Lessons from Atalanta and EU counter-piracy policies

Beginning with the premise that there is a need for a single EU piracy coordinator, two experts' group meetings (23-24 March, Paris and 17 June, Brussels) looked at what this person, whether ambassador or special envoy, should be aiming to achieve. This could range, inter alia, from the maintenance of counter-piracy high on the EU foreign policy agenda, to ensuring strategic coherence in EU counter-piracy policies, and to the promotion of enhanced coordination within Member States’ national transport, justice, defence and foreign affairs ministries.

The meetings further looked at how the European External Action Service and, above all, the Political and Security Committee could revive quasi-dormant Rules of Engagement to be used when needed, with appropriate political control and called for a more open and constructive cooperation between the various bodies involved in the various stages which ultimately lead to action.