Thread by @morcos_pierre

[Thread] The EU member states have adopted today the #StrategicCompass. A long 🧵 on this important 🇪🇺 document:

1/ The origins: the development of the #StrategicCompass was launched under 🇩🇪 presidency of the EU in 2020. The previous 🇪🇺 strategic document, known as the EU Global Strategy, dated from 2016. 🇪🇺 countries therefore thought that a new roadmap on security and defense was needed.

As stressed, “the new strategic landscape requires us to act with a far greater sense of urgency and determination and show mutual assistance and solidarity in case of aggression against one of us. The moment for decisive steps to ensure our freedom of action is now.”

2/ The process: the conception of the document was driven by the EEAS which led a unique inter-agency process. The European Commission was closely involved. Many committees of the Council of the EU were consulted (see photo), and think-tanks were engaged (thanks to @EU_ISS).

Carried out under the 🇩🇪, 🇵🇹, 🇸🇮 and then 🇫🇷 presidencies of the EU, this inter-agency process has been instrumental to help the EEAS to develop a comprehensive document tackling a vast range of issues.

3/ An out-put oriented document: the #StrategicCompass is not just an additional strategy for the EU (which has plenty) with lofty ambitions but few tangible initiatives. One specificity of the document is its operational nature.

After an assessment of the strategic environment, the #StrategicCompass outlines tangible initiatives in 4 areas (operations, emerging threats, capabilities, partnerships) with concrete goals & timelines (example bellow). This is therefore both a white book and an action plan.

4/ Threat assessment: the first sentence of the document sets the tone. “The return of war in Europe, with 🇷🇺 unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, as well as major geopolitical shifts are challenging our ability to promote our vision and defend our interests.”

“In this era of growing strategic competition, complex security threats and the direct attack on the European security order, the security of our citizens and our Union is at stake.”

“The more hostile security environment requires us to make a quantum leap forward. The EU urgently needs to take more responsibility for its own security by acting in its neighbourhood and beyond, with partners whenever possible and alone when necessary.”

“A stronger and more capable EU in the field of security and defence will contribute positively to global and transatlantic security and is complementary to NATO, which remains the foundation of collective defence for its members.”

This section (“The world we face”) then gives a sobering assessment of the strategic environment (from Europe to Africa and the Indo-Pacific) and threats (from disinformation to climate change) the EU is facing.

5/ New initiatives: the #StrategicCompass then lays out concrete initiatives in 4 areas (named “act”, “secure”, “invest”, “partner”). The list is (very) long, so I will only mention some of them.

i) Act:
➡️ Reinforced 🇪🇺 missions/operations with more “robust” mandates, a more flexible decision-making process (with a better use of the article 44 provision which allows coalitions of the willing) and more financial solidarity (using the European Peace Facility).

➡️ The creation, by 2025, of an “EU Rapid Deployment Capacity”, which will allow the 🇪🇺 to deploy up to 5000 troops, with land, air and maritime components, into non-permissive environments. This is not a new force as it will build on the existing 🇪🇺 battlegroups.

This capacity will help 🇪🇺 armed forces to prepare for demanding scenarios through advance planning, exercises and investment in critical enablers.

➡️ Increased readiness through military mobility (revised action plan by 2022), regular live exercises in all domains (starting from 2023) and reinforced advance planning.

ii) Secure:
➡️ Boosted intelligence capacities, with regular threat assessments (building on the one carried out for the #StrategicCompass) and a strengthened EU Satellite Center.
➡️ 🇪🇺 toolbox on hybrid threats; and on foreign information manipulation and interference.

➡️ A strengthened 🇪🇺 posture in the “contested domains”: cyber space, outer-space (security and defense strategy by 2023), air domain and maritime domain (more coordinated maritime presences including the Western Indian Ocean).

iii) Invest:
➡️ More defense spendings and additional incentives for collaborative investments.
➡️ Investments in critical enablers and next-generation platforms
➡️ Focus on disruptive and emerging technologies (creation notable of a Defense Innovation Hub)

iv) Partner:
➡️ NATO: need to “expand our strategic partnership, political dialogue & cooperation”
➡️ 🇺🇸: “Our partnership is of strategic importance and we must deepen our cooperation”
➡️ 🇬🇧: “We remain open to a broad and ambitious security and defence engagement”

I’ll stop there but there is definitely a lot more to unpack in this long (47 pages) document which is worth reading. Have a look here 👇 [End]
data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/S…