The Strategic Compass one year on: an assessment
Click on the link below to find the latest information on the Strategic Compass.
One year since the Council formally approved the Strategic Compass on 21 March 2022, significant progress has been made.
The speed, flexibility and responsiveness of missions and operations has increased.
An uncertain global order
Threat analysis
Strategy
Action plan
Four pillars:
1. Act: presence and engagement on the ground
Increased effectiveness of civilian and military crisis management tools, such as:
- Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions and operations:
- EUMAM Ukraine to train up to 30 000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of 2023
- new missions, from the South Caucasus to the Sahel - European Peace Facility
- the ‘train and equip’ model is now a reality
- seven support packages of military assistance for Ukraine amounting to €3.6 billion
2. Secure: the ability to anticipate threats to protect citizens
Progress has been made to:
- strengthen crisis management capacity
- enhance cooperation on cyber defence, including via a new EU Policy on cyber defence
- revise the EU Maritime Security Strategy
- build the EU Hybrid Toolbox
- implement the climate change and defence roadmap
- strengthen counterterrorism cooperation with neighbours
- protect EU space assets and ensure that everyone can benefit from space services
3. Invest: spending more and spending better
Defence investments and budgets include:
- €70 billion additional EU defence expenditure by 2025, from €214 billion already reached in 2021
- €1.2 billion in 2022 for research & development projects under the European Defence Fund
- €930 million budget for calls for proposals to be allocated in 2023 under the European Defence Fund
- €500 million to incentivise the joint procurement of military equipment (proposal for a regulation)
- setting up of the Defence Joint Procurement Task Force – to identify members states’ most urgent needs
- establishment of an EU Defence Innovation Hub
4. Partner: a key source of strength and resilience
Partnerships have been reinforced through:
- NATO: EU and NATO signed a joint declaration in Brussels (January 2023) setting out a shared vision of how they will act together to counter common security threats
- strengthened cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
- African Union cooperation to support African-led Peace Support Operations, including through €730 million under the EPF for 2021-2024
- tailored bilateral partnerships, e.g. with the US
The Strategic Compass provides greater direction and a common vision for the EU's efforts in security and defence in the five to 10 years to come.