EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

Europaudvalget 2024-25
EUU Alm.del Bilag 530
Offentligt

Contribution of the LXXIII COSAC

Warsaw, 8-10 June 2025

Security

COSAC emphasises the necessity for Europe to take greater responsibility for its own

security and to strengthen European defence capabilities in full complementarity with

NATO and in line with the agreed guiding principles addressing critical gaps and

fostering a robust European defence industrial base, taking into account the defence

interests and policies of all Member States.

COSAC stresses that, given the dynamic geopolitical situation, transatlantic

cooperation with NATO remains a cornerstone of security for an integrated Europe.

COSAC encourages the EU and NATO cooperation for security and stability in the Euro-

Atlantic area. Furthermore, COSAC reiterates that Europe must make the necessary

efforts to take greater responsibility for its own defence and assure fairer transatlantic

burden-sharing.

COSAC calls for increased defence investment and underlines the importance

of Member States securing and strengthening their current and future investments in

military capabilities as part of their commitment to European and transatlantic

security, aligned with NATO capability targets.

COSAC welcomes the European Commission's initiatives aimed at enhancing defence

capabilities, the European defence technological and industrial base, including the

ReArm Europe program and the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030.

The EU security and defence cooperation will take place with full respect for Member

States’ security and defence policies and the competences of the Member States,

in accordance with the Treaties. COSAC underlines that any decision on EU

cooperation with any third country will take into account all Member States’ existential

interests, their sovereign rights and territorial integrity.

COSAC notes the ongoing discussions on the legal basis of the proposed Security

Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument and underlines the importance of ensuring full

respect for the institutional balance and the European Parliament’s role in major

legislative initiatives.

COSAC asserts that the protection of the EU’s land, air, and maritime borders

contributes to strengthening the security of the entire Union. COSAC stresses the

importance of ensuring security of regions most exposed to direct threats from Russia

and Belarus, and in this vein welcomes the recognition of, among other, the East Shield

and the Baltic Defence Line as flagship EU projects launched to deter and counteract

potential threats from the East. It underlines the need to effectively protect EU external

borders in compliance with the rules of Union law and international law.

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

COSAC welcomes the Joint Communication of the European Commission and the

High Representative on strengthening the security in the Black Sea region and looks

forward to the implementation of the EU strategic approach to the Black Sea region.

COSAC underlines the need to step up security at Europe’s southern border, which

is threatened by terrorism, organised crime and the massive influx of irregular

migrants.

COSAC underscores the importance of intensifying and improving coordination efforts

to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure, in particular in the energy and

telecommunication sectors, including submarine cables. In this context, COSAC

highlights the importance of multi-member state collaboration in securing submarine

cable networks, including joint applicable resilience measures on transboundary

critical infrastructures. COSAC also stresses the need to protect all sectors classified

as “risk zones”. Moreover, COSAC emphasises the importance of integrating real-time

threat intelligence sharing mechanisms across Member States to enhance the early

detection and mitigation of risks targeting submarine cables and other critical

infrastructure. It also recommends the use of AI-driven anomaly detection tools to

strengthen early warning systems capabilities and support proactive incident

response.

10)

COSAC calls for intensified efforts to counteract hybrid threats, including threats to

critical infrastructures, information manipulation, the instrumentalisation of migration

as a destabilisation tool. Greater focus should be placed on the early identification of

hybrid threats. COSAC, while reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the integrity

and functionality of the Schengen Area, also proposes the development of a pan-

European hybrid threat intelligence fusion centre to coordinate responses and share

insights on emerging tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by adversaries.

11)

COSAC endorses the importance of Member States and the Union working together in

the fields

of crisis management, civil protection, democratic resilience, including FIMI and

media and cyber literacy and humanitarian assistance, and recognises these areas as

fundamental for building the resilience of European society. It also underlines the

importance of whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in these efforts.

12)

COSAC supports stronger coordination between intelligence communities and hybrid

response teams to enhance preparedness and collective response. It also

recommends embedding cyber incident response capabilities within civil protection

frameworks, including cross-border cyber drills and joint simulation exercises.

13)

COSAC welcomes the finalisation of the draft peace treaty between Armenia and

Azerbaijan as a historic opportunity to ensure lasting peace and stability in the South

Caucasus. It urges both parties to proceed toward the prompt signing of the

agreement.

