In a decision published on Tuesday 10 December in the Official Journal of the European Union, the European Union has updated the objectives of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), “the principal body responsible for implementing the policy and coordinating the training activities of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)”.
The ESDC will thus not only be tasked with further strengthening the common European security and defence culture within the Union, but also helping to improve that culture. This includes supporting the implementation of the EU’s CSDP training policy, while ensuring coherence with other activities and, where appropriate, acting in accordance with the EU’s integrated approach to external conflicts and crises, the ‘Strategic Compass’ and the EU Civilian CSDP Compact.
The ESDC must also ensure the quality and consistency of training and knowledge in the field of CSDP, and identify, update and respond to training needs. It must promote synergies and complementarity between the civilian and military dimensions of CSDP.
The College’s budget for 2025 will be €2.9 million.
Finally, no later than 10 December 2029, the High Representative will present to the Council “a report on the implementation of the decision, accompanied, where appropriate, by proposals for its revision”.
To see the decision, go to https://aeur.eu/f/equ (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)