Editing European Union (section)

===Defence===
{{Main|Common Security and Defence Policy}}
{{See also|Frontex|European Defence Agency|European Union Institute for Security Studies|European Union Satellite Centre}}
[[File:EU and NATO.svg|thumb|Map showing European membership of the EU and [[NATO]]
{{Leftlegend|#ffd617|EU member only}}
{{Leftlegend|#000|NATO member only}}
{{Leftlegend|#039|EU and NATO member}}
]]
[[File:Coat of arms of the European Union Military Staff.svg|thumb|upright|Coat of arms of the [[European Union Military Staff|Military Staff]]]]

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The predecessors of the European Union were not devised as a military alliance because [[NATO]] was largely seen as appropriate and sufficient for defence purposes.{{sfn|Wilkinson|2007|page=100}} In 2025, Europe initiated the [[ReArm Europe|ReArm program]], a strategic breakthrough aimed at mobilising local industrial capabilities and bolstering European equipment production, involves a financial investment of €800 billion to support the development and procurement, simultaneously enhancing the continent's overall military readiness and self-sufficiency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press statement by President von der Leyen on the defence package |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/sv/statement_25_673 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=European Commission - European Commission}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=EU's von der Leyen proposes €800 billion defense plan – DW – 03/04/2025 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/eus-von-der-leyen-proposes-800-billion-defense-plan/a-71819582 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-03-04 |title=EU chief unveils €800 billion plan to 'rearm' Europe |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/european-union/article/2025/03/04/eu-chief-reveals-800-billion-plan-to-rearm-europe_6738782_156.html |access-date=2025-03-04 |language=en}}</ref>

Twenty-three EU members are members of NATO while the remaining member states follow policies of [[Neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]].<ref>{{Cite conference |last=Laursen |first=Finn |date=1 June 1997 |title=The EU 'neutrals,' the CFSP and defence policy |url=http://aei.pitt.edu/2657/ |location=Seattle, WA |publisher=University of Pittsburgh |page=27 |access-date=24 July 2009 |book-title=Biennial Conference of the European Union Studies Association}}</ref> The [[Western European Union]], a military alliance with a mutual defence clause, closed in 2011<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Archives of the European Union: Assembly of the Western European Union |url=https://archives.eui.eu/en/fonds/194161?item=WEU}}</ref> as its role had been transferred to the EU.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 March 2010 |title=Statement of the Presidency of the Permanent Council of the WEU on behalf of the High Contracting Parties to the Modified Brussels Treaty – Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom |url=http://www.weu.int/Declaration_E.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010150807/http://www.weu.int/Declaration_E.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2017 |website=weu.int |publisher=Western European Union |location=Brussels}}</ref> Following the [[Kosovo War]] in 1999, the [[European Council]] agreed that "the Union must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and the readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises without prejudice to actions by NATO". To that end, a number of efforts were made to increase the EU's military capability, notably the [[Helsinki Headline Goal]] process. After much discussion, the most concrete result was the [[EU Battlegroup]]s initiative, each of which is planned to be able to deploy quickly about 1500&nbsp;personnel.<ref name="Council Capabilities">{{Cite web |last=Council of the European Union |date=July 2009 |title=EU battlegroups |url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/090720-Factsheet-Battlegroups_EN.pdf |access-date=3 June 2013 |publisher=Europa web portal |archive-date=4 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104224245/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/090720-Factsheet-Battlegroups_EN.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The EU Strategic Compass adopted in 2022 reaffirmed the bloc's partnership with NATO, committed to increased military mobility and formation of a 5,000-strong EU Rapid Deployment Capacity<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Strategic Compass for Security and Defence |url=https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/strategic-compass-security-and-defence-1_en |access-date=1 August 2023}}</ref>

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Since the withdrawal of the United Kingdom, France is the only member officially recognised as a [[List of states with nuclear weapons|nuclear weapon state]] and the sole holder of a [[Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council|permanent seat]] on the [[United Nations Security Council]]. France and Italy are also the only EU countries that have [[Power projection|power projection capabilities]] outside of Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunha |first=Alberto |date=5 July 2020 |title=Post-Brexit EU Defence Policy: Is Germany Leading towards a European Army? |url=https://www.e-ir.info/2020/07/05/post-brexit-eu-defence-policy-is-germany-leading-towards-a-european-army/ |access-date=1 January 2022 |website=E-International Relations |language=en}}</ref> Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium participate in NATO [[nuclear sharing]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Meier |first=Oliver |date=June 2020 |title=German Politicians Renew Nuclear Basing Debate |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/74d6c94a8784b0ef0346f046169ac8c7/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37049 |journal=Arms Control Today |volume=50 |issue=5 |pages=36–37}}</ref> Most EU member states opposed the [[Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons|Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 January 2018 |title=Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons ─ the 'Ban Treaty' |work=European Parliament |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2018)614664}}</ref>

[[EUFOR|EU forces]] have been deployed on peacekeeping missions from middle and northern Africa to the [[western Balkans]] and western Asia.<ref name="Council Operations">{{Cite web |last=Council of the European Union |date=April 2003 |title=Overview of the missions and operations of the European Union |url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/eeas/security-defence/eu-operations?amp;lang=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202213910/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/eeas/security-defence/eu-operations?amp;lang=en |archive-date=2 December 2011 |access-date=3 June 2013 |publisher=Europa web portal}}</ref> EU military operations are supported by a number of bodies, including the [[European Defence Agency]], [[European Union Satellite Centre]] and the [[European Union Military Staff]].<ref name="Council Structures">{{Cite web |last=Council of the European Union |title=CSDP structures and instruments |url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/eeas/security-defence/csdp-structures-and-instruments?lang=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530233030/http://consilium.europa.eu/eeas/security-defence/csdp-structures-and-instruments?lang=en |archive-date=30 May 2013 |access-date=3 June 2013 |publisher=Europa web portal}}</ref> The European Union Military Staff is the highest military institution of the European Union, established within the framework of the European Council, and follows on from the decisions of the Helsinki European Council (10–11 December 1999), which called for the establishment of permanent political-military institutions. The European Union Military Staff is under the authority of the [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]] and the Political and Security Committee. It directs all military activities in the EU context, including planning and conducting military missions and operations in the framework of the [[Common Security and Defence Policy]] and the development of military capabilities, and provides the Political and Security Committee with military advice and recommendations on military issues. In an EU consisting of 27 members, substantial security and defence co-operation is increasingly relying on collaboration among all member states.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Russo-Georgian War and Beyond: towards a European Great Power Concert, Danish ''Institute of International Studies'' |url=http://www.diis.dk/sw87465.asp?csref=RSS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429211047/http://www.diis.dk/sw87465.asp?csref=RSS |archive-date=29 April 2011 |access-date=27 April 2010 |publisher=Diis.dk}}</ref>

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency ([[Frontex]]) is an [[Agencies of the European Union|agency of the EU]] aiming to detect and stop illegal immigration, [[human trafficking]] and terrorist infiltration.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frontex |title=What is Frontex? |url=http://www.frontex.europa.eu/ |access-date=4 September 2007 |publisher=Europa web portal}}</ref> The EU also operates the [[European Travel Information and Authorisation System]], the [[Entry/Exit System]], the [[Schengen Information System]], the [[Visa Information System]] and the [[Common European Asylum System]] which provide common databases for police and immigration authorities. The impetus for the development of this co-operation was the advent of open borders in the Schengen Area and the associated cross-border crime.<ref name="Internal borders" />