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

Ukraine

14)

COSAC unequivocally condemns unjustified and illegal Russian aggression against

Ukraine and calls the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally withdraw

its troops and military assets from the entire territory of Ukraine within its

internationally

recognised

borders.

15)

COSAC urges the international community to enhance comprehensive support for

Ukraine until a just and lasting peace agreement is concluded. Joint actions serve as

an investment in European security and constitute a crucial step towards reducing the

threat of future Russian aggression. EU military support will be provided in full respect

for the security and defence policies of Member States.

16)

COSAC supports the conclusion of a just and lasting peace agreement in full

compliance with principles of the UN Charter and international law that guarantees

Ukraine’s sovereignty, its territorial integrity within internationally recognised borders,

the right to defend its territory, freedom to choose its alliances, and the right to build

its future on democratic principles. COSAC asserts that a just and lasting peace

cannot be achieved without the involvement of Ukraine and European countries in the

negotiation process.

17)

COSAC highlights the necessity to continue pressure on Russia until it ceases its

aggression. COSAC reaffirms that representatives of Russian authorities and all those

responsible for international crimes committed in or against Ukraine must be

prosecuted and tried in accordance with the rules of international law. Russia must

fully compensate the damage it has caused to Ukraine, including using immobilised

Russian sovereign assets.

18)

COSAC calls for upholding further sanctions pressure on Russia until territorial integrity,

sovereignty and independence of Ukraine have been restored. COSAC welcomes the

adoption of the 17

package of sanctions against Russia, including measures against

the ‘shadow fleet’. It calls for full and effective enforcement of sanctions and for further

means and measures to counter their circumvention, including through third

countries.

19)

COSAC reiterates its earlier statements condemning Russia’s illegal deportation of

Ukrainian children in strongest terms. It is registered that some 20 000 children have

been deported to Russia and the deportation is still ongoing. Coordinated effort is

needed and a roadmap for the return of these children must be created. EU must put

pressure to Russia and support mechanisms to track children and their return.

The Belgian delegation declares that the last sentence of paragraph 17 should be read in

the same sense as the last sentence of paragraph 31 of the Contribution as adopted at the

plenary COSAC on 29 October 2024 in Budapest.

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

20)

COSAC notes that the war in Ukraine has caused considerable cross-border

environmental damage, which is a matter of great concern. COSAC calls for Russia’s

actions to be examined in the context of ecocide and classified as an environmental

crime under the Rome Statute.

21)

COSAC reiterates that all representatives of Russian authorities, as well as individuals

and entities responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and violations

of international humanitarian law committed in Ukraine, must face accountability

through robust international legal mechanisms, including the International Criminal

Court and special tribunals.

EU Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029

22)

COSAC welcomes the priorities of the EU and the strategic guidelines for the

institutional cycle 2024–2029, structured around three pillars: a free and democratic

Europe, a strong and secure Europe, and a prosperous and competitive Europe.

23)

COSAC emphasises the importance of protecting and promoting the fundamental

values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, both within the EU and

internationally.

24)

COSAC underlines the importance of effective parliamentary scrutiny over executive

power by both the European Parliament and national parliaments, including through

inquiry mechanisms, as essential to safeguarding democratic legitimacy and

accountability.

25)

26)

COSAC supports efforts to ensure both external and internal security by adapting EU

actions to the current geopolitical situation.

COSAC welcomes with interest the findings of the Letta and Draghi reports and the

Competitiveness Compass proposed by the European Commission, recognising

challenges arising from an unstable global business environment and to fill the

innovation and growth gap in the European economy.

27)

COSAC underscores the vital role of the single market in the development and

prosperity of EU Member States and highlights the need to cut red tape and eliminate

barriers, particularly in the service sector and by reducing bureaucratic and regulatory

burdens.

28)

COSAC underlines the importance of ensuring the EU’s competitiveness and shaping

the EU’s energy and climate policy with due regard for social acceptance and

with

respect for the principle of solidarity for the EU to become the first climate-neutral

continent and make a success of the climate and digital transitions that leave no one

behind. COSAC believes that all those principles are important when introducing

green transition reforms.

