About the European Security Union
The European Security Union aims to:
- ensure that EU security policy reflects the changing threats landscape
- build long-term, sustainable resilience
- engage the EU institutions and agencies, governments, the private sector and individuals in a whole-of-society approach
- bring together the many policy areas with a direct impact on security
Today’s Progress Report provides an overview of the implementation of the EU Security Union Strategy for 2020-2025 since its adoption. The Commission has put forward all of the initiatives initially highlighted in the Strategy, and new initiatives have been added to respond to evolving security challenges over the years. The EU is now significantly better equipped to face security challenges than it was four years ago.
The EU Security Union Strategy
The European Commission has set out a new EU Security Union Strategy to protect everyone in the EU and promote our European way of life. The strategy covers the period from 2020 to 2025 and focuses on priority areas where the EU can help Member States in fostering security for all those living in Europe, while respecting our European values and principles.
The 4 pillars of the strategy
The strategy lays out the tools and measures to be developed over the next five years to ensure security in our physical and digital environments. It is composed of four strategic priorities for action at EU level and will draw heavily on the work of the EU agencies.
The European Security Union Strategy: key actions
Each of the strategy's 4 pillars includes several key action areas.
- Fighting terrorism and organised crime
- Organised crime
- Terrorism and radicalisation
- A future-proof security environment
- Critical infrastructure
- Cybersecurity
- Protecting public spaces
- Building a strong security ecosystem
- Strengthening research and innovation
- Cooperation and information exchange
- Skills and awareness raising
- Strong external borders
- Tackling evolving threats
- Hybrid threats
- Illegal content online
- Cybercrime
- Modern law enforcement
Progress reports
The security threat landscape has dramatically changed in a new context marked by uncertainties and rapidly evolving developments linked to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
The European Commission regularly presents progress reports on the implementation of the EU Security Union Strategy. Reports include an overview of actions taken on all Security Union strands and demonstrate that the EU is able to adapt, even in the face of exceptional and unexpected threats.
- The seventh progress report was presented on 15 May 2024
- The sixth progress report was presented on 18 October 2023
- The fifth progress report was presented on 13 December 2022
- The fourth progress report was presented on 25 May 2022
- The third progress report was presented on 8 December 2021
- The second progress report was presented on 23 June 2021
- The first progress report was presented on 9 December 2020
Background
The Security Union concept was first introduced in the 2016 European Commission Communication “Paving a way towards an effective and genuine Security Union”.
This concept was built on the 2015 European Agenda on Security. It proposed a new approach based on shared responsibility between the European Union and the EU countries. To lead the process, a dedicated Security Union Commissioner portfolio was created in September 2016, assisted by a task force that drew on the expertise of the entire European Commission.
In 2019, this portfolio was entrusted to the Vice-President for promoting our European way of life.