EU strongly committed to enhancing global maritime security
Plenary session: Rear Admiral Jürgen Ehle, left, joined by Vice Admiral Jan-Christian Kaack, Germany’s Chief of Naval Staff (second on the left)
Rear Admiral Ehle’s presentation was timely: Titled “Security at Sea- global centres of crises and their impact on Europe’s maritime security”, he outlined current challenges ahead for maritime security globally and with focus on Europe. He also focussed explicitly on how the EU responds to new and emerging threat using the “Strategic Compass” as well as the newly created Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) concept.
The EU's global security and prosperity are critically dependant on safe and free sea lines of communication. The Coordinated Maritime Presences is a new EEAS concept to improve the coordination of maritime presences across EU Member States in specific maritime areas of interest in synchronisation with the EU’s “integrated approach”. CMP boosts the EU’s collective engagement in the maritime security domain by enhancing coordination of the existing Member States naval and air assets present in specific areas to increase the EU’s capacity to act as a reliable partner and maritime security provider. Following the successful implementation of this pilot case, the EU is now expanding this concept to the North Western Indian Ocean (NWIO). This shows the EU’s commitment to reinforce our strategic focus and actions in this region by enhancing a European naval presence to contribute to its stability, security and prosperity and deepening the EU’s partnerships with coastal states in the region and likeminded partners even further.
In his presentation, Rear Admiral Ehle underlined the need for EU Member States to contribute more to ensuring that the EU becomes a reliable provider of maritime security. These aspects were elaborated in a plenary discussion with the participation of Vice Admiral Jan-Christian Kaack, Germany’s Chief of Naval Staff. The presentation and the plenary session, which was moderated by Mr Christoph von Marschall of the German news outlet “Der Tagesspiegel”, were extremely well received and contributed to raising awareness on how to increase maritime security in light of the many challenges facing the EU, including the need to protect better under-water critical infrastructures such as undersea cables and pipelines.
Background:
Rear Admiral Jürgen Ehle is Senior Military Advisor to the Managing Director CSDP and Crisis Response, based in EEAS HQ. He advises the Managing Director on matters of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), including maritime security.
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