European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP)

Background

The European Union has over the last few years extensively developed its security and defense policy, emphasizing the development of European crisis management capabilities, comprehensive approach to crisis management and closer cooperation with strategic partners.

The St. Malo declaration can be seen as the beginning of the European Security and Defense Policy. At St. Malo the Heads of State and Government of France and the United Kingdom agreed that the Union must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them and a readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises.

In 1999, the Helsinki European Council expressed its determination to develop an autonomous capacity to take decisions and, where NATO as a whole is not engaged, to launch and conduct EU-led military operations in response to international crises.

In Helsinki, the EU Member States set themselves a military capability target known as the Helsinki Headline Goal. It called for EU Member States to be able to deploy 60,000 troops within 60 days and sustain them for a year in support of the Petersberg Tasks. The Petersberg Tasks include humanitarian and rescue tasks; peacekeeping tasks; and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking. At the same time, new political and military bodies and structures were established within the Council to enable the Union to ensure the necessary political guidance and strategic direction to such operations.

The European Union conducted its first crisis management operations in 2003. The first military crisis management operations were conducted in the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia and in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first civilian crisis management operation was conducted in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Political and Security Committee (PSC) is the most important permanent ESDP body. The task of the PSC is to monitor the international situation in the areas covered by the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), to contribute to the definition of policies and to monitor implementation of the Council's decisions. Under the responsibility of the Council, the Committee also exercises political control and strategic direction of crisis management operations. It may thus be authorized by the Council to take decisions on the practical management of a crisis.

The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the highest military body set up within the Council. The EUMC provides the PSC with advice and recommendations on all military matters within the EU. It is composed of the Chiefs of Defence of the Member States, who are regularly represented by their permanent military representatives. The Chiefs of Defence meet in the committee generally two times a year or when viewed necessary.

The European Defence Agency was established by a Joint Action of the Council of Ministers in 2004. Its task is to support the Member States in their effort to improve European defence capabilities.