European council calls to speed up defense, border security efforts

The European Council called for speeding up work to strengthen the European Union’s defense capabilities in the next five years.

“Following up on its conclusions of (the special meeting of the European Council on) 6 March 2025 and in the light of the White Paper on the Future of European Defense of 19 March 2025, the European Council calls for an acceleration of work on all strands to decisively ramp up Europe’s defense readiness within the next five years,” it said in a conclusion statement it released Thursday.

Underlining the importance it attaches to relations with the U.S. and NATO, it added: “A stronger and more capable European Union in the field of security and defense will contribute positively to global and transatlantic security and is complementary to NATO, which remains, for those States that are members of it, the foundation of their collective defense.”

On the migration issue, which was among the main issues the council meeting discussed, it reiterated the union’s pledge to boost security at its external borders and ensure their effective control.

“The European Council encourages further work in particular on: the external dimension, notably through comprehensive partnerships; the implementation of adopted EU legislation and the application of existing legislation; the prevention and countering of irregular migration, including through new ways in line with EU and international law; efforts to facilitate, increase and accelerate returns using all relevant EU policies, instruments and tools; the concepts of safe third countries and safe countries of origin; the fight against instrumentalization, human trafficking and smuggling; visa policy alignment by neighboring countries; as well as safe and legal pathways in line with national competences,” it emphasized.

On competitiveness, the statement maintained that investing in defense competitiveness is closely interlinked.

It said that “2025 should therefore mark a step change in the EU’s action to boost competitiveness, strengthen the Single Market, promote quality jobs, and ensure successful twin transitions, in line with the agreed climate objectives.”