29)

COSAC calls EU Member States to urgently push ahead with the implementation of

actions ensuring affordable energy prices, complete the Energy Union and consider

the European Commission's initiatives on net-zero energy sources as well as ending

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

Russian energy imports as soon as possible to improve our energy security, reduce

energy costs and boost our competitiveness and decarbonisation efforts.

30)

COSAC welcomes the concept of the Union of Skills, which aims to ensure high-quality

education, training, and lifelong learning as a response to challenges in the field of

education and in the labour market.

31)

COSAC welcomes the AI Continent Action Plan and acknowledges its potential in

strengthening the EU’s global position.

COSAC further highlights the necessity for the

EU to foster conditions favourable for research in innovation and new technologies

including the need to safeguard research security in cooperation with less trusted or

potentially sensitive international partners.

32)

COSAC underscores the necessity of preserving a solid common agricultural policy,

with ambitious resources and building a competitive, sustainable, and resilient

agricultural sector that has access to natural resources, guarantees food security,

ensures an adequate standard of living for farmers, their position in supply chains, and

the development of rural areas.

EU Multiannual Financial Framework

33)

COSAC maintains that the EU’s financial framework should align with the scale of

challenges it faces. COSAC emphasises the need to adopt new own resources and

enhance the flexibility of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework to better respond

to emergency situations, including armed conflicts, climate disasters, energy crises,

and health threats, while respecting the prerogatives and roles of the institutions as

established by the Treaty.

34)

COSAC acknowledges the need to strike the balance between emerging strategic

priorities — such as competitiveness, security, defence, EU enlargement and

innovation — and EU’s treaty-based policies, including the Cohesion Policy,

the

Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy. COSAC underscores

the importance of equitable development of regions and providing support to rural

and less developed areas. It calls for the specificities of outermost regions to be taken

fully into account, including regions at the Eastern EU border directly affected by the

aggression of Russia.

35)

COSAC emphasises that the Conditionality Regulation is a key instrument for

maintaining citizens’ trust in the EU. Upholding the rule of law must always be

a fundamental condition for the disbursement of EU funds.

36)

37)

COSAC emphasises the need to allocate significant funding for military mobility

projects in the EU and countermobility at the Eastern border.

COSAC considers the idea of an umbrella European Competitiveness Fund merging

the existing programmes as envisaged by the Commission, not fit for purpose. COSAC

calls

for

adequate

funding

for

research,

development,

digital

and

green

transformation, while ensuring simplified access to funds for SMEs.

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

38)

COSAC calls for increased involvement of national parliaments, citizen and regional

involvement in shaping future financial frameworks by reinforcing public consultation

mechanisms and fostering local engagement.

39)

COSAC recognises the need to simplify the procedures for implementing and

settlement of EU funds. COSAC takes note of the proposal to extend expenditure

eligibility periods, reduce bureaucracy, and grant greater autonomy to regions in

managing resources. In this regard, COSAC refers to the reports by the European Court

of Auditors.

Enlargement of the European Union

40)

COSAC reaffirms that EU enlargement remains a geopolitical and strategic priority.

Enlargement must be a merit-based, balanced and credible process in accordance

with the Copenhagen Criteria, equally and objectively applied to all enlargement

countries. COSAC advocates for sustained financial and political support to facilitate

the effective integration of enlargement countries into the EU.

41)

COSAC recognises the progress made by the Western Balkan states, Ukraine, and

Moldova in meeting the Copenhagen Criteria and underscores the need for further

reforms in areas such as the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, judicial independence,

respect for human rights and protection of minority rights. COSAC calls for effective EU

support to strengthen assistance for enlargement countries in these areas.

42)

COSAC stresses the need to enhance EU support for enlargement states in combating

organised crime and emphasises the importance of closer cooperation with Eurojust

and other EU agencies to effectively address cross-border criminal activities.

43)

COSAC reaffirms the support to the Georgian people on their European path. At the

same time, it reiterates its serious concern regarding the course of action taken by the

Georgian government, which runs counter to the values and principles upon which the

European Union is founded. Moreover, COSAC calls Georgia to adopt democratic,

comprehensive and sustainable reforms, in line with the core principles of European

integration.

44)

COSAC considers it essential for the Member States to ensure strict compliance with

the legal standards required from new countries seeking accession to the European

Union, including separation of powers, application

European legislation and

media independence.

