Foreign and security policy

The foreign and security policy of the European Union (EU) aims to enable the 27 member countries to carry more weight on the world stage than if they were to act alone.

As well as preserving peace and bolstering international security, the policy seeks to promote democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and freedoms around the world.

The 2009 Lisbon Treaty established the EU’s diplomatic arm, the European External Action Service (EEAS) under the authority of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy.

• • Foreign and security policy – key institutional actors
    • European External Action service & EU Delegations
      • EU external action
      • International agreements and the EU’s external competences
    • EU Special Representatives
      • The EU Special Representative for Human Rights
      • European Union Special Representatives — EUSRs
    • Council of the European Union – role in foreign and security policy
      • Foreign and security policy — the role of the Council and the European Council
    • European Council – role in foreign and security policy
      • Foreign and security policy — the role of the Council and the European Council
  • Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
    • Common foreign and security policy — Global strategy
    • Legal instruments & financing
      • Strengthening biological safety and security in Ukraine
      • European Union military operation to contribute to maritime security in the western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea (Eunavfor Atalanta)
      • European Peace Facility – support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces
      • European Peace Facility (2021–2027)
    • Conflict prevention, peace building, mediation & stabilisation
      • Mali and the Sahel: Towards achieving stabilisation of the region
      • European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia)
      • European Union mission in Armenia (EUMA)
      • European Union Military Partnership Mission in Niger (EUMPM Niger)
      • European Union military operation to contribute to maritime security in the western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea (Eunavfor Atalanta)
      • European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine)
      • European Union common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger)
      • The EU Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA)
      • EU training mission Mali (EUTM Mali)
      • EU security and defence initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea
      • EU Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM Moldova)
      • EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia – EUMM Georgia
      • EU Military Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique)
      • EU Integrated Border Management Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM Libya)
      • EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine)
      • EU Advisory Mission for civilian security sector reform in Iraq (EUAM Iraq)
      • Crisis management – framework for participation agreements
      • Agreement between the EU and Somalia on the EU mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia)
    • Sanctions policy
      • EU restrictive measures against cyber-attacks
      • Imposition of EU sanctions to address the situation in Venezuela
      • General framework for EU sanctions
      • Restrictive measures to combat terrorism
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Tunisia
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Sudan
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Somalia
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Niger
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Nicaragua
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Moldova
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Mali
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Lebanon
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Haiti
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guinea-Bissau
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and its involvement in the Russian aggression against Ukraine
      • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Afghanistan
      • Restrictive measures in view of activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan
      • Restrictive measures in respect of the situation in South Sudan
      • Restrictive measures in respect of Myanmar/Burma
      • Restrictive measures against Zimbabwe
      • Restrictive measures against the Democratic Republic of the Congo
      • Restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses
      • Restrictive measures against ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaeda
      • Restrictive measures against Iran
      • Specific restrictions on economic and financial relations with Iraq
      • EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Yemen
      • EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria
      • EU Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Libya
      • EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Guinea
      • EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Burundi
      • EU restrictive measures in view of Türkiye’s unauthorised drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean
      • EU restrictive measures in view of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
      • EU restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
      • EU restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons
      • EU restrictive measures against North Korea
    • Non-proliferation and disarmament
      • Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction
      • Illicit weapons and ammunition – global reporting mechanism
      • Illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (2022)
      • European Union common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger)
      • Nuclear weapons - strengthened monitoring and verification
      • Small arms and light weapons: combating their accumulation
      • Small arms and light weapons
      • Strengthening biological safety and security in Ukraine
      • Towards more responsible arms transfers: the EU and the Arms Trade Treaty
      • Weapons of mass destruction: combating proliferation
      • Weapons of mass destruction: combating proliferation
      • EU training mission Mali (EUTM Mali)
      • Dual-use export controls (until 8 September 2021)
      • Crisis management – framework for participation agreements
    • Counter-terrorism
      • EU Military Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique)
