LibGuides: EU's Strategic Compass for Security and Defence: COUNCIL AND EU INSTITUTIONS

In the Council

A Strategic Compass for Security and Defence - For a European Union that protects its citizens, values and interests and contributes to international peace and security, 21 March 2022
The annex includes the text of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, as approved by the Council at its meeting held on 21 March 2022.
Foreign Affairs Council, 20 March 2023
In a joint session gathering EU foreign affairs and defence ministers, took stock of the progress made in the implementation of the EU Strategic Compass, one year from its approval.
Ministers welcomed the progress achieved across all four pillars of the Compass, and identified areas that need further work.
Joint Declaration on EU-NATO Cooperation, 10 January 2023
The NATO-EU strategic partnership is founded on our shared values, our determination to tackle common challenges and our unequivocal commitment to promote and safeguard peace, freedom and prosperity in the Euro-Atlantic area.
A Strategic Compass for a stronger EU security and defence in the next decade / Press release, 21 March 2022
Today the Council has formally approved the Strategic Compass, at a time when we witness the return of war in Europe.
The Compass gives the European Union an ambitious plan of action for strengthening the EU's security and defence policy by 2030.
Informal Meeting of Defence Ministers in Brest, 12-13 January 2022
The Minister for the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, held an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers on 12 and 13 January in Brest, to together define the directions to give to the work on the Strategic Compass in preparation for its adoption at the end of March.
Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), 16 November 2021
"EU foreign affairs and defence ministers sitting in a joint session exchanged views on the first draft of the EU Strategic Compass, which is intended to provide clear political strategic guidance on the EU approach to security and defence in the next 5 to 10 years, and to step up the EU’s role as global security provider. Building on a comprehensive threat analysis, the Strategic Compass sets out concrete measures and related timelines for action, covering a wide spectrum of areas ranging from the Common Security and Defence Policy to cyber and hybrid threats, disinformation, capability development and partnerships. There was broad support for the document. Ministers expressed their willingness to work on this with a view to adoption of the final Compass in March 2022. The High Representative stressed that member states had supported the approach on defence capabilities, addressing hybrid challenges and engaging with partners. Ministers underlined that the EU approach had to be complementary to and beneficial to NATO, avoiding duplication and ensuring coherence."
Infographic - The Strategic Compass one year on: an assessment
Publication Date: March 2023
One year since the Council formally approved the launch of the Strategic Compass on 21 March 2022, significant progress has been made.
Infographic - A Strategic Compass for the EU
The Strategic Compass provides greater direction and a common vision for the EU's efforts in security and defence in the 5 to 10 years to come.

Council Conclusions

European Council conclusions, 14 and 15 December 2023
On 14 and 15 December, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine, Middle East, enlargement and reforms, multiannual financial framework 2021-2027, security and defence, migration and other items, EU-Türkiye relations, fight against antisemitism, racism and xenophobia, and strategic agenda.
Amidst global instability, strategic competition and security threats, it is crucial for the EU to strengthen its security and defence and increase its capacity to act autonomously. Recalling previous conclusions, the Versailles Declaration and the Strategic Compass, EU leaders underlined that more needs to be done to strengthen the EU’s operational readiness and enhance its defence investment and capability development.
European Council conclusions, 15 December 2022
See the part of the conclusions on strengthening security and defence. EU leaders are committed to taking more responsibility for the EU's own security and, in the field of defence, pursuing a strategic course of action and increasing the EU's capacity to act autonomously. Strengthening the industrial and technological base of the European defence sector is of key importance in this respect, as is the transatlantic bond in the EU’s Strategic Compass and NATO’s Strategic Concept. Citing previous Council conclusions, the Versailles declaration, the Strategic Compass and the joint communication on defence investment gaps as guidelines, EU leaders called for the work to be accelerated.
European Council conclusions, 24-25 March 2022
On 24-25 March 2022, the European Council adopted conclusions on the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, security and defence, energy, economic issues, COVID-19, external relations and the election of the President of the European Council.
The European Council endorses the Strategic Compass, which provides the strategic guidance for the next decade and defines a coherent set of actions, ways and means, and clear targets required for this new impetus.
Informal meeting of the Heads of State or Government : Versailles Declaration, 10 and 11 March 2022
The declaration states that : "The forthcoming Strategic Compass will provide guidance for action across these security and defence dimensions to make the European Union a stronger and more capable security provider. "
European Council conclusions, 16 December 2021
On 16 December 2021, the European Council adopted conclusions on COVID-19, crisis management and resilience, security and defence, external aspects of migration and external relations.
Oral conclusions drawn by President Charles Michel following the informal meeting of the members of the European Council in Brdo pri Kranju, 6 October 2021
"HRVP Borrell will put forward a first draft of the Strategic Compass in November 2021. We will come back to it in December. We will endorse it in March at our regular European Council on defence. In the meantime, we will progress on the different existing tracks in the field of defence and security."
Council Conclusions on Security and Defence, 10 May 2021
In line with its Strategic Agenda 2019-2024, the Council calls for the EU to pursue a more strategic course of action and to increase its capacity to act autonomously. The EU should promote its interests and values and be able to tackle global security threats and challenges. Against this background, an ambitious and actionable Strategic Compass will enhance and guide the implementation of the level of ambition on security and defence. The Council therefore calls on the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to present a first draft of the Strategic Compass for discussion at the Council meeting in November 2021.
Council Conclusions on Security and Defence, 17 June 2020
The conclusions take stock of progress and provide further guidance on the various strands of work on security and defence cooperation.

