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Committee on Foreign Affairs Ordinary meeting

10 November 2026

Contents updated on 10 Nov 2026

Committee discussion on delays in incorporating EU legislation into the EEA Agreement and their impact on the internal market and EU–EEA relations.

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Item 11 — Exchange of views on the backlog of implementing EU rules in EEA countries

04:13

Opening statements

04:13

David McAllister — Introduction to item 11 and concerns about EEA implementation backlog

04:13

Nicolas von Lingen — Commission overview of the EEA implementation backlog

07:26

Members' questions and discussion with the Commission

25:20

David McAllister — Political relevance of the backlog and opening of debate

25:20

Nacho Sánchez Amor — Statement on behalf of S&D Shadow Rapporteur Andreas Schieder

26:24

Villy Søvndal — Questions on bureaucratic obstacles, energy-related backlog and Swiss negotiations

29:03

Nicolas von Lingen — Clarifications on the dynamic nature of the EEA Agreement and energy backlog

32:17

Item 12 — Draft recommendation on the foreign policy response to external interference in the EU's neighbourhood

35:59

Presentation of the rapporteur

35:59

Geadis GEADI (rapporteur) — Presentation of the draft recommendation on foreign policy response to foreign interference

35:59

Shadows' initial comments

41:24

Miriam LEXMANN (EPP) — Call to name main perpetrators and give concrete country examples

41:24

Kathleen VAN BREMPT (S&D) — Need to explicitly identify actors, regions and link to existing work

43:55

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Renew) — Renew shadow’s remarks on foreign interference and accountability

47:36

Danilo DELLA VALLE (The Left) — Call for cooperative rather than punitive responses

50:15

Petar VOLGIN (ENS) — Critique of EU institutions’ own interference

52:29

Helmut BRANDSTÄTTER (Renew) — Need for stronger EU resilience structures and platform oversight

58:06

Exchange with EEAS and Commission representatives

01:00:51

Jakub TAMM (EEAS) — EEAS perspective on FIMI threats and response

01:00:51

Natalie PAUWELS — Commission perspective on resilience support in enlargement and neighbourhood countries

01:04:29

Shadows' initial comments (cont.)

01:07:10

Geadis GEADI (rapporteur) — Summary and call for amendments on foreign interference recommendation

01:07:10

Item 13 — Draft recommendation on reconstruction efforts as part of a comprehensive peace process and shifting paradigms in the broader Middle East

01:08:33

Presentation of the rapporteur

01:08:33

David MCALLISTER — Introduction of Item 13 on Middle East reconstruction recommendation

01:08:33

Michael GAHLER on behalf of Sebastião BUGALHO — Presentation of draft report on Middle East reconstruction and peace

01:09:40

Shadows' initial comments

01:12:04

Hana JALLOUL MURO (S&D) — Call for stronger humanitarian focus and victim-centred reconstruction

01:12:04

António TÂNGER CORRÊA (Patriots for Europe) — Reflections on two‑state solution and interim administration for Gaza

01:14:17

Leoluca ORLANDO (Greens/EFA) — Critique of EU credibility and conditionality in Middle East reconstruction

01:16:58

Özlem DEMIREL (The Left) — Call for more inclusive, critical Middle East peace and reconstruction strategy

01:18:14

Mieke ANDRIESE (Patriots for Europe) — Opposition to EU funding for Middle East reconstruction

01:20:51

Exchange with EEAS and Commission representatives

01:22:12

Vladimír JANEČEK (EEAS) — EU approach to Gaza, West Bank and the two‑state framework

01:22:12

Charles RODOT (DG NEAR) — Commission perspective on reconstruction in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza

01:26:17

Item 14 — Exchange of views on the situation in Albania

01:30:22

Opening statements

01:30:22

David MCALLISTER — Introduction to exchange of views on the situation in Albania

01:30:22

Emmanuel JOFFRE (EEAS) — Assessment of Albania's political situation and accession progress

01:33:53

Valentina SUPERTI (Commission) — Commission perspective on enlargement report and protests in Albania

01:40:33

Members' questions and discussion with EEAS and Commission on Albania

01:47:19

Andreas SCHIEDER (S&D, standing rapporteur) — Support for Albania's reforms and call for better political culture

01:47:19

Michael GAHLER (EPP) — Concerns over corruption, protests and "frontrunner" label for Albania

01:49:50

Tineke STRIK (Greens/EFA) — Environmental protection, conditionality and police violence in Albania

01:52:34

Ilaria SALIS (The Left) — Defence of Albanian protesters and democratic freedoms

01:55:51

Marco TARQUINIO — Assessment of police violence, sanctions on protesters and environmental concerns

01:58:26

Thomas WAITZ (Greens/EFA) — Root causes of protests and corruption around resort project

02:01:20

Andrey KOVATCHEV (EPP) — Conditions for Albania’s accession and handling of violence

02:04:16

Fredis BELERIS (EPP) — Concerns about justice reform, elections and media freedom in Albania

02:06:45

Emmanuel JOFFRE (EEAS) — EEAS delegation role on protests, rights and electoral framework in Albania

02:09:43

Valentina SUPERTI (Commission) — Commission assessment on justice, environment and protests in Albania

02:11:53

Chair — Conclusion of debate on Albania, any other business and announcement of next meeting

02:16:29

Informal technical exchange in the meeting room after closure

02:33:09

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Committee on Foreign Affairs Ordinary meeting

10 November 2026

AFET Tue, 10 Nov 2026 European Parliament

Follow its sittings

04:13 - 05:48

Speaker 1

Dear colleagues, not actually present in masses yet, but those who have returned from the lunch break, welcome again. We will continue today's Foreign Affairs Committee meeting with item number 11. Before I do that, I would like to warmly welcome participants of the EU Diplomatic Academy. Are you here? A warm welcome.

One of you will be the HR/VP in 20 years. Good luck with that.

And then you will enjoy coming to AFET on a regular basis. We can then kick off with item number 11. This is an exchange of views on the backlog of implementing EU rules in countries that are part of the EEA Agreement. I would like to warmly welcome Nicolas von Lingen, a regular and very popular guest in our committee, Head of Unit for the EEA, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino in the Commission's Secretariat-General. Thank you for joining us today.

Vielen Dank. The Agreement on the European Economic Area, which has been in force since January 1994, brings together us as EU Member States and the three EEA States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, in our internal market. This agreement also forms a fundamental basis for relations between the EU and our non-EU partners with whom we share values and principles of democracy, the commitment to a rules-based international order, the respect for fundamental freedoms and rights and adherence to the rule of law.

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