European Security and Defence Policy - Essay Example

European Union common foreign, security and defense policy Word Count: 456 Words European Union common foreign, security and defence policyIntroductionEuropean Union (EU) is a political and economic partnership between twenty seven European nations. Its main plan is to bring and ensure peace, prosperity and freedom in all its follower's citizens. EU countries have put in place bodies that run the European Union whose main organs are the European parliament which represent European people, the council of the European Union representing the governments of member nations and the European commission which represent the common interests of the European Union.

The council of the European Union is the major decision taking organ which together with parliament passes the EU laws. It is also the organ with responsibility of the Europeans Union Security, defence and foreign policies. The council is made up by ministers of national governments of the Europeans union and meetings are attended by ministers responsible for the matters at hand. Most decisions in the council are made by the majority votes while unanimity is needed in the sensitive issues like foreign policy (Churruca; 178; 2000).

European Union security and defence policyIn order to assume full responsibility in crisis management the European council established permanent political and military structures (Nice December 2000).The first structure is the political and security committee (PSC) which acts as the preparatory body for the European Union council. The main role of the political and security committee is to check and follow the international state of affairs thereby helping in defining policies in the Common Foreign and Security policy.

It prepares a rational EU reaction to a crisis and works out the political control and strategic bearing or direction to be under taken by the European Union (Hill; 2002).The second structure is the European Union Military Committee (EUMC), which is the highest military organ in the council. The body is made up of the chiefs of defence of states that form the European Union. The committee informs the political and security committee on all military matters in the EU and gives its advice and recommendations.

The committee of civilian aspects for crisis management advices PSC on issues of civilian crisis management (Hill; 2002).European Union Common foreign Security policyCommon foreign Security policy (CFSP) was set up to embark on common security and defence policy. It has gone under various developments with fundamental objectives being; to preserve the common interests, values and independence and integrity of EU. To safeguard security of the union, and to preserve and strengthen peace and security internationally.

It promotes international cooperation while developing and strengthening democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights and freedoms. The principles, guidelines and strategies for the common foreign security policy is defined by the European council (Churruca; 180; 2000).BibliographiesChurruca, C., (2000), 'Strengthening the Common Foreign and Security Policy: the European Council decision to assume the full range of conflict prevention and crisis management tasks, the Petersberg tasks',Humanitres Vlkerrecht, 3:176-186Hill, C (2002).

, The Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union: Conventions, Constitutions and Consequentiality, EFPU Working Paper 2002/3,