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ESDC supports the EaP panel on CSDP

16.11.2017

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint initiative involving the EU, its Member States and six Eastern European Partners: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. It is based on a commitment to the principles of international law and fundamental values – democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also encompasses support for a market economy, sustainable development and good governance.

Many of the challenges partner countries face are shared ones. Addressing them collectively contributes to the stability and prosperity of the region, and promotes cooperation and the exchange of best practice between these countries. Multilateral cooperation enables partner countries to work together on issues across borders such as:

democracy, good governance and stability
sustainable economic development
energy security
people-to-people contacts.

The work on these issues is based on four thematic platforms, supported by various expert panels and a number of flagship initiatives. One of these expert panels deals with the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union, which is managed by the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate (CMPD) of the European External Action Service (EEAS). The panel meets twice a year and establishes a workplan (which is a 'living document').

The European Security and Defence College (ESDC) is the main CSDP training and education provider in the Eastern Partnership region. To date, about 3000 persons from the EaP countries have attended courses, conferences or seminars, which have been held both within and outside the European Union.

During the EaP panel meeting on CSDP, the ESDC, supported by several Member States, announced that it intended to conduct at least two orientation courses and one topical seminar within the EaP panel on CSDP during the upcoming year. Other activities for the Eastern Partnership countries will be organised in cooperation with the European Commission's Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) instrument.

Events conducted until November 2017