CSDP Training

Introduction on CSDP training

EU training policy in CSDP is aimed at creating a European security culture under the CSDP and meeting crisis management operational needs in both civilian and military fields.

Principles

EU training policy in CSDP is based on the following principles:

• Ensure a holistic and co-ordinated approach toward training for all categories of personnel;
• Reflect the development of EU Crisis Management capabilities and integrate lessons learnt from operational activities and exercises into training;
• Identify and share best practices among training providers;
• Be cost-effective with the best use of available resources/infrastructures (also through bilateral/multilateral cooperation - inside and outside the EU (e.g. with the UN) - in delivering of training activities);
• Contribute to the mainstreaming of a human rights and gender perspective into CSDP;
• Reflect the relevant aspects of International Law, including International Humanitarian Law;
• Complement from the EU level the CSDP-relevant training provided by Member States and seek synergies with international organisations, as appropriate.

Implementation

The EU Training Concept in ESDP  [123 KB] establishes the overall training cycle at EU level, which consists of four phases:

Phase one

• To analyse/identify the training requirements relevant to CSDP;

Phase two

• Based on this analysis, to design the annual EU Training Programme, which is now electronically available in Schoolmaster, listing the training activities of all relevant training actors in the field of CSDP;

Phase three

• To conduct and implement the EU Training Programme by the relevant actors;

Phase four

• To evaluate lessons learnt to be taken into account when starting the new cycle of analysing the training requirements for the next year's training programme. The assessment is done through the Comprehensive Annual Report on CSDP and CSDP-related Training (CART)  [84 KB] .

The EU also supports training efforts carried out by Member States, inter alia through the development of training modules and minimum standard training elements. Such modules and standards exist e.g. in the following fields: human rights, gender, and child protection.

Training providers

The EU training policy in CSDP is implemented by Member States' training providers on a national basis or through EU-level training providers/projects:

• ESDC (European Security and Defence College)
• CEPOL (European Police College)
• ENTRi (Europe's New Training Initiative for Civilian Crisis Management)
• EUPST (European Union Police Services Training)
• EDA supported training activities

Schoolmaster

Schoolmaster is an on-line database containing information on all courses delivered throughout the EU that are relevant to the European Union's Common Security and Defence Policy. Whether delivered by Member States' training institutions or by the EU itself, all courses in Schoolmaster are in principle open to participants from all Member States. If you want to receive alerts on new courses that training institutions upload to the Schoolmaster database, please subscribe here.

External Cooperation

Close cooperation with third states and international organisations is a basic principle for the EU as regards the conduct of crisis management operations. In the framework of CSDP training, it is reflected in harmonisation of approaches, content and sharing of best practices.

source: European Union External Action