On 15 November, EU foreign affairs and defence ministers sitting in a joint session exchanged views on the first draft of the EU Strategic Compass, which is due to provide clear political-strategic guidance on the EU approach to security and defence in the next 5 to 10 years, and step up the EU’s role as global […]
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Increased data sharing would help in the fight against smuggling of migrants
Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement cooperation agency, supports EU Member States in combating migrant smuggling. Part of this role involves serving as an information exchange hub. However, Europol faces continuous challenges in gaining access to all relevant criminal databases, and in making full use of external information sources. This is the conclusion of a […]
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Afghanistan: EU’s position and next steps
The Council approved conclusions on Afghanistan emphasising the EU’s commitment to peace and stability in the country and to supporting the Afghan people. The conclusions also set out the EU’s line of action for the near future. The EU recognises that the situation in Afghanistan is a major challenge for the international community as a whole, and stresses […]
Read MoreFirst EU measures in response to the Afghanistan crisis
Situation in Afghanistan Following the Taliban takeover on 15 August, a new reality exists in Afghanistan, a reality that affects the EU, affects the region, international stability and has a direct impact on European security. The future of Afghanistan remains a key issue for the EU. The EU remains firmly committed to supporting the Afghan […]
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The EU on the current geopolitical chessboard
In view of the serious international situation and the escalation of conflicts in different areas of Europe, the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers have held a series of meetings since May 18 in order to address the various current situations and reach consensus agreements: Main results EU Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the recent serious escalation […]
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High-level Military Mobility Symposium discussed way ahead
More than 350 participants from Member States, EU institutions, industry, academia and think tanks joined the high-level online symposium on ‘Military Mobility – Transforming Ambition into Reality’, co-organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and EDA. After 2018, it was the second European conference specifically devoted to Military Mobility. In […]
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Feasibility of a future European army
While there is no EU army and defence remains exclusively a matter for member states, the EU has recently taken big steps to boost defence cooperation. Since 2016, there has been significant progress in the area of EU security and defence with several concrete EU initiatives to encourage cooperation and reinforce Europe’s capacity to defend […]
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Fighting trafficking in human beings
The Commission is presenting today a new Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025), focusing on preventing the crime, bringing traffickers to justice and protecting and empowering victims. Between 2017 and 2018, there were more than 14,000 registered victims within the European Union. Globally, traffickers make estimated profits of €29.4 billion in a single year. With […]
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Smuggling Network Connected to four deaths at sea dismantled in Spain
The suspects are linked to the smuggling of an important amount of people through the Strait of Gibraltar On 29 March 2021 Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) in dismantling an organised crime group involved in migrant smuggling from Morocco to Spain through the Strait of Gibraltar. More than 150 police officers were […]
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