Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 14 November 2016: EU agrees on new Security and Defense Strategy

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Frederica Mogherini, has announced that the Council of Europe has approved a plan for defense and security in Europe. Mogherini explained that the plan is to take into account not only measures of military security, moreover also instruments of soft power such as measurements for citizens to be able to respond to crises adequately. The main aim is to enable the EU to react faster, more effectively and more seamlessly by strengthening the EU`s strategic role and allow it to act more autonomously in the military sector.

Mogherini explained that these new plans are not a result of Trumps election, who threatened that the US will leave NATO and wants Europe to invest more into NATO; moreover it was clear that Europe has to take on more responsibility. She spoke of "a qualitative leap" and not the creation of a European army or the creation of headquarters in NATO dimension. This plan would allow the EU to send forces to stabilize a crisis before the UN peace keepers would take over. Thus, this strategy would give the EU more strategic autonomy without being too dependent on the United States. Additionally, the plan announced to include a ``permanent´´ center for civil and military operations. However, most of the plans are still too vague and remain controversial.