The EEAS crisis response system

In recent years, the European Union (EU) has become more prominent and effective as a crisis manager. This paper argues that the idea of the Comprehensive Approach and the European External Action Service (EEAS) institutional project have been substantially shaped by High Representative Ashton. A focus on the newly created Crisis Response and Operational Coordination Department within the EEAS is employed for analysing the recent post-Lisbon changes in the EU crisis management architecture. Based on a series of in-depth interviews with EU and national officials, the paper contemplates the role for the EU in complex crises, in particular the potential contribution of the EU's Crisis Response System.