Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a written answer on 28 July 2026, confirmed that the forthcoming European Security Strategy (ESS) will be a joint document of the Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President, fully respecting the roles and competences of the EU and its Member States. The answer, responding to a question by S&D MEPs Nacho Sánchez Amor, José Cepeda, and Javi López, also stated that promoting democracy, the rule of law, and human rights – core EU values under Article 2 TEU – will underpin the strategy.
The MEPs had raised concerns about the legal basis of the ESS, the division of competences between the Commission and the High Representative, and whether human rights and democracy would be structural elements. They noted that foreign and security policy remains a Member State competence and that the High Representative holds the political initiative in this area, while media reports suggested the Commission was leading the process with limited involvement of the High Representative.
Von der Leyen's answer did not provide a specific legal assessment from the Commission Legal Service, nor did it detail the exact division of competences beyond stating that the ESS will be a joint policy document. The strategy, expected in the first semester of 2026, will be the first to adopt a comprehensive approach covering both internal and external security dimensions, responding to the deteriorating global security environment.
The answer signals that the Commission aims to reassure MEPs and Member States that the ESS will not encroach on national competences, while emphasising the EU's commitment to democratic values. However, the lack of concrete details on the legal basis or institutional roles may leave room for further parliamentary scrutiny. The strategy's development is likely to involve inter-institutional negotiations, with the European Parliament expected to play a role in shaping its final content.