European Parliament Committee on Security and Defence

The Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) is a standing committee of the European Parliament. It is responsible for parliamentary work on the Common Security and Defence Policy, including military and civilian missions and operations, European defence capabilities, defence-industrial cooperation, military mobility, resilience, hybrid threats and relations with strategic partners such as NATO.

SEDE was established in 2004 as a subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. On 18 December 2024, Parliament decided to transform it into a separate standing committee, with the change taking effect in January 2025.

Responsibilities

The committee is responsible for matters relating to the Common Security and Defence Policy and the development of European security and defence capabilities. It scrutinises the implementation of the Union's security and defence strategies, the conduct of military and civilian missions and the work of relevant EU bodies and agencies.

Its remit includes:

• the Common Security and Defence Policy;
• EU military and civilian missions and operations;
• defence capabilities, military mobility and joint procurement;
• the European defence technological and industrial base;
• implementation of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence;
• hybrid threats, cyber defence, critical-infrastructure protection and military preparedness;
• relations with NATO and other strategic partners;
• the European Defence Agency, the European Union Institute for Security Studies and the European Union Satellite Centre;
• security and defence aspects of the Union's external-action budget; and
• parliamentary oversight of security and defence initiatives of the European Commission and the European External Action Service.

The committee also examines proposals concerning the European defence industry, support for Ukraine, defence investment, readiness and the implementation of EU security commitments.

History

The body was created in 2004 as the Subcommittee on Security and Defence under the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Its establishment reflected the growing importance of the European Security and Defence Policy, later renamed the Common Security and Defence Policy.

During its period as a subcommittee, SEDE developed into Parliament's principal forum for scrutiny of military and civilian crisis-management missions, defence cooperation, security threats and relations with NATO. Following the deterioration of Europe's security environment after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Parliament decided in December 2024 to elevate SEDE to the status of a standing committee.

The new standing committee held its constitutive meeting in January 2025. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who had chaired the former subcommittee since July 2024, was elected chair of the standing committee.

Parliamentary scrutiny

SEDE holds exchanges of views with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, defence ministers, senior military officials, NATO representatives, EU mission commanders and the heads of EU agencies. It prepares reports and recommendations on defence policy and monitors the implementation of EU missions and operations.

The committee also examines the defence dimensions of EU funding instruments and industrial programmes. These include measures intended to strengthen joint procurement, increase ammunition and equipment production, improve military mobility and reinforce the resilience of European defence supply chains.

Chairs

The following table lists the chairs of SEDE, including the period when it operated as a subcommittee.

	Name	Political group	Member state	Took office	Left office
	Karl von Wogau	EPP–ED	Germany	2004	2009
	Arnaud Danjean	EPP	France	2009	2014
	Anna Fotyga	ECR	Poland	2014	2019
	Nathalie Loiseau	Renew Europe	France	2019	2024
	Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann	Renew Europe	Germany	2024	Incumbent

Members

Research support

The committee is supported by the European Parliament's research services and the Policy Department for External Relations. These services provide studies, briefings and analyses on the Common Security and Defence Policy, defence capabilities, military mobility, defence industry, cyber defence, hybrid threats, NATO and EU missions and operations.

Research prepared for the committee is published through Parliament's supporting-analyses database and the European Parliament Think Tank.

See also

• Common Security and Defence Policy
• Common Foreign and Security Policy
• Strategic Compass for Security and Defence
• European Defence Agency
• European Union Military Staff
• European Union Military Committee
• European Union Institute for Security Studies
• European Union Satellite Centre
• NATO
• European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs

References

External links

• Official website
• Members
• Supporting analyses
• European Parliament Think Tank