CIVILnEXt is an EU 2020 Horizon project that aims to contribute towards the next generation of information systems to support EU external policy. The European Union Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS) has highlighted the need for the EU to further improve its civilian missions by: pursuing better communication, information sharing, joint reporting, analysis and response planning between member state embassies, EU delegations, commission services and most importantly Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions. The aim of CIVILnEXt is to develop, test and validate a cost-effective and interoperable Operation Control Platform that will support the execution of civilian CSDP missions; facilitating greater information exchange and supporting situational awareness and operation control in diverse theatres of operation.
The project provides civilian CSDP missions with the next generation of secure and cost-effective information systems in the form of a situational awareness, information exchange and Operation Control Platform . Fully informed of contributing initiatives in civilian CSDP and EU external action, the project aims to develop solutions leveraging on the results extracted from previous projects funded by the EU. The common challenge in CIVILnEXt is to develop, test and validate a cost-effective and interoperable Operation Control Platform that will support the conduct of civilian CSDP missions. The OCP improves coordination in EU external action through better information exchange, situational awareness and operation control in diverse theatres of operation. CIVILnEXt supports the EU’s comprehensive approach in complex missions including: the civil-military cooperation within CSDP missions, facilitate the engagement CSDP actors, creating links with EU Delegations, FRONTEX, ECHO and other EU activities, member states and partners such as the UN and regional organisations. CIVILnEXt supports the development of a solution in current CSDP missions addressing existing fragmentation to close the gaps.
In this context, CIVILnEXt takes into account the evolution of the Mission Support Platform (MSP). The MSP was established in 2016 to enhance the effectiveness and responsiveness of civilian CSDP, through the establishment of a solution aimed at improving the management, rapid deployment and efficient conduct of civilian crisis management missions. The MSP was established with coordination between the Commission (Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI)) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to provide support and bring forward greater efficiencies, flexibility and economies of scale to civilian CSDP missions. The CIVILnEXt platform will be validated in two operational scenarios in the Southern EU Neighbourhood and/or Africa and in the Eastern EU Neighbourhood such as the Western Balkans.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 786886.
Visit the CIVILnEXT website for more information.