Implementing CSDP Missions: The Daily Travails of Police Experts

Drawing on a series of in-depth interviews with European police officers deployed to CSDP missions, this article examines mission members' perspectives on key challenges frequently discussed at headquarters, namely bureaucratic obstacles and staffing issues.

The article first explains the importance of studying micro-political dynamics, i.e. the individual negotiations, behaviours and choices that shape the implementation of political decisions. It then examines the day-to-day challenges faced by civilian CSDP missions, based on 90 interviews with European police officers (21 of whom were women) from 15 EU Member States, conducted between May 2019 and July 2021.

Two main challenges are identified. First, bureaucratic hurdles, such as the tight control exerted by Brussels-based institutions and rigid adherence to administrative procedures, can reduce mission effectiveness. In the interviews, officers explain that they feel they spend more time on reporting than on their operational tasks. Second, staff shortages, skills mismatches and frequent personnel turnover also hamper the work of mission personnel, who need to find strategies to overcome these issues. The third part of the article focuses on these coping strategies. Finally, the article concludes with a summary of the findings and recommendations for future research and policy development.

This article will be of value to policy makers who wish to understand how external factors affect the work of police officers in the field and, in turn, the achievement of mandates.

Reference: Friesendorf, C., Neubauer, P., & Schroeder, U. C. (2023). Implementing CSDP missions: the daily travails of police experts. European Security, 33(1), 63–81.

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