Common Security & Defence Policy Service Medal

 

Policing Operations Since 2003.

 

 

The Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal - formerly the European Security and Defence Policy Service Medal - is a campaign medal presented for peace keeping services as authorised by the European Union. It was instituted in 2004 awarded to individuals, both military and civilian, who have served with Common Security and Defence Policy missions.

 

Since the 1990s the European Union has taken a greater role in military missions both in Europe and abroad. These actions were taken under the Common Security and Defence Policy which is implemented by the European Union Military Staff, a department of the EU.

 

To recognize service in these missions the EU authorized the creation of a medal with a common obverse and reverse, to which clasps featuring the missions' name are attached to the ribbon bar.

 

British forces involved in the CSDP operation that led to the presentation of the medal with the clasp ‘ATHENA’ have  subsequently been given permission to wear the medal along with any other awards that a recipient may hold.

 

Those involved in the planning of this operation have not.

 

 

The medal is circular, 36 mm in diameter and struck a silver colored metal. The obverse of this medal is plain except for a circle of twelve five pointed stars around the outside edge of the medal.

 

The reverse contains the Latin inscription; ‘PRO PACE UNUM’, meaning ‘United For Peace’. The words are arranged in three lines one word above the other in the centre of the medal.

 

The medal is surmounted by a small laterally pierced ball suspension.

 

The medal is issued un-named.

 

 

 

The ribbon is 36mm wide and is blue in colour, with either a wide gold centre stripe for headquarters and combat forces, or a wide white stripe for planning and support units.

 

 

The following clasps have been awarded:-

 

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

 

* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.

 

 

This section contains information on:-

 

- The European Union.

- The Common Security And Defence Policy.

 

The European Union (EU) - The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU operates through a system of supranational independent institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the member states.

 

Institutions of the EU include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the Court of Auditors, and the European Parliament. The European Parliament is elected every five years by EU citizens. Brussels is de facto the capital of the union.

 

The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively. In the intervening years the community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit. The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union under its current name in 1993.

 

The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in 2009.

 

The EU has developed a single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states. Within the Schengen Area (which includes 22 EU and 4 non-EU states) passport controls have been abolished. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital, enact legislation in justice and home affairs, and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries, and regional development.

 

The eurozone, a monetary union, was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002. It is currently composed of 18 member states that all use the euro as their legal tender. Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy the EU has developed a role in external relations and defence. Permanent diplomatic missions have been established around the world. The EU is represented at the United Nations, the WTO, the G8, and the G-20.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Common Security And Defence Policy - The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), formerly known as the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), is a major element of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union (EU) and is the domain of EU policy covering defence and military aspects, as well as civilian crisis management.

 

The ESDP was the successor of the European Security and Defence Identity under NATO, but differs in that it falls under the jurisdiction of the European Union itself, including countries with no ties to NATO.

 

Formally, the Common Security and Defence Policy is the domain of the European Council, which is an EU institution, whereby the heads of member states meet. Nonetheless, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also plays a significant role. As Chairperson of the external relations configuration of the Council, the High Representative prepares and examines decisions to be made before they are brought to the Council.

 

European security policy has followed several different paths during the 1990s, developing simultaneously within the Western European Union, NATO and the European Union itself.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.