European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)

The glossary is being updated given the recent signing of the Treaty of Lisbon.

The European Union's European security and defence policy (ESDP) includes the gradual framing of a common defence policy which might in time lead to a common defence. The European security and defence policy (ESDP) aims to allow the Union to develop its civilian and military capacities for crisis management and conflict prevention at international level, thus helping to maintain peace and international security, in accordance with the United Nations Charter. The ESDP, which does not involve the creation of a European army, is developing in a manner that is compatible and coordinated with NATO.

The Maastricht Treaty (1992) was the first to include provisions on the Union's responsibilities in terms of security and the possibility of a future common defence policy. With the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999), new tasks have been included in the Treaty on European Union (Title V). This important innovation relates to humanitarian and rescue operations, peacekeeping operations and the use of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking operations (known as "Petersberg tasks"). In addition to these civilian and military crisis management operations, the ESDP includes a "conflict prevention" component. The Political and Security Committee (PSC), the EU Military Committee (EUMC) and EU Military Staff (EUMS) are the permanent political and military structures responsible for an autonomous, operational EU defence policy. In December 1999, the Helsinki European Council established the "global objective", in other words that the Union must be able to deploy up to 60 000 persons within 60 days and for at least one year.

At the Göteborg European Council of June 2001, the European Council spoke of its willingness to improve EU capacities in the fields of conflict prevention and crisis management, making use of military and civilian means.

The Treaty of Nice (2001) gave the PSC charge of crisis management operations, although the Council retained responsibility.

See:

• Common foreign and security policy (CFSP)
• NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)
• 'New look' NATO
• Petersberg tasks
• Western European Union (WEU)