Fourth General Meeting of the members and preferred partners of the CoE

On 30 November, CoE members and preferred partners (EEAS and NATO IS) met virtually to discuss the CoE priorities and shape the work of the Centre for the coming months. After the Virtual Encounter, the CoE’s final workplan is presented to its members for adoption through the ensuing Written Procedure. 

The past 6 months at the CoE 

CoE Director Volker Jacoby reported on the Centre’s activities in the 11 identified priorities over the last six months, including: 

  • Seven workshops and networking events in the thematic areas of budgetary frameworks of secondment, secondments of experts outside public service, pre-Mission training and preparation, improving civilian CSDP – JHA cooperation at the national level as well as the “Compact 2.0” 

  • The completion of the first CSDP Women’s Mentoring Programme, a 7-month mentoring journey aimed at strengthening the skills of women in management positions in missions, providing the opportunity for networking and individual consultation with experienced leaders 

  • Several publications, including a commentary on the EU’s strategic autonomy, a food for thought paper on Compact 2.0 with a view to the emerging Strategic Compass as well as a paper on the internal-external security nexus 

  • The creation of tools for the strategic communication of civilian CSDP, including a Strategic Communications Model, a concept paper on Faces of Civilian CSDP and a video on “How to apply for mission secondment”, co-produced with CPCC  

The CoE was proud to launch the Knowledge Hub in October, a comprehensive pool of resources on civilian crisis management. The Knowledge Hub offers policy and research papers, analyses, reports, recommendations as well as media files and links to relevant other websites or platforms. One of the core tools of the Centre to share good practices and offer members access to workshop reports and research papers, the Knowledge Hub is continuously expanding and transforming towards a platform of exchange for the civilian CSDP community. 

The way ahead 

Director Volker Jacoby also presented the workplan for 2022, reiterating the core elements of the CoE’s work in all its priorities:   the identification, exchange and adaptation of good practices between its members, with a view to fulfilling the Civilian CSDP Compact by 2023.  

Beyond continuing the identification of good practices and their dissemination in fora, such as workshops, the workplan for 2022 foresees an increase in facilitating adaptation of such practices to individual members’ contexts. The CoE will put its focus on bi- or trilateral sessions (facilitated “matchmakings”) and on concrete, individual consultancy for its members (“tailored solutions”). The Centre will continue to coordinate its work with the chairs of the informal NIP-Clusters and support them in their efforts. 

A warm welcome: two more secondees are joining the Centre 

CoE Director Volker Jacoby closed the meeting by welcoming two new seconded national experts to the CoE team. CoE members Sweden and Lithuania will be seconding personnel to Berlin to advance the Centre’s work. Karin Limdal (after Lisa Buijsse the second Swedish secondee) and Tomas Meškauskas will be joining the CoE in 2022. National seconded experts substantially contribute to the work of the Centre by sharing their expertise and significant work experience in the field of civilian crisis management.