Security and defence

Overview

The European Commission will work to ensure that European citizens are safer and more secure, and that Europe has the means to maintain peace through credible deterrence. These last few years have been a sharp reminder about how fragile peace is. They have also been a wakeup call for Europe to give itself the means to protect itself and deter potential adversaries.

What Europeans think

78%

of citizens are concerned with the EU's security and defence

81%

of Europeans are in favour of a common defence and security policy

_^Source:_{^{Eurobarometer, 2025}}

Objectives

Build a European defence union
to protect the European Union and its people
Enhance preparedness and crisis management
to stand ready to react to crises
Improve internal security
to address all threats online and offline
Strengthen common borders
to make them more secure
Manage migration
fairly and firmly

How we will achieve our objectives

Over the course of the Commission’s mandate between 2024-2029 and to meet Europe’s security and defence challenges, we will

Build a European defence union

European military forces participating in military exercises

We will act on defence to protect Europeans by

helping Member States rebuild, replenish, and transform national armed forces by building upon the existing defence industrial programmes, to invest in high-end capabilities in critical areas such as naval, ground, air combat, space-based early warning and cyber
helping pool resources and counter common threats through flagship European defence projects to be ultimately decided by Member States
developing a single market for defence products and services, enhancing defence research and development, production capacity and fostering joint procurement

Central to this work will be further strengthening EU-NATO cooperation.

Enhance the EU's preparedness and crisis management

View of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)

We will develop a preparedness union strategy to ensure we are better prepared for crises by

better preparing the whole of society for possible crises, including the citizens and the private sector
strengthening our foresight and anticipation capabilities
addressing new threats, in particular those linked to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) and cybersecurity
supporting medical countermeasures against public health threats, including joint procurement and stockpiling

Ensure a safer and more secure Europe

Members of the Garda Siochana (Irish Police) patrolling in Dublin city

For people to feel safe, we will work on

a new European internal security strategy to help ensure that security is integrated into EU legislation
a new European action plan against drug trafficking, which will see us work with partners to close routes and business models of drug traffickers
a new counter-terrorism agenda to address new and emerging threats and to take a stronger approach to terrorist financing and anti-radicalisation

Strengthen common borders

A crew member of the Italian frigate Virginio Fasan, operating under the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation

To deliver stronger common borders, we will

put in place a fully functional digital border management system
implement an integrated border management approach
develop an EU visa policy strategy
ensure a complete and fully functioning Schengen area

Stand fair and firm on migration

A humanitarian aid worker from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) walks through a refugee camp

Migration is a European challenge that must be met with a European solution. To manage migration effectively with solidarity at its heart, we will

implement the pact on migration and asylum and frame our forward-looking vision in the first five-year European migration and asylum strategy
put forward a new common approach on returns to speed up and simplify the process
continue developing strategic relations with non-EU countries
work with Member States to open up legal pathways to migration, based on the skills needs of our economies and our regions

Progress to date

Monitor, follow, and stay updated on the progress of new initiatives, proposed laws and legislative changes under this priority

October 2025
Presentation of the Defence roadmap to strengthen European defence capabilities
July 2025
Launch of the EU stockpiling strategy and the medical countermeasures strategy to ensure continuity of essential goods and lifesaving medical supplies
June 2025
The Commission proposes Defence Readiness Omnibus to speed up defence investments in the EU
April 2025
The Commission unveils ProtectEU, a new European internal security strategy
March 2025
Presentation of the preparedness union strategy to enhance Europe's capability to prevent and respond to emerging threats
The Commission unveils the white paper for European defence and the ReArm Europe plan/Readiness 2030
The Commission proposes a new common European system for returns
The Commission proposes a critical medicines act to bolster the supply of critical medicines
January 2025
Adoption of an action plan to protect the health sector from cyberattacks

In the spotlight

Press conference by Henna Virkkunen, Kaja Kallas, Vice-Presidents of the European Commission, and Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner, on the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030

A new roadmap to strengthen European defence capabilities

The Commission and the High Representative have presented a plan to strengthen European defence capabilities. The new Defence readiness roadmap 2030 sets goals and milestones to address capability gaps, accelerate defence investments, and guide the EU’s progress towards full defence readiness by 2030.