// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did EU Foreign Affairs go to therapy? It had border issues.
| Committee on Foreign Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AFET |
| Type | Standing committee |
| Legislature | European Parliament |
| Parliamentary term | 10th European Parliament |
| Chair | David McAllister EPP, Germany |
| Vice-Chairs | Hana Jalloul Muro (S&D) Urmas Paet (Renew) Alberico Gambino (ECR) Ioan-Rareș Bogdan (EPP) |
| Members | 79 |
| Political composition | EPP: 21 · S&D: 15 · ECR: 9 · Renew: 8 · PfE: 9 · Greens/EFA: 6 · The Left: 5 · ESN: 3 · NI: 3 |
| Jurisdiction | Common foreign and security policy, external relations, enlargement, international agreements, human rights and parliamentary oversight of the European External Action Service |
| Counterpart | Foreign Affairs Council |
| Website | Official website |
The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) is a standing committee of the European Parliament. It is responsible for the political coordination and parliamentary oversight of the European Union's external action, including the Common Foreign and Security Policy, relations with non-EU countries and international organisations, enlargement, international agreements, democracy and human rights, and scrutiny of the European External Action Service.[1]
AFET has 79 full members during the tenth parliamentary term and is assisted by the Subcommittee on Human Rights. The Committee on Security and Defence was formerly an AFET subcommittee but became a separate standing committee in January 2025.[2][3]
Responsibilities
[edit]AFET promotes, shapes and monitors the implementation of the European Union's foreign policy. Its responsibilities include the political aspects of relations with non-EU countries and international organisations, the Union's enlargement and neighbourhood policies, international agreements, democracy support and human rights, and oversight of the European External Action Service.[4]
Its remit includes:
- the Common Foreign and Security Policy, except for matters assigned specifically to the Committee on Security and Defence;
- relations with non-EU countries and international organisations;
- the political aspects of international agreements;
- accession negotiations and the European Neighbourhood Policy;
- democratic governance, the rule of law, human rights and minority rights outside the European Union;
- coordination of parliamentary delegations and joint parliamentary committees;
- scrutiny of the European External Action Service and EU special representatives; and
- the foreign-policy aspects of the Union's budget.[4]
The committee adopts reports and recommendations, holds exchanges of views with foreign ministers, diplomats and international organisations, and examines candidates for senior external-action posts. Parliament's consent is required for many international agreements and for the accession of new member states.[1][5]
Foreign-policy scrutiny
[edit]AFET scrutinises the work of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European External Action Service and EU special representatives. It adopts an annual report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy, examines external-action expenditure and contributes to parliamentary diplomacy with non-EU countries.[6]
Through missions and parliamentary diplomacy, the committee maintains contacts with parliaments, governments and civil-society organisations outside the European Union. It also considers sanctions, conflicts, enlargement, election observation and the implementation of international agreements.[1]
Relationship with other committees
[edit]AFET is assisted by the Subcommittee on Human Rights, which deals with democracy, human rights and minority protection outside the European Union.[4]
The Committee on Security and Defence was established as an AFET subcommittee in 2004. Parliament decided on 18 December 2024 to convert it into a separate standing committee from January 2025.[3] It is therefore no longer a subcommittee of AFET. The two committees nevertheless work on closely connected areas: AFET retains responsibility for the overall political coordination of the Union's external action and the Common Foreign and Security Policy, while SEDE deals specifically with security and defence policy, defence cooperation, military and civilian missions and related capabilities.[7]
Chairs
[edit]The following table lists the chairs of the committee since 1999.
| Name | Political group | Member state | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmar Brok | EPP–ED |  Germany |
1999 | 2007 | |
| Jacek Saryusz-Wolski | EPP–ED |  Poland |
2007 | 2009 | |
| Gabriele Albertini | EPP |  Italy |
2009 | 2012 | |
| Elmar Brok | EPP | Germany |
2012 | 2017 | |
| David McAllister | EPP | Germany |
2017 | Incumbent[2] |
Members
[edit]10th Parliament, 2024–2029
[edit]The committee currently has 79 full members. Its current composition is shown below, with the chair and vice-chairs indicated in italics.[2]
Substitute members
[edit]Research support
[edit]The committee is supported by the European Parliament's research services and the Policy Department for External Relations. These services provide studies, briefings and analyses on foreign policy, enlargement, international security, sanctions, democracy support, human rights and the Union's relations with individual countries and regions.[8]
Research prepared for the committee is published through Parliament's supporting-analyses database and the European Parliament Think Tank.[9]
See also
[edit]- Common Foreign and Security Policy
- Common Security and Defence Policy
- European External Action Service
- High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
- Foreign Affairs Council
- European Union enlargement
- European Neighbourhood Policy
- European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights
- European Parliament Committee on Security and Defence
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "About the Committee on Foreign Affairs". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Members – Committee on Foreign Affairs". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Parliament creates two new standing committees and two special committees". European Parliament. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Powers and responsibilities of the Committee on Foreign Affairs". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- ↑ "The European Parliament: powers". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- ↑ "Foreign policy: aims, instruments and achievements". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- ↑ "About the Committee on Security and Defence". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- ↑ "Supporting analyses – AFET". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
- ↑ "Latest documents – Supporting analyses – AFET". European Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
External links
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