Security and defence

Overview

The European Commission will work to ensure that European citizens are safer and more secure, and that Europe has the means to maintain peace through credible deterrence. These last few years have been a sharp reminder about how fragile peace is. They have also been a wakeup call for Europe to give itself the means to protect itself and deter potential adversaries.

What Europeans think

71%

of citizens think the EU needs to reinforce its capacity to produce military equipment

77%

of Europeans are in favour of a common defence and security policy

Objectives

Build a European defence union
to protect the European Union and its people
Enhance preparedness and crisis management
to stand ready to react to crises
Improve internal security
to address all threats online and offline
Strengthen common borders
to make them more secure
Manage migration
fairly and firmly

How we will achieve our objectives

Over the course of the Commission’s mandate between 2024-2029 and to meet Europe’s security and defence challenges, we will

Build a European defence union

We will act on defence to protect Europeans by

helping Member States rebuild, replenish, and transform national armed forces by building upon the existing defence industrial programmes, to invest in high-end capabilities in critical areas such as naval, ground, air combat, space-based early warning and cyber
helping pool resources and counter common threats through flagship European defence projects to be ultimately decided by Member States
developing a single market for defence products and services, enhancing defence research and development, production capacity and fostering joint procurement

Central to this work will be further strengthening EU-NATO cooperation.

European military forces participating in military exercises

Enhance the EU's preparedness and crisis management

We will develop a preparedness union strategy to ensure we are better prepared for crises by

better preparing the whole of society for possible crises, including the citizens and the private sector
strengthening our foresight and anticipation capabilities
addressing new threats, in particular those linked to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) and cybersecurity
supporting medical countermeasures against public health threats, including joint procurement and stockpiling

View of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)

Ensure a safer and more secure Europe

For people to feel safe, we will work on

a new European internal security strategy to help ensure that security is integrated into EU legislation
a new European action plan against drug trafficking, which will see us work with partners to close routes and business models of drug traffickers
a new counter-terrorism agenda to address new and emerging threats and to take a stronger approach to terrorist financing and anti-radicalisation

Members of the Garda Siochana (Irish Police) patrolling in Dublin city

Strengthen common borders

To deliver stronger common borders, we will

put in place a fully functional digital border management system
implement an integrated border management approach
develop an EU visa policy strategy
ensure a complete and fully functioning Schengen area

A crew member of the Italian frigate Virginio Fasan, operating under the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation

Stand fair and firm on migration

Migration is a European challenge that must be met with a European solution. To manage migration effectively with solidarity at its heart, we will

implement the pact on migration and asylum and frame our forward-looking vision in the first five-year European migration and asylum strategy
put forward a new common approach on returns to speed up and simplify the process
continue developing strategic relations with non-EU countries
work with Member States to open up legal pathways to migration, based on the skills needs of our economies and our regions

A humanitarian aid worker from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) walks through a refugee camp

Progress to date

Monitor, follow, and stay updated on the progress of new initiatives, proposed laws and legislative changes under this priority

March 2025
Launch of the preparedness union strategy to support Member States and enhance Europe's capability to prevent and respond to emerging threats
Commission unveils the white paper for European defence and the ReArm Europe plan/Readiness 2030
Commission proposes a new common European system for returns
January 2025
Adoption of an action plan to protect the health sector from cyberattacks
October 2024
Sauli Niinistö presents the report on strengthening Europe's civil and military preparedness

In the spotlight

ProtectEU for safer and more secure Europe

The Commission has presented a new European internal security strategy to support EU countries and guarantee security for its citizens. The strategy sets out a workplan with stronger rules, better information sharing and closer cooperation. It aims to adopt a whole-of-society approach so everyone can contribute to better safety for all.