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ThePolitical and Security Committee (PSC; sometimes referred to by its FrenchCOPS acronym derived fromComité politique et de sécurité) is a permanent body within theEuropean Union dealing withCommon Foreign and Security Policy issues, includingCommon Security and Defence Policy.^[1]

PSC, which is based inBrussels, consists ofambassadorial-level representatives from all the EU Member States and usually meets twice per week.^[2] The PSC is chaired by theEuropean External Action Service (EEAS).

The main functions of the PSC are keeping track of the international situation, and helping to define EU policies within the CFSP and CSDP.^[3] PSC sends guidance to, and receives advice from theEuropean Union Military Committee (EUMC), theCommittee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CIVCOM) as well as theEuropean Union Institute for Security Studies. It is also a forum for dialogue on CSDP matters between the EU Member States.

The PSC drafts opinions for theForeign Affairs Council, which is one of the configurations of theCouncil of the European Union. CFSP matters are passed to the Foreign Affairs Council viaCOREPER II.

TheEU command and control (C2) structure is directed by political bodies composed ofmember states' representatives, and generally requires unanimous decisions. As of April 2019:^[4]

Liaison:       Advice and recommendations       Support and monitoring       Preparatory work     

• v
• t
• e

Political strategic level:[5]

ISS

EUCO Pres. (EUCO)

Chain of command

Coordination/support

SatCen

CIVCOM

HR/VP (FAC)

INTCEN

HR/VP (PMG)

HR/VP (PSC)[6]

CEUMC (EUMC)

CMPD

DGEUMS[3] (EUMS)

Military/civilian strategic level:

Dir MPCC[3] (MPCC)

JSCC

Civ OpCdrCPCC[1]

Operational level:

MFCdr[4] (MFHQ)

HoM[1]

Tactical level:

CC[2] Land

CC[2] Air

CC[2] Mar

Other CCs[2]

Forces

Forces

Forces

Forces

¹ In the event of a CSDP Civilian Mission also being in the field, the relations with theCivilian Planning and Conduct Capability (CPCC) and its Civilian Operation Commander (Civ OpCdr), as well as the subordinate Head of Mission (HoM), are coordinated as shown.

² Other Component Commanders (CCs) andservice branches which may be established.

³ The MPCC is part of the EUMS and Dir MPCC is double-hatted as DGEUMS. Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), either a national OHQ offered by member states or theNATO Command Structure (NCS) would serve this purpose. In the latter instance,Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), rather than Dir MPCC, would serve as Operation Commander (OpCdr).

⁴ Unless the MPCC is used as Operation Headquarters (OHQ), the MFCdr would be known as a Force Commander (FCdr), and direct a Force Headquarters (FHQ) rather than a MFHQ. Whereas the MFHQ would act both on the operational and tactical level, the FHQ would act purely on the operational level.

⁵ The political strategic level is not part of the C2 structure per se, but represents the political bodies, with associated support facilities, that determine the missions' general direction. TheCouncil determines the role of theHigh Representative (HR/VP), who serves asVice-President of theEuropean Commission, attendsEuropean Council meetings, chairs theForeign Affairs Council (FAC) and may chair thePolitical and Security Committee (PSC) in times of crisis. The HR/VP proposes and implements CSDP decisions.

⁶ Same composition asCommittee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) II, which also prepares for the CSDP-related work of the FAC.

The creation of the PSC was a result of theTreaty of Amsterdam, after which the establishment of the PSC was agreed in principle in December 1999, at theHelsinki European Council. PSC was first established as an interim body in 2000. In December 2000, at theNiceEuropean Council it was agreed to make it permanent.^[1] The formal decision to set up the PSC was taken on January 22, 2001, by theCouncil of the European Union.^[5]

The PSC replaced the previous Political Committee, which met less frequently, and consisted of representatives from the Member States' capitals rather than Brussels-based ambassadors.^[2]

On 22 March 2021, the committee wassanctioned by the Chinese government after the European Union imposed sanctions on China overXinjiang.

In 2010 AmbassadorOlof Skoog (Sweden) was appointed by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton to serve as the first Permanent Chair of the EU Political and Security Committee. He served until September 2013 when he was replaced by Walter Stevens (Belgium).

• Common Security and Defence Policy
• European External Action Service
• Military of the European Union
• European Union Military Committee
• European Union Military Staff

• Political and Security Committee
• CSDP structure, instruments, and agencies, EEAS website
• EUMS - European Union Military Staff, EU Whoiswho
• European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management

• Common Security and Defence Policy bodies of the Council of the European Union
• European External Action Service
• European Union entities subject to Chinese sanctions
• Foreign relations of the European Union
• European Union security policy
• Military of the European Union
• Common Security and Defence Policy

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• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata