Paula Lamoso-González
After the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament (EP) became a co-legislatorwith the Council. Its influence, including in the Common Foreign and SecurityPolicy (CFSP), has grown through its legislative, supervisory, and budgetarypowers. The EP shapes the CFSP by scrutinising international agreements,approving the CFSP budget, and overseeing the actions of the Commissionand Council. Although formal legislative initiatives are lacking, this studyexplores the impact of the EP on CFSP agenda-setting during the 2019–2024legislature, focusing on the pilot project initiated by MEP Sánchez-Amor toestablish a European Union Diplomatic Academy (EUDA) supported by theEuropean External Action Service (EEAS). This project, already approved bythe Council, illustrates how the EP strategically uses budgetary allocations toinfluence the EU’s external action agenda. An analysis of official documentsand interviews reveals the role of the EP as a policy entrepreneur throughstrategic collaborations with institutions holding formal initiative powers.