Looking ahead to the horizon of 2020, this book seeks to define Europe’s long-term security and defence ambitions, and to examine how these ambitions might translate into politics and policies. The tenth anniversary of ESDP seems a fitting moment to outline perspectives for its evolution over the next 10 years.

This third paper looks at the perspectives for security cooperation between the EU and its partner countries in the Mediterranean region. The authors argue that security is a crucial area of cooperation in Euro- Mediterranean relations and that there is a need to reevaluate the EU’s policies towards the region in the light of the changing international context: a multilateralist approach by the EU towards the partner countries is key to an improvement of the security dialogue in the region.

The global maritime security environment is in the midst of an important transformation, driven by a simultaneous intensification of global maritime flows, the growing interconnectedness of maritime regions, the diffusion of maritime power to emerging powers, and the rise of a number of maritime non-state actors. These changes are having a profound impact on the maritime security environment of the EU and its member states and require an upgrading of the maritime dimension of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). This study analysis the impact that the changing maritime security context is having on the EU’s maritime neighbourhood and along the EU’s sea lines of communications (SLOCs) and takes stock of the EU’s existing policies and instruments in the maritime security domain.

The European maritime area is one of Europe’s most important assets with regard to resources, security and ultimately prosperity of the Member States. A significant part of Europe’s economy relies directly or indirectly on it. It is not just the shipping or fisheries industries and their related activities. It is also shipbuilding and ports, marine equipment and offshore energy, maritime and coastal tourism, aquaculture, submarine telecommunications, blue biotech and the protection of the marine environment. The European maritime area faces several risks and threats posed by unlawful activities, such as drugs trafficking, smuggling, illegal immigration, organised crime and terrorism.