David McAllister MEP: The Strategic Compass for Security and Defence – opportunities and challenges

The European Union’s Strategic Compass for Security and Defence is the plan of action that is intended to guide the EU’s security and defence policy in the coming five to ten-year period. The Strategic Compass was adopted in March 2022, in light of an increasingly uncertain world order and a dramatically changed European security situation, following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Strategic Compass is the result of a comprehensive threat analysis that was presented in 2020, and described the threats and challenges the EU is facing.

The Strategic Compass describes how the European Union and its 27 member states’ security and defence will be strengthened by concrete objectives and prioritised actions within four areas, or “pillars”: act, secure, invest and partner.

1. ACT

Reinforce civilian and military CSDP missions and operations by providing them with more robust and flexible mandates, promoting a rapid and more flexible decision-making process and ensuring greater financial solidarity, while also promoting close cooperation with European-led ad hoc missions and operations. Member States want to strengthen civilian CSDP through a new Compact allowing for a faster deployment, also in complex environments;

Develop an EU Rapid Deployment Capacity that will allow to swiftly deploy up to 5,000 troops into non-permissive environments for different types of crises;

Strengthen command and control structures, in particular the Military Planning and Conduct Capability, and increase readiness and cooperation through enhancing military mobility and regular live exercises, in particular for the Rapid Deployment Capacity.

2. SECURE

Boost intelligence capacities, such as the EU Single Intelligence and Analysis Capacity framework to enhance situational awareness and strategic foresight;

Create an EU Hybrid Toolbox that brings together different instruments to detect and respond to a broad range of hybrid threats. In this context, Member States want to develop a dedicated toolbox to address foreign information manipulation and interference; 

Further develop the EU Cyber Defence Policy to be better prepared for and respond to cyberattacks; strengthen actions in the maritime, air and space domains, notably by expanding the Coordinated Maritime Presences to other areas, starting with the Indo-Pacific, and by developing an EU Space Strategy for security and defence.

3. INVEST

Spend more and better in defence and improve capability development and planning to better address operational realities and new threats and challenges; 

Seek common solutions to develop the necessary strategic enablers for missions and operations, as well as next generation capabilities in all operational domains, such as high-end naval platforms, future combat air systems, space-based capabilities and main battle tanks; 

Make full use of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and the European Defence Fund to jointly develop cutting-edge military capabilities and invest in technological innovation for defence and create a new Defence Innovation Hub within the European Defence Agency.

4. PARTNER 

Reinforce strategic partnerships with NATO and the UN through more structured political dialogues as well as operational and thematic cooperation. Member States want to increase their cooperation with regional partners, including the OSCE, AU and ASEAN; 

Boost cooperation with bilateral partners that share the same values and interests such as United States, Norway, Canada, UK and Japan. Develop tailored partnerships in the Western Balkans, our eastern and southern neighbourhood, Africa, Asia and Latin America;

Develop an EU Security and Defence Partnership Forum to work more closely and effectively with partners to address common challenges.

The Strategic Compass provides concrete actions and deadlines with the aim of making progress measurable. It is of great importance that the Compass has been established collectively across member states. The member states’ commitment and engagement with regard to the implementation work is key to being able to achieve these ambitions. The implementation of the Compass’ comprehensive plan of action brings about opportunities as well as challenges, including those associated with economic prerequisites and priorities, consensus on the EU’s role as an actor in security and defence policy, as well as relations with third countries and other organisations, in particular with NATO.