About the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE)

The European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE) is a member-based association located in Berlin. It was established in February 2020 following an invitation to all European Union (EU) Member States by the German Federal Foreign Office. It operates with a focus on enhancing capabilities to strengthen civilian crisis management in the framework of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).

The Centre is a service provider, supporting its currently 23 members (EU Member States) and the European External Action Service (EEAS), preferred partner of the CoE, in implementing their commitments under the Civilian CSDP Compact. NATO, represented by its International Staff, is also a preferred partner of the CoE. Preferred partnership of both, the EEAS and NATO IS, is rooted in the EU’s comprehensive approach to external conflict and crises as well as in acknowledging that civil-military cooperation is essential to sustainably maintain peace and security. Hence, membership to the CoE is in principle open to all EU Member States and NATO Allies. Decisions on membership are unanimously made by the members.

 

“Civilian crisis management is a pillar of European foreign and security policy. The key aim of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management is to strengthen civilian crisis management capabilities of EU Member States through facilitating cooperation and the exchange of good practices. The Centre supports its members in fulfilling the Compact commitments to make civilian CSDP more capable, more effective and more joined-up.“
CoE Director Volker Jacoby

The CoE’s key task is to strengthen civilian crisis management capabilities within the framework of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). This is done by facilitating the exchange of good practices between members. Additionally, the CoE is supporting its members by offering tailored advice and expert support.

Furthermore, the CoE encourages the creation of knowledge through the exchange of information and the identification of good practices in the field of civilian crisis management. The Centre aims to aid members in implementing the Civilian CSDP Compact to make civilian CSDP more effective and joined up.

CoE Priorities 

 

The CoE is a knowledge and action hub. It collects and exchanges national good practices in the field of civilian CSDP and augments them with its own analysis. In addition to that, the CoE works on concrete proposals on how European civilian crisis management can be further developed both conceptually and in practice.The Centre is a go-between that serves the Centre's members (currently 23 EU Member States), preferred partners (EEAS and NATO IS) and the 12 civilian crisis management missions deployed in the framework of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).   

The CoE and its members have identified 11 priorities that its tasks and outputs will be focusing on. They have been developed and prioritised in the context of discussions on the role of Civilian CSDP in EU Foreign and Security Policy.  

The European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE) is a member-based association located in Berlin. It was established in February 2020 following an invitation to all European Union (EU) Member States by the German Federal Foreign Office. It operates with a focus on enhancing capabilities to strengthen civilian crisis management in the framework of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).

The CoE is financed by a grant from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office and by financial contributions from its members (membership fees). Members also contribute to the work of the CoE through the secondment of highly qualified, no-cost experts to the Centre in Berlin.