Development of EU civilian crisis management becoming a priority for Finland’s EU presidency

Press release 365/2005
21 November, 2005


The foreign ministers of the European Union states confirmed their commitment to continue the development of the EU civilian crisis management capacity at the Civilian Capabilities Commitment Conference held in Brussels on 21 November. The European Union aims at raising its level of readiness so that by the year 2008 it would have adequate resources to act as a global player in civilian crisis management. The next Ministerial Conference to review the progress made in generation of civilian capabilities will be held during Finland’s EU Presidency in autumn 2006.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja assured in his address that the generation of civilian capabilities would continue at full speed during Finland’s Presidency. Under review will be particularly the areas in which the Union still lacks resources. The key areas include, for instance, police operations and the rule of law. A special challenge will be the development of rapid reaction readiness for civilian crisis management. The foreign ministers are expected to approve a more detailed continuation plan for the generation of civilian capabilities for crisis management in the General Affairs Council in December.

The development of the European Union’s civilian crisis management capability takes place in accordance with the Union’s Security Strategy and the Civilian Headline Goals approved by the European Council in December 2004. The six areas of focus for the Union civilian crisis management are the police, rule of law, civilian administration, civil protection, execution of different monitoring missions, and support to EU special envoys. In an area of crisis, the EU participates, for instance, in restructuring of the security sector, and supports disarmament, as well as demobilisation and reintegration processes of combatants.

The goal of the Union’s civilian crisis management is, when a need arises, to be able to launch several concurrent missions at different levels of engagement and to deploy at short notice, when necessary. The EU aims at carrying out multifunctional civilian crisis management missions and to utilise every aspect of the capabilities at the disposal of the Union. The European Union has estimated that it would need more than 9,000 specialists in different fields in order to be able to carry out its missions.

Finland has placed 266 experts at the disposal of the Union. 80 of them are working in the police sector, 16 in the field of the rule of law, 18 in civilian administration, 98 in civil protection, 35 in monitoring, 4 in support to special envoys, and 15 in civilian rapid reaction teams.

In civilian crisis management, the EU aims at closer cooperation with third countries, the UN, the OSCE, and non-governmental organisations.

Additional information: Counsellor Tiina Jortikka-Laitinen, Unit of Civilian Crisis Management, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5696