The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted an own-initiative report by Ioan Mircea PAŞCU (RO, S&D) on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (based on the Annual Report from the Council to the European Parliament on the Common Foreign and Security Policy).
The strategic context: Members noted that the European security environment has deteriorated considerably, becoming more fluid, more complex, more dangerous and less predictable. The lack of communication when reacting to threats constitutes one of the vulnerabilities of the Union’s action. Europe lacks the resilience to effectively tackle hybrid threats, which often have a cross-border dimension. The EU should be prepared to deal with structural changes in the international security landscape. Members noted with concern that terrorism being carried out by radical Islamist organisations and individuals is targeting Europe on an unprecedented scale, bringing the European way of life under pressure. The EU is called upon to adapt to these security challenges, in particular by using the existing CSDP tools more efficiently, in coherence with other external and internal instruments.
A strong preventive policy based on comprehensive deradicalisation programmes is called for.
A revised and more robust CSDP: Members are convinced that, as a result, a thorough and substantial revision of the CSDP is needed in order to enable the EU and its Member States to contribute in a decisive way to the security of the Union, to the management of international crises and to asserting the EU’s strategic autonomy.
A successful revision of the CSDP will have to fully integrate the EU Member States in the process from the very beginning in order to avoid the risk of deadlocks in the future. Members called on the Member States and the EU for appropriate investment in security and defence.
The report emphasised that the establishment of permanent structured cooperation will make it possible to develop self-defence or a permanent structure for self-defence which can strengthen crisis management operations.
It underlined that the CSDP should be based on a strong collective defence principle and efficient financing and that it should be implemented in coordination with international institutions in the field of security and defence, and in full complementarity with NATO. The EU should encourage the Member States to meet NATO capacity goals, which require a minimum level of defence spending of 2 % of GDP.
Members welcomed the presentation by the VP/HR of the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS) as a necessary and positive development for the institutional framework in which the CFSP and the CSDP will operate and develop. However, they regretted the low involvement of Member States in preparing the EUGS.
Members underlined the fact that the appropriate resources need to be allocated for the implementation of the EUGS and for an effective and more robust CSDP. They also reiterated their previous calls for the development of a European Defence White Book and urged the Council to prepare this document without delay.
The CSDP and the integrated approach to crises: Members stressed the importance of creating a permanent EU headquarters for civilian and military CSDP missions and operations, from where an integrated operational staff would support the entire planning cycle, from the initial political concept to detailed plans. The report stressed that this would not be a replication of NATO structures, but instead would constitute the necessary institutional arrangement to strengthen CSDP missions and operations planning and conduction capabilities.
On funding, Members called for more flexibility in the EU's financial rules, in order to support its ability to respond to crises. They also called for a revision of the Athena mechanism in order to extend its scope to all costs related, first, to rapid reaction operations and deployment of the EU Battlegroups, and then to all military operations.
European defence cooperation: Members considered that the development of a stronger defence industry would strengthen the strategic autonomy and technological independence of the EU. They are convinced that enhancing the EU’s status as a security provider in Europe's neighbourhood needs adequate, sufficient capabilities and a competitive, efficient and transparent defence industry.
The report underlined the need to further deepen cyber defence cooperation and to ensure full cyber-resilience of CSDP missions. The Council is urged to incorporate cyber defence as an integral part of its defence debates.
Lastly, Members welcomed the Preparatory Action for CSDP-related research and asked for adequate funding for the remainder of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF). They supported the development of an EU Defence Research Programme under the next MFF (2021-2027). They called for European law to be reformed to allow European defence industries to benefit from the same state aids as those enjoyed by US industries.