Policy Paper: EU instruments to counter fragility and crises 

If the EU is able to act in a comprehensive or integrated fashion, it is more likely to achieve impact

Fragility is a multidimensional concept. Poverty, fragility and conflict are closely linked, and armed conflict is increasingly affecting both low and middle income countries. These challenges know no borders and therefore require global responses as well as local knowledge.

The EU has several instruments at hand to address conflict situations beyond its boarder. However, these are diverse and complex. This policy paper is wirtten for everyone interested in an accessible summary on the EU instruments to counter fragility and crises. 

In short chapters, the various actors, processes and tools implicated in EU external instruments are described and summarised:

• EU institutions countering fragility and crisis
• Political decision-making bodies, working parties and committees
• EU political, financing and military instruments,
• Operationalisation of decision-making

The paper concludes with a country example to illustrate the application of these tools and a short analysis of the actions involved. It takes note of external evaluations that argue that if the EU is able to act in a comprehensive or integrated fashion, it is more likely to achieve impact.