Bulgaria and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the EU - General Information

The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is the fastest growing EU policy area. Its beginning was marked by the bilateral agreement entered into between France and the United Kingdom, which was signed in Saint-Malo in 1998 by the French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The agreement states that the European Union “must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises.” CSDP combines a number of former defence structures and initiatives, inter alia, the European Security and Defence Identity, the Western European Union, the Petersberg tasks.

Over a decade later, the European Union has become a key partner to conflicts resolution and crisis management. The strength of the EU lies in the use of various tools in the area of security, and those tools are not only military, but also political, economic and social. The EU leads various missions and operations in Europe, Asia and Africa. European forces are deployed across the world in locations where, with regard to mission conducting, the conditions are the hardest in terms of climate, terrain, infrastructure, political stability, health hazards, etc. The European Union has undertaken responsibility to participate in crisis resolution, post-conflict relief and recovery of countries and even whole regions, assistance in institution building and delivery of humanitarian aid to population in distress in various parts of the world.

The Republic of Bulgaria takes active part in the development of the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union and at each stage contributes to the accomplishment of its goals in accordance with the national priorities and abilities, as well as in harmony with the guidelines and requirements the EU sets itself every several years.

The Treaty of Lisbon was signed on 13 December 2007, and following a hard and dramatic ratification procedure in the Member States entered into force on 1 December 2009. The Treaty establishes the objectives and key aspects regarding the formation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as an integral part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union.

The EU competence regarding the CFSP, as well as all issues related to the security of the Union, involves the gradual framing of common defence policy, which may develop into common defence (for which an express decision of the European Council will be required).
The CSDP provides the Union with operational capacity drawing on civil and military assets to which the Union may resort when conducting missions outside its territory, aimed at peace-keeping, conflict prevention, and strengthening international security, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter (Art. 28 A of the TEU). The member States provide the EU with civil and military capabilities in order to contribute to the objectives set by the Council in the field of CSDP. The commitments and the cooperation in the field of CSDP remain consistent with commitments undertaken within NATO, which remains for those states who were members the basis of their collective defence and the instrument for its implementation. The objective is that a more assertive Union role in security and defence matters will contribute to the vitality of a renewed Atlantic Alliance in accordance with the package of commitments referred as the Berlin Plus Agreements.

The Treaty of Lisbon defines the tasks of CSDP, extending their scope by incorporating the basis of the Petersberg Tasks and adding those laid out in the European Security Strategy.

The EU crisis management missions involve:

• disarmament actions;
• humanitarian and evacuation missions;
• military advice and assistance tasks;
• conflict prevention and peace-keeping tasks;
• tasks of combat forces in crisis management including peace-making missions;
• support for Security Sector Reform (SSR) activities in third states.