A Global Strategy on foreign and security policy for the EU

The letter from Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, of 31 January 2017, noted that ‘the challenges currently facing the European Union are more dangerous than ever before in the time since the signature of the Treaty of Rome’. Indeed, the current evolving international environment and geopolitical shifts highlighted the need for effective and coherent implementation of the EU global strategy.

The top strategic priorities for the implementation of the strategy, as decided by the Foreign Affairs Council on 17 October 2016 included:

+ security and defence
+ building resilience and an integrated approach to conflicts and crises
+ addressing the internal/external security nexus
+ updating existing strategies and preparing new ones
+ enhancing public diplomacy.

Strengthening EU cooperation on external security and defence was also discussed at the European Council meeting in December 2016. Heads of State or Government focused on three priorities:

+ implementation of the EU global strategy in the security and defence area
+ the European defence action plan
+ the implementation of the EU-NATO Joint Declaration signed in Warsaw in July 2016.

The first implementation report was expected in June 2017.

This is an updated edition of a briefing published in April 2016.

ESO: Key Source: European Union Global Strategy http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-global-strategy/

ESO: Background information: EU Security and Defence package http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-security-and-defence-package/

ESO: Background information: Council conclusions on implementing the EU global strategy in the area of security and defence http://www.europeansources.info/record/council-conclusions-on-implementing-the-eu-global-strategy-in-the-area-of-security-and-defence/

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