      • European Union common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger)
      • Protecting Europe from terrorism risks
      • Restrictive measures to combat terrorism
      • Restrictive measures against ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaeda
      • Strengthening biological safety and security in Ukraine
      • EU training mission Mali (EUTM Mali)
    • EU relations with international organisations and bodies
      • Role of the EU in the multilateral system of the UN
      • Illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (2022)
  • The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)
    • The EU's Common Security and Defence Policy
    • European Defence Policy
      • European Defence Action Plan
      • Permanent structured cooperation on defence and security (PESCO)
      • European Defence Fund (2021-2027)
      • European Defence Agency
      • Defence industry
        • Combining various types of trade defence measures
        • Public procurement in the fields of defence and security
        • Towards a more competitive and efficient EU defence and security sector
        • European Defence Fund (2021-2027)
        • European Defence Action Plan
    • Agencies under Common Security and Defence Policy
      • European Defence Agency
      • EU Institute for Security Studies
      • EU Satellite Centre (SATCEN)
      • European Security and Defence College
    • CSDP operations (military and civilian)
      • A European Union military operation in the Mediterranean (European Union Naval Force Mediterranean operation IRINI)
      • European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia)
      • European Union Military Partnership Mission in Niger (EUMPM Niger)
      • European Union military operation to contribute to maritime security in the western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea (Eunavfor Atalanta)
      • European Union common security and defence policy mission in Niger (EUCAP Sahel Niger)
      • The EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability
      • The EU Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA)
      • EU training mission Mali (EUTM Mali)
      • EU security and defence initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea
      • EU Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM Moldova)
      • EU mission in Kosovo * This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 (1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence. – upholding the rule of law
      • EU Military Training Mission in Mozambique (EUTM Mozambique)
      • EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine)
  • Assistance and other instruments/mechanisms
    • Macro-financial assistance to enlargement and neighbourhood partners in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic
    • Financial cooperation with non-EU countries on nuclear safety 2021-2027
    • Global Europe — the EU Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument
    • External EU action to address the refugee crisis
    • IPA III: the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (2021–2027)
    • Peace Facility for Africa
    • Putting the EU's solidarity clause into practice
    • The European Neighbourhood Instrument (2014–2020)
    • European Development Fund (EDF)
    • EU integrated political crisis response (IPCR) arrangements
    • Macrofinancial assistance to Ukraine
    • Macro-financial assistance to North Macedonia
  • Archived summaries
    • Mine Action Strategy 2005-2007
    • Mission in support of Security Sector Reform in Guinea-Bissau
    • Military Committee of the European Union (EUMC)
    • Military Staff of the European Union (EUMS)
    • Ballistic missile non-proliferation measures
    • Action to combat illicit trade in light weapons
    • Biological and toxin weapons
    • Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine
    • A first long-term vision for Europe's defense capabilities and needs
    • A global reporting mechanism on illicit small arms, weapons and ammunition to reduce the risk of their illicit trade
    • An initial long-term vision for European defence capability and capacity needs
    • Cooperation with NATO
    • Coordination of procedures for the award of public contracts in the fields of defence and security
    • Comprehensive ban on nuclear testing
    • Chemical weapons
    • Conflict prevention
    • Civilian Headline Goal 2008
    • Cooperation with ACP States involved in armed conflicts
    • EU action plan on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security
    • DCI - the EU’s financing instrument for development cooperation (2014-20)
    • Defence procurement exemptions
    • EU Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (2014-2020)
    • EU internal security strategy
    • Disaster and crisis response in Non-EU Member Countries
    • EU macro-financial assistance to non-EU countries in 2016
    • EU Missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
    • EU response to fragile situations
    • European Defence Agency
    • European Defence Agency (from 2011)
    • European Earth monitoring programme (GMES)
    • The mechanism for financing military operations (Athena)
    • Standing Committee on operational cooperation on internal security
    • The Code of Conduct on defence procurement
    • Working with non-EU countries on issues of global interest
    • Strategy for a more competitive European defence industry
    • The European Union and the United Nations: The choice of multilateralism
    • Political and Security Committee (PSC)
    • Putting the EU’s external financing instruments into practice
    • Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Libya
    • Security Research
    • Promoting democracy and human rights in non-EU countries (2014-20)
    • Regulating the arms trade
    • European Security and Defence College
    • European Security and Defence College
    • European Security and Defence College (ESDC)
    • European security strategy
    • Operation Sophia: Fighting human trafficking in the Mediterranean
    • Nuclear non-proliferation
    • Financing of civilian crisis management operations
    • Instrument for Stability (2007 – 2013)
    • European Union Institute for Security Studies
    • European Union missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina
    • European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan
    • European Union Satellite Centre
    • IPA II: the EU’s Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance 2014-2020
    • Iraq: Integrated rule of law mission
    • Financing European Union military and defence operations (Athena)