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

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.

European military forces participating in military exercises

Enhance the EU's preparedness and crisis management

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

View of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC)

Ensure a safer and more secure Europe

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

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

Strengthen common borders

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

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

Stand fair and firm on migration

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

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

Progress to date

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

January 2026
Unveiling of the new strategy on migration and asylum, to prevent illegal migration, protect people and attract talent to the EU
Putting forward new rules to strengthen cybersecurity resilience and capabilities
December 2025
Presentation of a strategy and an action plan against drug trafficking
Launch of a plan to strengthen preparedness for cross-border health crises
November 2025
Presentation of new measures to enhance military mobility across Europe

Follow the implementation of the priority

In the spotlight

Helping small businesses rapidly develop disruptive defence technology

AGILE, a new €115 million pilot funding tool, will bring disruptive defence technology from the lab to the field at record speed. It will accelerate the development and testing of disruptive defence innovations and their market uptake for small and medium-sized enterprises, including startups and tech innovators. It will aim to award grants within four months and for technologies to reach defence forces between 1-3 years. AGILE will be fully aligned with the most pressing needs of EU countries and will ensure that European defence is not just innovative, but ready to respond to any threat at a moment's notice.