International Collaboration in Matter of National Security and Foreign Affairs (ICMSNA)

The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the European Union is a collective effort by its 27 member states to contribute effectively and successfully to international peace, security, and prosperity. This policy, which operates alongside the foreign and security policies of individual EU countries, is not pooled, but rather exists in parallel.

At the heart of the CFSP is the European External Action Service (EEAS), which coordinates the policy and leads the preparatory bodies for the Council, including the Political and Security Committee (PSC) and various Council working groups. The High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, currently Josep Borrell, chairs the Council and coordinates and represents the Union's external action.

The CFSP is focused on current political events and long-term crisis and conflict prevention in regions such as the Near and Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The complex coordination process among many actors, including the EU member states, results in daily efforts to develop viable common approaches.

The EU member states' permanent representations in Brussels play a key role in the CFSP's decision-making process. These representations maintain constant contact with the EU, the UN, and the Commission in Brussels, enabling them to react swiftly to international developments.

In multilateral forums such as the UN Human Rights Council, EU member states regularly throw their combined weight behind human rights and democratic principles. The EU has also been a driving force behind significant global initiatives, such as the negotiation of the Paris Climate Agreement.

One of the most notable achievements of the CFSP is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of 2015, a result of European diplomacy that has effectively prevented the threat of an Iranian nuclear bomb for several years.

The constant communication process among EU member states is crucial for the development of common approaches in the CFSP. This process, combined with the EU's shared values and commitment to peace, security, and prosperity, makes the EU a powerful and influential force in global affairs.