On November 15th the European Council reuniting the European foreign affairs and defence ministers met to discuss the adoption of the first EU Strategic Compass. The document elaborated by the European Union’s High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security with member states’ contribution aims to answer three key questions:

    Which challenges and threats do we face?

    How can we better pool our assets and manage them effectively?

    What is the best way to project Europe’s influence as both a regional and global actor?

In a constantly evolving world with competing interests and values, the EU’s High Representative declares that ‘the EU must become a security provider because that’s what European citizens want – to be protected by the Union’.

To move to action, the Strategic Compass is formulated as a guide to action, concrete steps: ‘It would be stupid on my part to present a plane that wouldn’t fly,’ Josep Borrell  about the document. The short-term nature of the implementation makes it clear how urgently EU action is needed in the field of defence. The focus is on a ‘Rapid Deployment Capacity’ for the entire spectrum of measures provided for in the EU treaties. The existing skills are to be further developed. The procedures which are to lead to the commissioning are also addressed; this is a point which requires special attention in the implementation. Proposals are also made to adequately and effectively counter cyber threats. It is emphasized that not only military operations, but also civilian operations and joint operations must be considered. Thomas Sohst, President of CESI’s expert commission ‘Defence’ reacts: ‘Security policy is based on a common approach. Military operations without the link to civilian accompaniment and continuation will not bring political solutions. This, too, must be a common political understanding in Europe.’

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