Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions inquiry launched

• Parliament TV: Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)
• Inquiry: Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions
• EU External Affairs Sub-Committee

Background

The House of Lords EU Committee and its six Sub-Committees are conducting a co-ordinated series of short inquiries looking at the key issues that will arise in the forthcoming negotiations on Brexit.

Focus of the inquiry

The inquiry will explore:

• The value of CSDP to the UK's pursuit of its foreign policy goals;
• How UK participation in missions post-Brexit could be facilitated;
• What role the UK might play in the planning of missions after Brexit; and
• How far this would depend on the UK's co-operation in other areas of the EU's foreign and security policy after withdrawal.

The EU currently has 16 CSDP missions. The inquiry will consider, in particular the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) Kosovo and the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Somalia (with reference to Operation Atalanta), and may, in the course of the inquiry, also consider EU missions in Mali.

Timeline

The Committee will hold oral evidence sessions for the inquiry from 11 January 2018.

Witnesses

Thursday 11 January 2018 in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am

• Mr Angus Lapsley, Director, Defence and International Security, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and
• Mr Giles Ahern, Head of Euro-Atlantic Security Policy, Defence and International Security Directorate, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: “EUTM Somalia - FIBUA Training” by European External Action Service is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0