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European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management

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The European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management e.V. (CoE) is based in Berlin. Its task is to enhance civilian crisis management within the framework of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). It is a service provider for its 22 members,[1] the European External Action Service (EEAS) as well as civilian crisis management missions.[2][3][4] Currently it has a staff of 20, among them Senior Advisors from Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden.[5]

History

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The CoE was founded in February 2020 by 14 EU Member States who followed an initiative by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.[6][7][8] They were later joined by further seven states, who are also EU Members.[9]

The CoE operates with a focus on EU crisis management missions, which are key instruments of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Four key priorities for Civilian CSDP missions have been identified within the Feira EU Council Conclusions from 2000: policing, rule of law, support to civil administration and civil protection.[10] With the launch of the EU Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy in 2016, the priorities were revisited to focus on enhanced cooperation between EU Member States, speeding up deployment, and providing adequate EU-wide training.[11] These priorities have been adapted to the EU’s current geopolitical environment, placing an emphasis on the internal-external security nexus, and are reflected in the adoption of the Civilian CSDP Compact of 2018.[2] The Compact comprises 22 commitments by Member States to make civilian CSDP missions more capable, more effective, flexible, and responsive, as well as more joined up with other EU Foreign Policy tools. The Civilian CSDP Compact serves as a strategic guidance for the CoE in fulfilling its task.[2]

The official opening ceremony of the Centre took place at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs during Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.[12][13] Ahead of the official opening event German Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited the Centre for the ribbon cutting and the inauguration of the CoE premises.[14]

The opening event also took stock of a virtual workshop organised by the CoE on 16 September 2020. The subject of the workshop was How to improve women’s participation in civilian crisis management missions.[1]

Priorities

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The CoE is a knowledge- and action-hub. It operates through identifying good practices in the field of civilian crisis management and augmenting them with its own analysis. The CoE offers its members tailored advice, expert support and facilitates knowledge exchange to support their effective Compact fulfilment. All content that the CoE produces is made available to its members, the EEAS and the missions through a Knowledge Hub - a platform for interaction as well as the comprehensive collection of data, information, and knowledge on civilian crisis management.[1]

The CoE and its members have identified eleven priorities that it will be focusing on:

  • National Systems and Frameworks of Secondment
  • Training Alignment and Leadership Training
  • National Career Path Development
  • Gender Mainstreaming and Increasing Women’s Participation in Civilian Crisis Management
  • Strategic Communications
  • Strategic Context of Civilian CSDP – JHA Cooperation
  • Civil-Military Cooperation / Selected Mini-Concepts
  • Technology and Research, Development, Innovation
  • Capability Development Third Countries  
  • Climate and Security[15]

These have been developed and prioritised in the context of broader discussions on the role of Civilian CSDP in EU Foreign and Security Policy, with a focus on the integrated approach as well as the Strategic Compass.[16] This document defines and analyses key threats and challenges to further determine the direction of the European CSDP. It was adopted in 2022 under the French EU Council Presidency.[17][18]

Structure and Staff

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The European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE) e.V. is constituted as a non-profit private association under German law. It is mainly financed by the German Federal Foreign Office and receives additional membership fees.[1]

The team of the CoE consists of permanent staff, Senior Advisors and Founding Director Dr. Volker Jacoby, who serves as the executive board of the CoE since February 2020. The Senior Advisors, sent to the CoE by their governments (i.e. CoE members), work alongside the permanent staff in the Centre in Berlin for a determined period of time. The CoE seeks further secondment from its members to fulfil its manifold tasks.[5]

Membership

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Membership to the CoE is restricted to EU Member States and NATO Allies. The General Meeting decides unanimously on admissions. The CoE’s “Preferred Partners” are the EEAS and NATO, represented by its International Staff (IS).[19][9]

Current Members
Member State Date of Admission
 Austria 01.07.2021
 Belgium 01.07.2021
 Cyprus 25.02.2020
 Czech Republic 01.07.2020
 Denmark 25.02.2020
 Estonia 25.02.2020
 Finland 25.02.2020
 France 25.02.2020
 Germany 25.02.2020
 Greece 25.02.2020
 Hungary 01.07.2020
 Ireland 25.02.2020
 Italy 01.10.2020
 Lithuania 25.02.2020
 Latvia 01.07.2020
 The Netherlands 25.02.2020
 Poland 25.02.2020
 Portugal 25.02.2020
 Romania 01.07.2020
 Slovakia 25.02.2020
 Sweden 25.02.2020

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "CoE-Civ: About the CoE". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  2. ^ a b c Böttcher, Carina (2019-06-06). "The Compact Roadmap".
  3. ^ Auswärtiges, Amt (2020-09-17). "Opening of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE) in Berlin: We want to pool our know-how". Germany's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  4. ^ "Member States strengthen civilian CSDP: Centre of Excellence opens in Berlin". EEAS - European Commission (in Khmer). Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  5. ^ a b "CoE-Civ: CoE - Team". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  6. ^ Auswärtiges, Amt. "Gründung des Europäischen Kompetenzzentrums für Ziviles Krisenmanagement in Berlin". Auswärtiges Amt (in German). Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  7. ^ "Establishment of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management in Berlin | ZIF Berlin". www.zif-berlin.org. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  8. ^ Auswärtiges Amt, Deutsche Vertretung in Polen. "Eröffnung des European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE)". polen.diplo.de (in German). Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  9. ^ a b "CoE-Civ: CoE - Our Member States". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  10. ^ Böttcher, Carina (2019-01-17). "Moving EU Civilian Crisis Management Forward DGAP Conference Report".
  11. ^ European External Action Service (2016). "Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe"
  12. ^ "CoE-Civ: Official Opening of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE)". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  13. ^ "EUPOL COPPS Acting Head of Mission Katja Dominik advocates for more women in EU missions at Centre of Excellence opening ceremony in Berlin". EUPOL COPPS. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  14. ^ "CoE-Civ: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas cuts the Ribbon at the CoE". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  15. ^ "CoE-Civ: Third General Meeting of the members and preferred partners of the CoE". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  16. ^ "CoE-Civ: General Meeting of the members of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management". www.coe-civ.eu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  17. ^ "The EU's Strategic Compass and Its Four Baskets | DGAP". dgap.org. 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  18. ^ "A Strategic Compass for Security and Defence" (PDF). Brussels: European Council. 21 March 2022. 7371/22.
  19. ^ NATO. "International Staff". NATO. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
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