European External Action Service (EEAS)

The Strategic Compass of the European Union
The Strategic Compass marks a high level of ambition for our security and defence agenda by:
1. Providing a shared assessment of our strategic environment, the threats and challenges we face and their implications for the EU;
2. Bringing greater coherence and a common sense of purpose to actions in the area of security and defence that are already underway;
3. Setting out new ways and means to improve our collective ability to defend the security of our citizens and our Union;
4. Specifying clear targets and milestones to measure progress.
A Strategic Compass for the EU
In a world that is becoming more challenging to European interests and values, we need to unite and develop a common European answer. Questions and answers: a background for the Strategic Compass
Questions and answers: a background for the Strategic Compass
The European Union and its Member States face multiple threats and challenges that are rapidly evolving and increasing in magnitude and complexity. To tackle them, the EU has strengthened its work in the field of security and defence with a comprehensive set of defence initiatives implemented since 2017. As the global security environment deteriorates and new threats emerge, the EU now needs to step up its capacity and willingness to act.
European Union Rapid Deployment Capacity by EEAS
Publication Date: 20 May 2025
With the Strategic Compass the EU set out the ambition to be a stronger and more capable security provider in its neighborhood and beyond. The EU needs to be able to protect its citizens and to contribute to international peace and security, by being able to react quickly, robustly and effectively to conflicts and crises outside its borders.
Annual progress report on the Implementation of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence by Report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the Council ; EEAS
Publication Date: March 2024
The Strategic Compass was adopted in March 2022, just a few weeks after the return of high-intensity war to our continent. And since then, the global threat landscape has become even more alarming. But we, as European Union, have not stood by idly: we have taken action. In Ukraine, to start with. Together, the EU and Member states, we have so far already provided EUR 28 billion for military equipment, through the European Peace Facility and bilateral assistance. Until the end of 2024, we will have delivered more than 1 million artillery ammunition rounds to Ukraine and we will have trained 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers on EU soil by this summer. The creation of a new Ukraine Assistance Fund within the European Peace Facility will underpin the EU’s long-term military support and our future security commitments to Ukraine.
Annual progress report on the implementation of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence: report of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the Council by EEAS
Publication Date: March 2023
In the first year after the adoption of the Strategic Compass, we have made significant progress, in full coherence with the EU Security Union Strategy of 2020. We have increased the speed, flexibility and responsiveness of our missions and operations to act. Our engagements worldwide, including the newly established missions, are a clear proof of our unity and our contribution to international peace and security. We have strengthened our ability to anticipate threats, secure our access to strategic domains and protect our citizens. Member States have also stepped up defence spending and investments in an unprecedented manner. We are further developing incentive to cooperate even more, in particular through joint procurement. We are now spending more, but we need to make sure to invest better. In parallel, we are strengthening our partnerships to achieve common goals in security and defence. These are an essential instrument to support our ambition to be a global strategic player.
Delivering on the Strategic Compass by EEAS
Publication Date: March 2023
The Strategic Compass was adopted in March 2022, one month after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It lists more than 80 concrete actions to translate even more the EU's ambition in security and defence into reality. One year after its adoption, the EU and its Member States have made significant progress in its implementation.
EU missions and operations by EEAS
Publication Date: March 2023
Around 4,000 EU military and civilian staff are currently deployed in CSDP missions and operations in three continents, working for a more stable world and contributing to a safer Europe.
A strategic Compass for Security and Defence : For a European Union that protects its citizens, values and interests and contributes to international peace and security by EEAS
Publication Date: March 2022
The return of war in Europe, with Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, as well as major geopolitical shifts are challenging our ability to promote our vision and defend our interests. We live in an era of strategic competition and complex security threats. We see conflicts, military build-ups and aggressions, and sources of instability increasing in our neighbourhood and beyond, leading to severe humanitarian suffering and displacement. Hybrid threats grow both in frequency and impact. Interdependence is increasingly conflictual and soft power weaponised: vaccines, data and technology standards are all instruments of political competition. Access to the high seas, outer space and the digital sphere is increasingly contested. We are facing increasing attempts of economic and energy coercion.
1st EEAS Report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Threats : Towards a framework for networked defence
Publication Date: February 2023
This first edition of the EEAS report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) threats is informed by the work of the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) Stratcom division in 2022. Based on a first sample of specific FIMI cases, it outlines how building on shared taxonomies and standards can fuel our collective understanding of the threat and help inform appropriate countermeasures in the short to the long term.