Encyclopedia > European Security and Defense Policy
The European Security and Defence Policy or ESDP is considered a major element of the Common Foreign and Security Policypillar of the European Union. The ESDP was initiated by provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam which stipulated the progressive framing of a common security and defence policy that could deal with humanitarian and rescue task, peacekeeping tasks and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking. These are the so-called Petersberg tasks.
EUPOL Proxima: Or more fully European Union Police Mission in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, this operation was launched on 15 December2003 and will cover an initial period of one year.
EUJUST Themis: More fully EU Rule of Law Mission to Georgia, this mission was launched on 16 July2004 for a foreseen duration of 12 months, and is designed to support the Georgian authorities in challenges about the criminal justice system and reform process.
Western European Union: The WEU was created after the failure of the EDC, an organisation composed of those state 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.
The Center for SecurityPolicy is a non-profit, non-partisan, national securitypolicy organization committed to the time-tested philosophy of promoting international peace through American strength.
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Several developments and weaknesses of ESDP became apparent in the debate: Whereas the EU's tactical battle groups are to be deployable by 2007 to 2009, the European Rapid Reaction Forces which were still included in the Helsinki Headline Goal were deleted from the Headline Goal 2010.
ESDP assets, both civilian and military, are those of the member states, and for both, civilian and military ESDP, the EU has to make use of national assets.
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