The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy: A fresh impetus?

The European Council Summit was due to be held on 19-20 December 2013. Among the main issues for debate is the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). It will be the first time in five years that EU leaders have comprehensively discussed EU defence policy, amid criticisms that CSDP has lost momentum due to a lack of consensus over its strategic direction, an unwillingness on the part of Member States to commit the necessary resources and the prevailing economic crisis which has seen defence budgets fall across Europe and capabilities cut.

The position of the British Government is outlined in section 3.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: EU common defense strategy still long way off http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-common-defense-strategy-still-long-way-off/

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