The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is the context that will allow the European Union to respond to the hopes generated by the end of the Cold War and the new challenges highlighted by reversals that occurred in the international environment. The goal of the CFSP is to make the European Union hold a strong and united position on foreign policy and security policy and to act effectively for its interests and for the interests of the international community.
EU foreign policy aims through diplomacy and regular summit meetings with US, Japan, Canada, Russia, India and China, to maintain peace and security, consolidation of democracy and law, the development of international relations through cooperation, environmental protection, as well as promote human rights.
CFSP also includes the EU enlargement to the Eastern and Southeastern Europe and the strengthening of relations with the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.
Another critical parameter is the technology and the methods of its development. EU should include in the agenda of foreign policy and successfully manage the issues related to technology and expertise. In this section, the European Commission presented a comprehensive strategy designed to strengthen the EU digital networks and to protect consumers from cybercrime. A mutual approach to this issue will contribute in closer cooperation between states, in the resilience of critical networks, as well as it will drastically reduce cybercrime, will increase the EU’s security and protect the people.[1]
As part of the security policy, EU counts on the ad hoc forces which that Member States have: common disarmament operations, humanitarian and rescue operations, military advice and assistance, conflict prevention and peacekeeping operations, armed interventions to crisis management, to restore peace and stability after conflicts end. During the last decade, EU has made 23 civilian missions and military operations in three continents. It’s about crisis response missions, including peace-making operations in Aceh province after the tsunami, the protection of refugees in Chad, to combat piracy in Somalia etc.[2]
In addition to the field of security and defense, the EU involvement in NATO is important, as through agreements, strategic partnership development (most typical deal: NATO-EU Agreement on Security of Information) are promoted. Europe’s strategic partnership with the US is the foundation of global stability and security and is based on shared values of freedom and democracy. In this context, the policy of EU security and defense must be developed complementary, and not competitively to the US, without this meaning obey to the willing of the superpower.
Finally, an important security issue which is a challenge for the EU and should face it, is the economic crisis which is affecting its cohesion. Common policies should be taken on this issue, otherwise, the consequences of an aggravation of the crisis between the Member States will be severe.
Xarikleia K.Mandamadiotou
Undergraduate student at the University of Piraeus, Section of International and European Studies
1 http://ec.europa.eu/news/external_relations/index_el.htm, EU external policy. Combating cyber (02.12.13). Retrieved 2/21/13.
2 http://europa.eu/pol/cfsp/index_el.htm, Foreign and Security Policy. Retrieved 21/2 /13. The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is the context that will allow the European Union to respond to the hopes generated by the end of the Cold War and the new challenges highlighted by reversals that occurred in the international environment. The goal of the CFSP is to make the European Union to present a strong and united position on foreign policy and security policy and to act effectively for its interests and the interests of the international community.