Civilian CSDP Compact: Council adopts conclusions

Brussels [ENA] The Council adopted conclusions on the Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Compact reaffirming its commitment to make civilian CSDP more capable, more effective, flexible and responsive, as well as more joined up. The conclusions highlight the significant contribution of the civilian CSDP missions to international peace and stability as an essential part of the EU’s integrated approach

to external conflicts and crises. They also emphasise the need to strengthen the EU's role and capacity to act as a security provider through CSDP. Following the first annual review conference (ARC), held on 14 November 2019 in Brussels, the Council welcomes the positive overall progress during the last year and the strong commitment by all stakeholders to fully deliver on the compact.

The Council endorses the waypoints identified at the ARC, which aim to contribute to the overall implementation of the Compact, ensuring cross-connections between the different areas. They also seek to promote close cooperation with relevant partners on a case-by-case basis. The Council recalls its adoption of the Civilian CSDP Compact, along with the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, in November 2018, and reaffirms this commitment to make civilian CSDP more capable, more effective, flexible and responsive, as well as more joined up.

The Council highlights the significant contribution of the civilian CSDP missions to international peace and stability as an essential part of the EU’s Integrated Approach to external conflicts and crises. It also emphasises the continued need in this framework to strengthen the EU’s role and capacity to act as a security provider through CSDP and recalls that one of the European Union’s strengths in managing and preventing crises lies in its ability to deploy civilian missions as part of the wider EU Integrated Approach while also contributing to the protection of the EU and its citizens.

Welcoming the first Annual Review Conference (ARC), held on 14 November 2019 in Brussels, the Council: 1. Commends the positive overall progress in implementing the Civilian CSDP Compact over the course of the last year, at both the national level by Member States and at EU levels by the EEAS and Commission services, while highlighting the importance of ensuring full and coherent implementation across the clusters of the Compact.

2. Welcomes therefore the strong commitment by all stakeholders during the ARC to fully deliver on the Compact as soon as possible, and by early summer 2023 at the latest, and highlights in particular: – that Member States have begun the process of developing and implementing National Implementation Plans to increase their contributions to civilian CSDP and give effect to the Compact, while the EEAS and Commission services have developed a Joint Action Plan. Notes that the full implementation of the Civilian CSDP Compact would require continued investment and the mobilisation of resources to civilian CSDP;

– that, following exchanges during the ARC, work will continue by the Member States, supported by the EEAS and Commission services, to identify gaps and best practices, and share experiences on the basis of the National Implementation Plans; – that the first Civilian Annual Report on Capabilities (CARC) presented by the EEAS, based on extensive input from Member States while also taking into account the Joint Action Plan by the EEAS and Commission services, has identified the current state of play of missions’ and Member States’ civilian capabilities against which further work on capability development should be considered;

– that, as envisaged in the EEAS and Commission services Joint Action Plan presented in May 2019, work should continue to review human resource management in close cooperation with Member States, to further enhance responsiveness and effectiveness and to ensure a flexible, rapid and efficient use of the CFSP budget in coherence with political decisions taken; – that the closer cooperation and synergies between relevant civilian CSDP structures, Commission services and JHA actors in line with the Compact and their respective legal mandates, should be intensified at multiple levels and through the competent working groups;

– that the strengthening of synergies and complementarity between the civilian and the military dimension of CSDP should continue, for instance in operational planning and conduct of missions deployed in the same theatre; – the promotion of human rights and gender mainstreaming, and the representation of women in the missions. 3. In line with the Compact, and in order to guide its implementation by Member States, EEAS and Commission services in 2020, endorses the waypoints identified at the ARC, including in particular but not exhaustively:

increasing jointly the number of seconded experts in the missions; the finalisation of National Implementation Plans and the commencement of their implementation; ensuring a more modular, scalable and flexible civilian CSDP on the ground including by strengthening responsiveness tools; exploring the possible modalities of evaluating the operational impact of the missions; and promoting more joined-up action, including through the development and implementation of targeted “mini-concepts”. Enhancing and streamlining Member States’ engagement in conflict management and stabilisation in the context of the EU Integrated Approach at Council working group level should be considered.

4. These waypoints aim to contribute to the overall implementation of the Compact, ensuring cross-connections between the different areas thereof, as well as the overall Level of Ambition as agreed by the Council. They also seek to promote close cooperation with relevant partners on a case-by-case basis. 5. Looks forward to the next Annual Review Conference to be held in November 2020.