EU missions worldwide
The EU and its Member States have put in place a set of measures and tools to optimise its diplomatic, humanitarian and development contribution globally. All such activity is coordinated by the EU’s External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, Belgium. The EU’s civilian and military missions and operations, of which there are 21 in total, are one of the main EU instruments to address and contribute to global peace and security.
Since 2003, the EU has carried out Common Security and Defence Policy’s (CSDP) missions and operations on land and sea to assist in creating a safe and secure environment, fighting pirates or disrupting networks of traffickers, or working with rule of law institutions to enhance democratic systems of justice. EUAM Ukraine, for instance, supports Ukraine’s civilian security sector institutions to reform the country’s law-enforcement and rule of law processes. The Civilian Operations Headquarters (CivOpsHQ) serves as the permanent operational headquarters for all EU civilian missions which fall under the CSDP. The CivOpsHQ is also part of the structure of the EEAS.
