UK-EU security and defence partnership statement

"The UK and the EU have today agreed an ambitious new Security and Defence Partnership, to set the framework for a new era of security co-operation between the UK and EU.

The Partnership fills this gap in our relationship, creating a strong basis to strengthen our dialogue and co-operation. This Partnership reflects our shared geography, history, interests and values, and the fact that the UK and the EU are both significant international actors with strong defence and security capabilities and expertise.

Through this new Partnership we will ensure the interests of the British people continue to be represented at the highest level across our continent, through increased regular engagement with EU leaders.

The Partnership will enable us to upgrade our co-operation on the major shared challenges to European security – for example, through increasing support for Ukraine with joint work to tackle Russia’s illegal shadow fleet and strengthening our co-operation on sanctions, to maximise economic pressure on Putin’s war machine. It will enable closer co-operation across a wide range of areas, namely:

• Exchanges on regional security issues
• Peace building and crisis management
• Maritime security
• Security and defence initiatives, policies and instruments
• Space security
• Emerging disruptive technologies
• Cyber issues
• Countering hybrid threats and resilience of critical infrastructure
• Countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI)
• Counter-terrorism, preventing/countering violent extremism
• Non-proliferation, disarmament and conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons (SALW)
• Capacity building for partners in security and defence
• Training, education in security and defence
• Situational awareness
• Co-operation in third countries and multilateral fora and institutional exchanges
• External aspects of economic security
• External aspects of the fight against corruption and illicit finance
• Women, Peace and Security
• External dimension of irregular migration
• Climate – security nexus
• Global health security

“It will also mean we can explore closer co-operation and joint investment in our defence industrial base, in a way which can support economic growth and jobs on both sides and help to prevent fragmentation.”

Source: UK Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-eu-security-and-defence-partnership 

The Critical Supply Group consists of companies and professionals committed to secure and resilient critical supply chains. CSG is managed by MAP UK & International. For more details, including how to get involved, or to make contact with any of the entities involved, please email info@mapukinternational.com.