Civil-Military Synergy at Operational Level in EU External Action

Although it remained undefined, since the Nice European Council meeting held in 2000, civil- military synergies have become a serious goal of the EU’s approach to crisis management and peacebuilding. This situation is informed by two intertwined imperatives, namely; the increased and changed nature of risks for global security and the weakening resource base and the capabilities, especially in the arena of defence of EU member states. The EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy (2016) reaffirmed that synergy across EU polices, capabilities and instruments of external action is crucial for the EU’s credibility, effectiveness and smooth functioning of the Comprehensive Approach (CA) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).