufficient operational capacity and to put in place a true common European defence; stresses, however, that a tailored response must be found, based on political and cross-regional differences, to the issue of combating ISIL/Da’esh, the al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups; calls on the EU to take on the role of main facilitator of a regional dialogue involving all regional stakeholders, in particular the LAS, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran; recalls the importance of addressing the legitimate demands of local populations, notably as expressed during the Arab uprisings of 2011, with a view to ensuring the long-term stability of the region; notes the recent announcement by the LAS of the formation of a standing rapid-response unit, with a particular emphasis on fighting ISIS and other emerging terrorist groups;

With regard to the EU Defence Equipment Agency proposals, the Convention's defence working group included among its recommendations the creation of an agency for cooperation in strategic research in the field of armaments.

– (FR) Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, as a member of the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, I do of course share many of the concerns held by the majority of my group. Like them, I am particularly concerned by one question. How can we possibly develop a defence structure when we have not yet established a common foreign policy?

– having regard to the final reports of working group VII "external action of the EU" and working group VIII "defence" of the European Convention of 16 December 2002 - CONV 459/02 and CONV 461/02,

– (ES) Mr President, Commissioner, as Christian Democrats, and as the PPE-DE Group, our commitment to the defence of the value of human life and dignity, and the defence of the fundamental rights and freedoms required for that dignity, lead us once again to vigorously condemn the violations of human life and dignity represented by the death sentences – and, what is more, death by stoning – handed down in strict application of Islamic law; and to urge the authorities responsible to show clemency in order to prevent the ignominy of the execution of such se ...[+++]ntences.