European Union

Evolution of the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy

The European Union’s common defence dimension has been gradually shaped through various treaties, decisions, and declarations.

• In 2000, the EU established its political and military structures: the Political and Security Committee (PSC), the European Union Military Committee (EUMC), and the European Union Military Staff (EUMS).
• The EU also took over the support structures of the Western European Union (WEU), including the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen).
• In 2003, the European Security Strategy was adopted, which for the first time defined common objectives of the Member States in addressing contemporary security threats. The same year saw the launch of the EU’s first external operations.
• In 2004, the European Defence Agency (EDA) was established, followed in 2005 by the European Security and Defence College (ESDC).
• Since 2007, the EU has maintained Battle Groups on high readiness.
• In 2009, the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, integrating defence into the EU’s founding treaties and establishing the position of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, supported by the European External Action Service (EEAS). The EU’s key principle of Common Foreign and Security Policy– that the security of each Member State remains its sole responsibility– was maintained, alongside the reaffirmation of NATO’s primacy in collective defence.
• Since 2013, defence has been a regular topic at meetings of EU Heads of State and Government (European Council).
• Following the update of the European Security Strategy in 2016, the EU’s defence policy gained new momentum. Key initiatives include the development of military capabilities within the framework of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO, established during Estonia’s Presidency in 2017), support for the European defence industry including small and medium-sized enterprises through the European Defence Fund (EDF) and its pilot programmes, enhancement of military mobility, and cooperation in cyber defence. NATO and the EU are complementary strategic partners, guided by joint declarations in 2016 and 2018.
• Between 2018 and 2021, the EU focused primarily on strengthening coordination and financing. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) was launched to help Member States better align their defence planning, and the European Commission established the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space. In 2021, the European Defence Fund became fully operational, marking the first time the EU funded joint defence research and development on a significant scale.
• Another milestone was reached in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For the first time, the EU used the European Peace Facility (EPF) to provide military aid, adopted the Strategic Compass, and agreed in the Versailles Declaration to accelerate the strengthening of defence capabilities. Since 2023, the focus has shifted to reinforcing the defence industry and joint procurement. Mechanisms such as EDIRPA (supporting joint procurement) and ASAP (increasing ammunition production) have been established.