On 12 May 2026, the European Parliament's EPP group submitted two amendments to the draft recommendation on the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The amendments, tabled by MEPs Andrey Kovatchev, Wouter Beke, and François-Xavier Bellamy, are narrowly targeted but politically significant. The first amendment (Amendment 20) makes no substantive change to the original text regarding the Middle East, retaining language that expresses concern over Iran's destabilising role and notes that attacks by the United States and Israel are conducted "outside of the multilateral system." The second amendment (Amendment 21) introduces a new paragraph encouraging Thailand and Cambodia to resolve disputes peacefully through diplomatic dialogue, utilising bilateral, regional, and international mechanisms in line with the UN Charter.
The amendments were submitted to the report by Andrey Kovatchev (EPP, Bulgaria), which serves as the Parliament's recommendation for the 81st UN General Assembly. The original draft text had already balanced criticism of Iran's proxies with a reference to US and Israeli actions outside the multilateral framework. The EPP's decision to retain this language indicates acceptance of a rules-based approach that criticises all parties acting outside multilateral channels. This stance likely diverges from more pro-Israel or pro-US groups (e.g., ECR, ID) that might seek to soften criticism of the US and Israel, and from more critical groups (e.g., The Left, Greens) that might want stronger condemnation.
The addition of the Thailand-Cambodia paragraph is a proactive, diplomatic initiative not present in the original text, reflecting the EPP's focus on regional stability and multilateral mechanisms. Other groups may have chosen to focus on different regional flashpoints such as the South China Sea or Myanmar.
Stakeholder impact
The amendments affect several stakeholders. EU foreign policy institutions gain a more comprehensive mandate to engage on Southeast Asian disputes, but may face increased diplomatic workload. Thailand and Cambodia could benefit from EU-facilitated dialogue, though the recommendation is non-binding. The US and Israel may view the retained criticism of their actions as a diplomatic slight, potentially straining transatlantic relations. EU civil society groups advocating for multilateralism may welcome the balanced approach, while pro-Israel groups may oppose the language.
Next steps
The amendments will be considered by the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) before a plenary vote. The final recommendation will inform the EU's position at the 81st UN General Assembly. No amendments from other political groups have been tabled yet, but further changes are possible during committee scrutiny.
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