European security and defence identity

The European security and defence identity (ESDI) was developed within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) alliance to strengthen European participation in security matters while reinforcing transatlantic cooperation. ESDI was developed along with complementary initiatives carried out by other mutually reinforcing organisations, such as the Western European Union (WEU), which was later on replaced by the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

The essential element of ESDI’s development was the preparation of WEU operations, with the involvement of WEU and NATO, based on identifying separable but not separate capabilities, assets and support assets within the alliance, and developing appropriate multinational European command within NATO in order to prepare, support, command and carry out WEU-led operations.