Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations

The United Kingdom: House of Lords: Select Committee on the European Union published a report Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations on the 14 May 2018.

The report concluded that the United Kingdom might be able to continue in participating in CSDP missions and operations post-Brexit, but it would not have the influence it currently enjoyed in the development, planning and leadership of missions and operations.

Further information

+ As an EU Member State, the UK had influenced the development and planning of all missions and operations, and had led the EU's flagship anti-piracy operation, EU NAVFOR Somalia (Operation Atalanta).

+ CSDP missions and operations had been an important channel of UK influence - from tackling piracy to promoting the rule of law to peacebuilding in post-conflict states. The highly successful Operation Atalanta, in which the UK played a leading role, had brought together EU Member States and the wider international community in combating piracy in the Horn of Africa.

+ The UK's main contribution had been strategic guidance during the planning and review of missions and operations. It had also provided assets, such as naval vessels and aircraft. The UK's contribution of personnel was very limited. To date it had accounted for just 2.3% of total Member State contributions.

+ To maintain engagement with the EU on wider security and defence, the Committee recommended that the Government developed and submited to the EU27 detailed proposals for future CSDP co-operation before the June 2018 European Council meeting.

+ It should also negotiate observer status in the Political and Security Committee after Brexit and it would also need to invest significant resources in Brussels and in Member States' capitals after Brexit.

• Primary Source

United Kingdom: Department for Exiting the European Union: Policy Paper, May 2018: Framework for the UK-EU Security Partnership (et al) http://www.europeansources.info/record/framework-for-the-uk-eu-security-partnership/

United Kingdom: Department for Exiting the European Union: Foreign policy, defence and development: a future partnership paper (GOV.UK, 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/foreign-policy-defence-and-development-a-future-partnership-paper/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

United Kingdom: Prime Minister's Office: Press Release, 17.02.18: PM speech at Munich Security Conference: 17 February 2018 (et al) http://www.europeansources.info/record/pm-speech-at-munich-security-conference-17-february-2018/

United Kingdom: Parliament: House of Lords: Committees: News, 14.05.18: UK could lose influence on CSDP missions and operations post-Brexit, warns Committee https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/eu-external-affairs-subcommittee/news-parliament-2017/brexit-csdp-missions-operations-publication/

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