On 6 October 2014, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President designate of the EC, was heard by the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament to test her general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to her portfolio. Federica Mogherini had the opportunity to make an opening statement, she took part in a question and answer session and made a closing statement. Although the Parliament can only vote on the Commission as a whole, a negative assessment of one of the candidates has in the past already led to the candidacy being withdrawn and replaced. Since 2014, Federica Mogherini has been Minister for Foreign Affairs in her country, Italy.

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

exchange of views

PREDA, Cristian Dan (EPP, RO)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

hearing

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

HOWITT, Richard (S&D, UK)

NEYTS-UYTTEBROECK, Annemie (ALDE, BE)

hearing of Federica MOGHERINI (T)

Hearing of Federica MOGHERINI (Italy), High Representative-designate of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice- President designate: MEPs questions & answers

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/12178327/I093073Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (French), Cristian Dan PREDA, Dear Ms Commissioner-designate, can I just ask, this new strategy is that going to involve a re-assessment of our strategic partnership? You touched on the subject on Russia and the words you used to describe that partnership, but there are other strategic partnership and it is a long list, what can you say on this?"

SOUNDBITE (French), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative-designate of the Union for AFET, "I think it would not be honest of me to say that I knew all of that, but I think we do need to revise our strategy because we live in a changed world. It is very different now from what it was in the past and with the COM, with the EP, with the new Commission we need to look at that together."

SOUNDBITE (English), Richard Stuart HOWITT (S&amp;D, UK), "Foreign Ministers will always put National interest first, no one should blame them for doing so, but to urge them and push them to think strategically so that we get together a better EU foreign policy."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative-designate of the Union for AFET, "We have to get out of this National interest versus European interest, we have common interests otherwise we wouldn't been together. The European Union started like this. It is a matter of values, but it is also a matter of interests. And if we get to share what is in defined ways and together. The points on which we have to work together, because it is our interest to work together and because it is the only way to achieve things that are interesting for us, I think than the work could be a little bit easier ,I'm not saying easy."

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), "What role do you envisage in forcing GCC countries particular Qatar and Saudi Arabia to desist from funding extremist Salafist groups, the ideological route of some of these problems and to ensure that Turkey makes genuine efforts to prevent Jihadist from crossing from its territory?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative-designate of the Union for AFET,  "It is a big crisis, but it is also a big opportunity for the different regional actors and powers to start working together, as they share a common threat and maybe also common interest. The same goes to Turkey, I guess I don't have time to elaborate on this, but what we have seen in the last weeks is quite incredible. The amount of refugees that Turkey was receiving already was enormous, the amount of Kurdish that in the last weeks Turkey has received is also something quite relevant. And we all know very well that in the end that we have to try to facilitate a dialogue between and among the regional powers in the region."

SOUNDBITE (English), Annemie NEYTS-UYTTEBROECK (ALDE, BE), "How do you intend to improve and to coordinate better the analysis and response capabilities of the EEAS, the Commission and the European Council?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative-designate of the Union for AFET, "Sometimes we have even too many instruments and tools, we have to rationalise and put them together. I think that the response to the crisis, we have different tool that we can rationalise and put together as well as mayor cooperation and complementarity in the different tools we have. If you think about the Humanitarian aid, if you think about the development cooperation, you think even of some other parts that do not have anything to do in principal with crisis, but prevent crisis for happening. I think about the support that we have for democracy or even trade in some parts of it. That is why we need that coordination at Commissioners level, so that we are aware that all our instruments and policies fits into one unique flow of policies that we should create all together."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative-designate of the Union for AFET, (On the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the fact that Russia has not signed it yet - what to do? Question by MEP: Sabine L&Ouml;SING, (GUE,NGL, DE)): "Russia has not signed the NPT and after the new start Treaty things are getting complicated on the nuclear side, I think we need to engage Russia again. President Obama mentioned that during his speech at the UN General Assembly, couple of weeks ago, I think that is one of the terrains on which is going to be crucial that we engage Russia, for our own security."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative-designate of the Union for AFET, (On Immigration - how can it be made safer and more respectful for immigrants to reach the shores of the EU- Question by MEP: Barbara LOCHBIHLER, (Greens/ALE, DE)): "There are more efficient and effective ways of doing that rather than waiting until that they cross the sea to do that; we have to work with the countries of origin and that is a long term strategy to stabilise, to prevent crisis or to manage crisis or to prevent dictatorship. We need to work with the countries of transit, as we can protect and assist people fleeing in different countries of transit with I think with the UN system, with the UNHCR, that could be tool together we could work on that."