This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Foreign & security policy at EU level
SUMMARY
HOW DOES THE EU CONDUCT FOREIGN & SECURITY POLICY?
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By means of its Common Foreign & Security policy (CFSP), which covers all areas of foreign policy and all questions relating to the EU's security.
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The CFSP also includes a Common Security & Defence Policy (CSDP), which covers the defence, military and civilian crisis management aspects of EU policy.
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KEY POINTS
EU foreign & security policy is subject to specific rules and procedures:
Decision making
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The European Council (a summit consisting of EU heads of state/government which convenes at least 4 times per year) identifies the EU's strategic interests, determines the objectives and defines the broad thrust of the CFSP.
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Taking into account these objectives and strategic direction, the Council of the EU votes on actions or positions to be taken under the CFSP.
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While decisions made by the Council of the EU require unanimity, aspects of decisions can be decided by qualified majority voting, which means 55 % of EU country votes, representing at least 65 % of the EU's population.
Implementation
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The CFSP is put into effect by the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy.
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The High Representative is assisted by the EU’s diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service (EEAS).
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The Court of Justice of the European Union has no jurisdiction in the field of the CFSP (Article 24 of the Treaty on European Union - TEU), except for:
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Funding
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EU countries finance operations with military or defence implications.
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Other operational expenditure is financed from the EU's general budget.
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BACKGROUND
The CFSP, as it is known today, together with the position of High Representative and the EEAS, was created by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty.
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last update 08.12.2015