The implementation of the Strategic Compass, proposed and led by HR/VP Josep Borrell, will transform the EU’s capabilities across all domains. The S&D Group has led efforts in this regard to establish a flexible and capable Rapid Deployment Capacity, demanding that member states provide all necessary military equipment and staff, conduct regular live exercises and act rapidly through a coalition of the willing and able under the EU flag when required. Moreover, the Strategic Compass provides direction and actions towards enhancing the Union’s security across all domains such as land, sea, air, space and cyber, whilst enhancing the Union’s role in international security.
The S&Ds have consistently argued in favour of values-based cooperation with partner countries, including those hosting CSDP missions, and successfully pushed for greater demands concerning gender equality and human rights. Moreover, the group has been leading efforts in Parliament to recognise the security implications of the climate crisis, including its impact on food security, migration and resource competition.
The S&D Group is a strong proponent of a genuine European Defence Union, where all member states contribute jointly to securing the lives and interests of our citizens, through enhancing the EU’s open strategic autonomy.
The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated that member states cannot rely on their own capabilities alone and greater cooperation is necessary to defend our democracy and values. Denmark, under the strong leadership of our social democrat sister party, demonstrated our historic decision to support further defence and security cooperation by overturning their 30-year-old opt-out from the EU’s CSDP.
Achieving open strategic autonomy in the field of security and defence demands strengthening and pooling of our capabilities, as well as improved co-ordination at member state and EU level alike. The EU must take its own security and defence into its own hands and share the role of international security provider in close collaboration with our like-minded partners and allies.
The S&D Group promotes closer cooperation with NATO where possible, ensuring that efforts are not duplicated and that the needs and interests of all member states, including non-NATO members, are respected. Under S&D sister parties’ leadership, Finland and Sweden began the accession process for NATO membership, engaging in a paradigm shift for their countries and demonstrating our political family’s support for greater focus on security and defence.
An increasingly close collaboration with our strategic and regional partners across the globe remains of high importance, while, when conditions allow, the Union must take the lead in the negotiation of new arms control and non-proliferation treaties, as well as security sector reform and stabilisation and peacekeeping missions where needed.
On arms exports, the S&Ds advocate for the creation of a system of sanctions against member states that export arms to countries that violate the terms of the EU’s Common Position on arms exports, such as respect for human rights and its role in preserving regional peace, security and stability.
