Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) his European counterparts about updating the European Security Strategy; and if he will make a statement. [181023]

Mr Lidington, Minister of State for Europe: I have had no discussions with the European Commission about updating the European Security Strategy. I had discussed the issue with a number of EU partners, as part of wider discussions on European defence, ahead of the 19-20 December European Council. We did not reach agreement on updating the European Security Strategy. Instead, Council Conclusions invited:

“the High Representative, in close cooperation with the Commission, to assess the impact of changes in the global environment, and to report to the Council in the course of 2015 on the challenges and opportunities arising for the Union, following consultations with the Member States.”

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