By Mateusz Szymański

The European Commission’s proposal for a new ‘Global Europe’ instrument is one of the elements of the EU’s future financial framework for 2028–2034. The programme’s assumptions indicate a willingness and readiness to strengthen the Union’s role on the international stage by significantly increasing the budget, thoroughly reforming decision-making mechanisms and ensuring flexibility in spending. This is happening against a backdrop of global upheaval and associated uncertainty.

EUR 200.3 billion has been earmarked for the ‘Global Europe’ area. Although the real increase in spending is smaller once inflation is taken into account, the rise in external action spending is still significant. And no one can doubt that increased spending is necessary today. In a world of rising geopolitical tensions and the withdrawal of some countries from financing development cooperation, the EU has the opportunity to position itself as the most stable and reliable partner for peace, development and shared values.

The new instrument is intended to be a more centralised and flexible structure based on six pillars ─ five geographical and one global. This change is intended to simplify and increase responsiveness, but it also raises some questions and concerns. It is reasonable to expect that the Commission’s decisions should not lead to purely reactive measures or to the marginalisation of key priorities such as defending and promoting human rights, supporting civil society and promoting entrepreneurship.

An important element of the new strategy is Global Gateway, the EU’s flagship infrastructure and development policy. The EESC proposes that it should serve as the foundation for a broader European multilateral policy, one that can genuinely strengthen the UN system and build strategic alliances with partners worldwide. However, this will not be possible without the genuine involvement of civil society. Therefore, the functioning of the Civil Society and Local Authorities Advisory Platform should be made more effective within the framework of Global Gateway. Currently, it is inadequate and does not sufficiently involve social actors in decision-making processes.

However, it will be important for the EU to be more aware of its interests and be able to pursue them in the international arena. Therefore, the business dimension and competitiveness of the EU economy vis-à-vis other regions of the globe cannot be overlooked in policy directions. It is important, however, that strictly economic goals are balanced by the achievement of social policy objectives and the promotion of equitable development, both in the EU and in partner countries. The standards of the International Labour Organization can serve as an important compass for action in this area.

One of the biggest challenges remains ensuring coherence between external actions and EU trade policy and competitiveness. Currently, they often operate in silos, resulting in a lack of synergy between the actions taken. It is worth noting that trade policy includes important mechanisms for civil society participation which can already be used today. However, it is necessary to further strengthen the capacity of the organisations involved so they can participate even more actively in the work of these groups and cooperation platforms.

EU external policy and the resources dedicated to it cannot ignore such an important issue as that of enlargement. This process seems to be gaining new momentum. Although it will certainly not be easy, we must start building relationships and dialogue now. This is particularly important given that the integration of new countries into the community creates tensions but also opens up new opportunities. Civil society has a special role to play here, and such organisations must be supported both within the EU and in partner countries.

Global Europe can significantly strengthen the EU’s position, contribute to greater social justice and help rebuild trust in multilateralism. However, the success of the new instrument depends on full transparency, strong civil society participation, respect for fundamental values and the creation of long-term, predictable partnerships. Only in this way can the EU’s new external policy become a real tool for building a more stable, fairer and safer world. Of course, if EU leaders so decide.