Civilian CSDP Compact Hybrid Threats

01 June 2026

Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence (June 2026)

European External Action Service (EEAS) Reports, articles, briefs Public 2026

This report from EEAS summarises EU activities in support of each of the four pillars of the 2022 Strategic Compass. Civilian CSDP is described throughout as a useful tool for EU goals and recommendations are provided for policymakers to improve its effectiveness.

The report looks at the four pillars of the Strategic Compass:

  • Act more quickly and decisively when facing threats
  • Secure our citizens against fast-changing threats
  • Invest in the capabilities and technologies we need
  • Partner with others to achieve common goals

It is then divided into one section for each pillar, looking at examples of progress for each and concluding with recommendations for further improvement. Civilian CSDP plays an important role in the report and is cited frequently as a direct form of implementation of the Compass and a tool for supporting other implementation goals.

The 2023 Civilian CSDP Compact has been a key example of enacting the Compass through crisis management. Successes in implementation of the Compact include introduction of a the evaluation mechanism for missions and, as of February 2026, reaching 70% of international staff seconded. Confidence-building activities with local communities in host countries and cooperation with the UN Mediation Support Unit builds civilian CSDP mediation and dialogue support capabilities. Civilian CSDP is also a key way the EU responds to hybrid threats, deploying its first Hybrid Rapid Response Team to Moldova in May 2025, and all missions and operations now have monitoring and detection capabilities to counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). 

The report closes with recommendations to guide further implementation of the Compass, with several directly addressing civilian CSDP. The approval of a successor to the 2023 Compact should be a top priority and make it a more effective and integrated instrument. In particular EUAM Ukraine should be used to support the resilience of Ukraine. And civilian CSDP missions can support efforts to counter hybrid threats and FIMI. And finally, civilian CSDP can be used to both support the EU's international partners and to welcome them to participate in missions.

Reference: European External Action Service (2026). Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence. 

The views presented in this document belong to the author and do not reflect the official position of the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management.

Resource

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