Security and defence

The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is an integral part of EU foreign policy. Through its military operations and civilian missions, the EU has contributed to regional and global stability. Since it's inception, the CSDP has responded to a shifting regional security context. It has played a vital role in crisis management in the EU's near and wider neighbourhood but it is also an essential part of the EU's broader approach to the protection of Europe and capacity building.

Although the Lisbon Treaty consolidated the EU's crisis management apparatus, the EU Global Strategy has set a new level of ambition for EU defence. In addition to the CSDP playing an operational role in the EU's integrated approach to crises, the EU Global Strategy has stressed the need for the EU to become a more capable and effective defence actor. Initiatives such as the European Defence Fund, the coordinated annual defence review (CARD) and more coherent financing for EU operations and capacity building efforts are all aimed at supporting the EU's strategic autonomy and the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. The EUISS continues to support the development of CSDP through outreach activities and expert publications.

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16September 2019
Daniel Fiott invited to PMG informal meeting
Daniel Fiott was invited by the EU’s Politico-Military Group (PMG) to Helsinki to participate in an informal discussion about the future strategic challenges and opportunities facing EU security and defence.
03September 2019
Stress tests
Briefs
By
Daniel Fiott
The EU increasingly makes use of crisis scenarios to forecast the future and identify capability gaps. This Brief shows how simulations and exercises can only add value to preparedness efforts when they are but one element of a wider crisis response architecture.
09August 2019
The EU and NATO
The essential partners
Books
Edited by
Gustav Lindstrom, Thierry Tardy
With contributions from
Daniel Fiott, Christian Kaunert, Bruno Lété, Alexander Mattelaer, Hanna Smith, Simon J. Smith, Bart M.J. Szewczyk, Ori Wertman, Katharine A.M. Wright
The EUISS and the Research Division of the NATO Defense College joined forces to examine NATO-EU cooperation from a variety of angles. Specifically, this publication analyses interaction between both organisations by focusing on the main areas of cooperation identified in the two Joint Declarations.
19July 2019
Civilian CSDP “fast forward”: workshop on the implementation of the civilian CSDP Compact
On 19 July 2019, the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the EUISS organised a workshop in Brussels on the implementation of the Civilian CSDP Compact.
18July 2019
EUISS Yearbook of European Security 2019
Books
By
Daniel Fiott
The 2019 Yearbook of European Security provides an overview of events in 2018 that were significant for European security and charts major developments in the EU’s external action and security and defence policy.
14June 2019
Towards ‘European sovereignty’ in security and defence?
The EUISS and DGRIS co-organised a seminar in Paris focusing on ‘European sovereignty’ in security and defence.
12June 2019
Artificial Intelligence: what kind of strategic enabler for EU security and defence?
The EUISS co-organised a conference in Brussels on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and EU security and defence.
03June 2019
14th High-Level Course on CSDP
From 3-4 June 2019, the EUISS supported the (ESDC, the National University of Public Service of Hungary and CEPOL with the 14th CSDP high-level course 2018-2019.
30April 2019
Protecting Europe
The EU’s response to hybrid threats
Chaillot Papers
By
Daniel Fiott, Roderick Parkes
This Chaillot Paper seeks to provide practical and operational insights on how the EU can best respond to and counter hybrid threats. It focuses on three key policy domains that are of vital significance in a hybrid context – borders, critical infrastructure and disinformation.
11April 2019
The security implications of Artificial Intelligence
On 11 April 2019, Daniel Fiott was invited by the EU’s Political and Security Committee (PSC) to participate in a lunch debate on Artificial intelligence (AI).

