Council conclusions on implementing the EU global strategy in the area of security and defence

Foreign affairs ministers and defence ministers held a joint session on the implementation plan on security and defence.

The implementation plan on security and defence was presented by the High Representative, taking into account her roles as Vice-President of the European Commission and Head of the European Defence Agency, to member states at the Council meeting.

The Council adopted conclusions on implementing the EU global strategy in the area of security and defence. These conclusions set out the level of ambition as well as concrete actions. These actions will assist the EU and its members states in addressing further Europe’s current and future security and defence needs.

The implementation plan on security and defence is part of the follow-up to the EU global strategy on foreign and security policy. The High Representative presented the EU global strategy “Shared vision, common action: a stronger Europe” to the European Council on 28 June. The strategy is intended to guide EU foreign and security policy in the years to come. The Council adopted conclusions on the global strategy on 17 October 2016.

Security and defence is one of the priority areas for the work on implementation of the EU global strategy, which also includes resilience building and integrated approach to conflicts and crises, strengthening the nexus between internal and external policies, updating existing or preparing new regional and thematic strategies and stepping up public diplomacy efforts.

The work on security and defence is conducted in synergy with the work on the Commission European Defence Action Plan as well as in regards to the implementation of the joint declaration by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the Secretary General of NATO. The implementation plan, together with the Council conclusions, is expected to be presented at the European Council meeting of December.