The Long Way towards Comprehensive Crisis Management in the European Union

Abstract

The crisis management operations carried out since the end of the Cold War have highlighted the need to harmonize multinational cooperation as a means to enhance the coherence and effectiveness of the mission. This is the fundamental principle of the Comprehensive Approach, defined as the synchronization of the strategies and actions of the actors involved in the crisis management at all levels and phases. The European Union has been defining since 2008 its own Comprehensive Approach in order to improve its comprehensiveness in foreign and security policies; to expand its practical cooperation with other relevant actors in crisis management operations and to support the development of civilian and military capabilities. The article analyses the background and current developments of the European Comprehensive Approach.