The European Security and Defence Policy or ESDP is considered a major element of the Common Foreign and Security Policy pillar of the European Union. The ESDP was initiated by provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty which stipulated the progressive framing of a common security and defence policy that could deal with humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking. These are the so-called Petersberg tasks.
Elements of the ESDP
The following permanent political and military bodies were established after the approval of the Nice European Council .
Constitution
The draft EU constitution declares that
- The common security and defence policy shall include the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy. This will lead to a common defence, when the European Council, acting unanimously, so decides. It shall in that case recommend to the member States the adoption of such a decision in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
- The policy of the Union in accordance with this article shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain member states, which see their common defence realized in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, under the North Atlantic Treaty, and be compatible with the common security and defence policy established within that framework. (Art. 1-41 2 )
Missions in the ESDP context
Operations launched by the EU in the ESDP context include:
Past Operations
Current Operations
Future Operations
Predecessors of the ESDP
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European Defence Community: The EDC was a defence community proposed in the 1950s soon after the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. The founding treaty failed to be ratified and the project was abandoned.
- Western European Union: The WEU was created after the failure of the EDC, an organisation composed of those states who were members of both NATO and EU. Partially dormant, its tasks have been in part transferred to the EU. It's not yet certain whether the WEU will remain an independent organisation or be eventually fully merged into the EU.
See also
External link
Last updated: 10-29-2005 02:13:46