Common Security and Defence Policy

The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is the <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a>'s (EU) course of action in the fields of defence and <a href="/facts/Defence_diplomacy/L2x5Jr4o">crisis management</a>, and a main component of the EU's <a href="/facts/Common_Foreign_and_Security_Policy/HxRGaWWW">Common Foreign and Security Policy</a> (CFSP).
The CSDP involves the deployment of <a href="/facts/List_of_military_and_civilian_missions_of_the_European_Union/P5snHIST">military or civilian missions</a> to preserve peace, prevent conflict and strengthen international security in accordance with the principles of the <a href="/facts/United_Nations_Charter/Dhk2QRBA">United Nations Charter</a>. Military missions are carried out by <a href="/facts/Defence_forces_of_the_European_Union/vMM3HQP5">EU forces</a> established with secondments from the <a href="/facts/Member_state_of_the_European_Union/hsFC1pJH">member states</a>' armed forces. The CSDP also entails <a href="/facts/Alliance/gDp6GpaD">collective self-defence</a> amongst member states as well as a <a href="/facts/Permanent_Structured_Cooperation/edAkGuJl">Permanent Structured Cooperation</a> (PESCO) in which 26 of the 27 national armed forces pursue structural <a href="/facts/European_integration/nrHkmsE1">integration</a>. The <a href="/facts/Structure_of_the_Common_Security_and_Defence_Policy/yl7ke8kJ">CSDP structure</a> – headed by the Union's <a href="/facts/High_Representative_of_the_Union_for_Foreign_Affairs_and_Security_Policy/Lqb5Joc1">High Representative</a> (HR/VP), <a href="/facts/Kaja_Kallas/ewhnxtpJ">Kaja Kallas</a>, and sometimes referred to as the European Defence Union (EDU) in relation to its prospective development as the EU's defence arm – comprises:

<ul><li>the <a href="/facts/European_Commission/Cc5JgbEI">European Commission</a>'s <a href="/facts/Directorate-General_for_Defence_Industry_and_Space/VeFbuWBo">Defence Industry Directorate-General</a></li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/European_External_Action_Service/JNI3UXAP">External Action Service</a>'s (EEAS) <a href="/facts/Crisis_Management_and_Planning_Directorate/IpXIGp3C">Crisis Management and Planning Directorate</a> (CMPD) and permanent Operation Headquarters (OHQs) for <a href="/facts/Command_and_control_structure_of_the_European_Union/RJ65WQKF">command and control</a> (C2) at the military/civilian strategic level, i.e. the <a href="/facts/Military_Planning_and_Conduct_Capability/wagIKoPV">MPCC</a> and <a href="/facts/Civilian_Planning_and_Conduct_Capability/DfUaW2TE">CPCC</a>.</li>
<li>a number of <a href="/facts/Foreign_Affairs_Council/qesRzpNW">Foreign Affairs Council</a> (FAC) preparatory bodies – such as the <a href="/facts/European_Union_Military_Committee/hUYGba3p">Military Committee</a> (EUMC)</li>
<li>four <a href="/facts/Agencies_of_the_European_Union/clAe0mpu">agencies</a>, including the <a href="/facts/European_Defence_Agency/bImpx5Gq">Defence Agency</a> (EDA).</li></ul>
The EU command and control structures are much smaller than the <a href="/facts/North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organization/dCeTddMY">North Atlantic Treaty Organization</a>'s (NATO) Command Structure (NCS), which has been established for territorial defence. It has been agreed that NATO's <a href="/facts/Allied_Command_Operations/dsCC93HM">Allied Command Operations</a> (ACO) may be used for the conduct of the EU's missions. The MPCC, established in 2017 and to be strengthened in 2020, is the EU's first permanent military OHQ. In parallel, the <a href="/facts/European_Defence_Fund/3mVnzrcK">European Defence Fund</a> (EDF, established in 2017) marks the first time the <a href="/facts/Budget_of_the_European_Union/UCH2G5Q9">EU budget</a> is used to finance multinational defence projects.
Decisions relating to the CSDP are proposed by the High Representative, adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council, generally requiring unanimity, to be then implemented by the High Representative.

Common Security and Defence Policy open-in-new

Common Security and Defence Policy