The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is the organised, agreed foreign policy of the European Union (EU) for mainly security and defence diplomacy and actions. CFSP deals only with a specific part of the EU's external relations, which domains include mainly Trade and Commercial Policy and other areas such as funding to third countries, etc. Decisions require unanimity among member states in the Council of the European Union, but once agreed, certain aspects can be further decided by qualified majority voting. Foreign policy is chaired and represented by the EU's High Representative, currently Kaja Kallas.
The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is the European Union's (EU) course of action in the fields of defence and crisis management, and a main component of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).
The Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, formerly known as the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office, is the European Commission's department for overseas humanitarian aid and for civil protection. It aims to save and preserve life, prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. Since September 2019, Janez Lenarčič is serving as Commissioner for Crisis Management in the Von der leyen commission, and since 1 March 2023, Maciej Popowski leads the organisation as the Director-General.
The Military Staff of the European Union (EUMS) is the directorate-general of the European Union's (EU) External Action Service (EEAS) that contributes to the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) by providing strategic advice to the High Representative (HR/VP) and commanding operations through its Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) operational headquarters. From the end of 2020, the MPCC will be capable of running executive operations of up to 2,500 troops, i.e. the size of one EU battle group, as well as 3 non-executive missions.
The European Structural and Investment Funds are financial tools governed by a common rulebook, set up to implement the regional policy of the European Union, as well as the structural policy pillars of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy. They aim to reduce regional disparities in income, wealth and opportunities. Europe's poorer regions receive most of the support, but all European regions are eligible for funding under the policy's various funds and programmes. The current framework is set for a period of seven years, from 2021 to 2027.
Copernicus is the Earth observation component of the European Union Space Programme, managed by the European Commission and implemented in partnership with the EU member states, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Environment Agency (EEA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), Frontex, SatCen and Mercator Océan.
The Romanian Space Agency is a public institution that coordinates Romania's national space technology. ROSA, established in 1991, is subordinate to the Romanian Ministry of Education.
The European Union Space Programme is an EU funding programme established in 2021 along with its managing agency, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme, in order to implement the pre-existing European Space Policy established on 22 May 2007 when a joint and concomitant meeting at the ministerial level of the Council of the European Union and the Council of the European Space Agency, known collectively as the European Space Council, adopted a Resolution on the European Space Policy. The policy had been jointly drafted by the European Commission and the Director General of the European Space Agency. This was the first common political framework for space activities established by the European Union (EU).
The Instrument for Stability was a financial and political instrument at the disposal of the European Union. It was prepared at strategic level by the EEAS and implemented by the European Commission. In 2021 the IfS was merged into Global Europe.
MyOcean is a series of projects granted by the European Commission within the GMES Program, whose objective is to define and to set up a concerted and integrated pan-European capacity for ocean monitoring and forecasting. The activities benefit several specified areas of use: Maritime security, oil spill prevention, marine resources management, climate change, seasonal forecasting, coastal activities, ice sheet surveys, water quality and pollution. The series of MyOcean projects ended in 2015, and their services are now continued by the Copernicus Programme.
The area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) of the European Union (EU) is a policy domain concerning home affairs and migration, justice as well as fundamental rights, developed to address the challenges posed to internal security by collateral effects of the free movement of people and goods in the absence of border controls or customs inspection throughout the Schengen Area, as well as to safeguard adherence to the common European values through ensuring that the fundamental rights of people are respected across the EU.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1625, adopted unanimously at the 2005 World Summit on 14 September 2005, the Council adopted a declaration on the role of the Security Council in conflict prevention, particularly in Africa where many armed conflicts were taking place.
European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) is the independent civil society platform of European NGOs, NGO networks and think tanks which are committed to peacebuilding, and the prevention of violent conflict.
The 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade (MIB) is a higher joint-tactical unit that represents a major combat force of the Army of North Macedonia. It provides forces for protection, national interest, support during natural disasters, epidemics and other dangers. Outside North Macedonia, the declared units participate in peacekeeping operations and fulfill international military responsibilities.
The African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) includes the three central instruments conflict prevention, conflict management and peace building of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as the Regional Mechanism (RMs).
EUCAP Sahel Mali is a European Union civilian crisis management mission in Mali, with its headquarters in the capital Bamako. It is a non-executive capacity building mission that was launched on 15 January 2015, following an official invitation by the Malian government. The Mission supports the security sector reform and the strengthening of governance and accountability of the Malian internal security forces (ISF).
The Ministry of Internal Security in Somalia plays a crucial role in maintaining national stability and public safety by overseeing law enforcement agencies, including the Somali Police Force, National Intelligence & Security Agency(NISA), Immigration & Citizenship Agency and others ,The ministry formulates security policies to address internal threats. The ministry manages intelligence operations, coordinates emergency responses, and enhances security personnel's effectiveness. Additionally, it oversees immigration and border security, regulating entry and exit to support national security objectives.
EU4Health is a funding program initiated by the European Union (EU) to strengthen healthcare systems across Europe and improve the overall health and well-being of EU citizens. Launched in 2021 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is part of the EU's long-term budget for 2021–2027, with an allocation of €5.1 billion. It is the largest health program ever financed by the EU and focuses on enhancing healthcare resilience, preparedness, and access to healthcare services.
The European Union is one of the main anti-piracy actors in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). At any one time, the EU has on average 30 owned or flagged vessels in the region. The piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is therefore a threat towards the EU, and as a response the organization adopted its strategy on the Gulf of Guinea in March 2014. The Strategy on the Gulf of Guinea is a 12-page document with the scope of the problem, what have previously been done, responses and the way forward with four strategic objectives. The EU's overriding objective are:
- to build a common understanding in regional countries of the threat and its long-term effect and the need to address the piracy issues among the regional and international community.
- to help the governments in the region to ensure maritime awareness, security and the rule of law by building robust institutions and maritime administrations.
- to assist vulnerable economies to withstand criminal or violent activity and to build resilience to communities.
- to strengthen cooperation between the countries and organizations on the region to fight threats both on land and sea.