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24January 2014
EUFOR RCA Bangui: 'defence matters'
Alerts
By
Thierry Tardy
With the decision to launch EUFOR RCA Bangui, EU member states appear to be displaying a willingness to inject new momentum into crisis management in sub-Saharan Africa. But how likely is it that the situation in the CAR will be sufficiently stable in six months to allow the EU to declare victory and hand over to AU forces or the UN?
20December 2013
European defence – to be continued
Alerts
By
Antonio Missiroli
In the final alert of 2013, EUISS Director Antonio Missiroli offers his take on the Conclusions of the European Council on defence. Can its outcome be considered a turning point for European defence? And what developments lie on the horizon of a debate that is far from over?
19December 2013
Peacebuilding in 3D: EU and US approaches
Chaillot Papers
By
Eva Gross
This Chaillot Paper examines the concept of peacebuilding and the emergence in recent years of a comprehensive approach to conflict management that combines both civilian and military instruments. It highlights the importance of peacebuilding as a foreign policy goal and analyses US and EU approaches to the issue, focusing on the likely future trajectory of transatlantic cooperation in this area.
22November 2013
What EU citizens think about European defence
Briefs
By
Olivier de France
On the face of it, there is overwhelming support in Europe for a common foreign and defence policy. But is there agreement on what a 'European defence policy' might actually mean? Or do EU citizens only favour common action when it is 'common' on their own terms? To provide some answers, this brief takes a detailed look at the polls on the matter and explores the assumptions that underlie them.
22November 2013
Broader challenges, smaller budgets: the future of the US military
Alerts
By
Jan Joel Andersson
This alert examines the priority reforms identified by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in order ensure that the US military remains ready to counter the full range of future threats. With smaller budgets forcing European governments to make difficult choices, are there lessons to be drawn from Hagel’s observations?
21November 2013
YES 2013 – Gekürzte Ausgabe – deutsch
Books
By
Antonio Missiroli
Die gekürzte Ausgabe des Yearbook of European Security (YES) auf Deutsch beinhaltet grundlegende Fakten, Grafiken, Chroniken und Karten mit Blick auf die externe Sicherheit der EU. Sie gibt einen umfassenden Überblick über die sicherheitspolitischen Aktivitäten der EU in den Jahren 2011 und 2012.
21November 2013
YES 2013 – Version abrégée – français
Books
By
Antonio Missiroli
La version abrégée du Yearbook of European Security (YES) en français propose des faits, chiffres, chronologies, documents et cartes essentiels à la compréhension de la politique de sécurité de l’Union européenne au cours des années 2011 et 2012.
15November 2013
EU Battlegroups – ready to go?
Briefs
By
Anna Barcikowska
The EU Battlegroups (BGs) reached full operational capability on 1 January 2007. However, they have never been deployed since, raising serious doubts about the viability of the overall initiative. This brief examines how, if the EU member states really want the Battlegroups to be Europe’s flagship military rapid response tool, they may have to address the challenges that continue to plague the BGs’ credibility and effectiveness.
15November 2013
Ten years of EU military operations
Briefs
By
Katarina Engberg
On the eve of the European Council´s summit on defence, the EU´s six military operations to date can be considered to have been carried out with a certain degree of success. This brief examines how the Union still has room to grow as a European security provider in the context of an international division of labour for military crisis management.
06November 2013
CSDP between internal constraints and external challenges
Reports
By
Eva Gross, Anand Menon
This report is based on a conference on European defence jointly organised by the EUISS and King’s College London in September. It focuses on CSDP with a view to informing official debates leading up to the upcoming European Council meeting in December. In particular, the report stresses the importance of EU member states strengthening their political and financial commitment to CSDP, as well as the key role of the EU institutions in fostering cooperation and coordination.

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18February 2018
2018 Munich Security Conference – ‘What If…’ Designing Crisis Response in an EU Context
On 18 February 2018, the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) organised a side-event at the 2018 edition of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) at the Bayerischer Hof in Germany.
26January 2018
Arms transfers, defence markets, and the new dynamics in EU-Asia relations
On 26 January 2018, the EUISS organised a public conference to present a report on Chinese and Russian defence industries and to discuss the issue of European arms exports to Asia.
25January 2018
5th CSCAP EU Committee Meeting
On Thursday 25 January, the CSCAP EU Committee convened for its fifth annual meeting in Brussels. The Committee held a workshop on arms exports, defence markets, and new dynamics in EU-Asia relations.
13December 2017
Building on vision, forward to action: Delivering on EU security and defence
On 13 December 2017, the EUISS and the European External Action Service (EEAS) held a joint conference on EU security and defence.
12December 2017
Towards a more strategic approach to CSDP cooperation with partner countries
On 12 December, in cooperation with the EEAS/CMDP1, the EUISS organised an informal workshop to identify priorities for strengthening CSDP cooperation with partner countries.
16November 2017
EUISS and the Munich Security Conference sign MoU
On 16 November 2017, the EUISS and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) formalised cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding.
02October 2017
Hybrid threats and the EU - State of play and future progress
On 2 October 2017, the EUISS and the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU organised a high-level conference on hybrid threats. During three panels focusing on the current state of play, cyber resilience and strategic communications, the conference encouraged debate about the efforts made by the EU to counter hybrid threats.
30May 2017
The EUGS one year on: Challenges to European security – and EU responses
This EUISS event launched two new EUISS publications at the one-year mark of the issuance of the EU Global Strategy. With the EUISS ‘Yearbook of European Security’ as the go-to source for facts and figures relevant to the EU and its external action, and ‘After the EUGS: building resilience’ as the third in the series of the EUISS books devoted to the EU Global Strategy and its implementation.
19May 2017
Security Sector Reform in the Southern Neighbourhood
The seminar discussed a more tailored approach to Security Sector Reform (SSR) in the EU’s South, looking at challenges in the fields of criminal justice, policing, border control, and counter-terrorism.
27April 2017
Shared vision, common action, stronger Europe: Is the implementation of the EU Global Strategy meeting expectations?
The EUISS and the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU organised a high-level conference on the EU Global Strategy (EUGS). Following a panel focusing on how the EUGS has driven the EU’s and member states’ foreign policy since June 2016, the conference encouraged debate on the security and defence aspects of the EUGS and the EU’s crisis management strategy for Libya.

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