Civilian Capabilities Development Plan

The Civilian Capabilities Development Plan (CCDP) identifies needed capabilities and capacities to strengthen civilian CSDP and makes suggestions for their development by EU member states. It was published two months before the first Civilian CSDP Compact was signed in 2018.

The CCDP identifies capabilities that are needed to deliver on the new goals set in the Concept Paper of April 2018. In Feira (2000), ambitions were defined that are still important for civilian CSDP. Those focused on strengthening the police, rule of law and civilian administration in fragile states. Additionally, due to changes in Europe’s strategic environment over the past decades, Security Sector Reforms are emphasised in the CCDP as a future task, together with answers to hybrid threats, radicalisation, organised crime and more challenges. To this end, in the annex, the CCDP suggests concrete, detailed measures and actions on a national and EU-institutional level to help Member States develop those capabilities and work more closely with EU institutions in the mid- to long-term. 

The required systems, structures and personnel requirements (both in terms of quantity and skills) will have to be determined in an annual review to ultimately achieve the deployment of civilian expertise throughout the lifespan of missions. The increased use of contracted personnel instead of oftentimes better qualified seconded experts is concluded to be one issue for civilian CSDP with legal frameworks limiting secondment. Training for new priority areas is seen by the CCDP as one of the most important instruments to increase capabilities within the personnel working on civilian CSDP. 

Reference: EEAS (2018). Civilian Capabilities Development Plan.

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