Cyber Resilience and Combating Disinformation

45)

COSAC calls for strengthening crisis management by the prompt adoption of the

Cybersecurity Blueprint, the implementation of exercises to test its effectiveness, and

the development of additional systems to ensure the secure and efficient functioning

of Member States and the coordination between all relevant actors. To further

enhance such aim COSAC supports incorporating lessons learned from recent cyber

incidents (e.g., ransomware attacks on healthcare or energy sectors) into the

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

Blueprint. Moreover, it also advocates for public-private partnerships to enhance the

scope and realism of cyber exercises.

46)

COSAC consistently advocates for enhanced civil-military cooperation in the field of

cybersecurity, including closer EU-NATO collaboration. COSAC acknowledges that the

exchange of information among Member States is a key pillar of this cooperation.

47)

COSAC emphasises the importance of improving the capacity of EU institutions to

detect, analyse, and expose disinformation, manipulation of information, and

interference into democratic processes by third countries. COSAC calls for

coordinated efforts among Member States, EU institutions, online platforms, civil

society, and news media in this area. COSAC recommends the use of threat

intelligence platforms to track and attribute disinformation campaigns, and the

integration of natural language processing (NLP) tools to detect coordinated

inauthentic behaviour online. COSAC urges EU institutions to complete the mapping

of existing EU activities on combating disinformation and strategic communication to

ensure efficient use of resources and coordination, and to identify potential blind spots

in our approach to countering disinformation. COSAC demands the Commission to

make full use of existing instruments against platforms not respecting the EU´s legal

framework.

48)

COSAC acknowledges that artificial intelligence (AI) brings both opportunities and

challenges in the context of cyber resilience and combating disinformation. COSAC

urges Member States and EU institutions to thoroughly investigate and address the

positive and negative implications of AI in the development of strategies and

initiatives in these areas.

49)

COSAC emphasises that AI can contribute to improving the detection and analysis of

disinformation by utilizing advanced algorithms. At the same time, AI poses potential

risks, such as the spread of disinformation through deepfakes and automated fake

accounts. COSAC advocates for the development of guidelines and regulations that

promote a balanced approach to AI, considering both the benefits and risks.

50)

COSAC expresses deep concern over foreign interference campaigns aimed

undermining democratic processes, social cohesion, and trust in institutions within

the European Union. Considers it urgent that all countries of the Union ensure compliance

with the European Media Regulation, in their own terms, freedom and plurality of media

without government interference.

51)

COSAC endorses the European Commission’s initiatives to combat disinformation and

cyber threats, particularly through projects such as the European Democracy Shield

and the Digital Europe Program (2025-2027). COSAC calls for the reinforcement of the

early warning and monitoring systems. COSAC also emphasises the need for

interoperability standards across Member States’ cybersecurity tools and platforms,

and the inclusion of cyber threat intelligence training programs under the Digital

Europe Programme. Considering the above COSAC further stresses that achieving

EUU, Alm.del - 2024-25 - Bilag 530: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-mødet 8-10/6-2025 i Warszawa

these objectives requires adequate funding, the development of human resources,

and access to effective digital tools.

52)

53)

COSAC calls for strengthening the European framework programme for research and

innovation “Horizon Europe”.

COSAC highlights the significance of educational and awareness-raising initiatives to

equip EU citizens with the skills necessary to identify and counter disinformation.

COSAC stresses the need to enhance digital literacy, foster critical thinking in the

cybersphere, and improve citizens’ ability to verify information sources effectively.

Additionally, COSAC favours the development of gamified cybersecurity awareness

platforms and interactive threat simulation tools for citizens, especially targeting

youth and vulnerable populations.

Middle East

54) COSAC condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack by Hamas on

7 October 2023 and stresses that the further escalation of the conflict into a regional

war must be avoided by any means.

55) COSAC notes that the situation in Gaza and the Middle East has reached an

unprecedented level of catastrophe that requires urgent attention. COSAC calls upon

all responsible parties to take appropriate measures to address the devastating

humanitarian situation, in particular to end the blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza

55)

56)

COSAC calls for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire-

hostage release agreement.

COSAC unequivocally advocates for a two-state solution that guarantees all citizens

in the region a safe and secure future, while fully upholding their human rights and

civic freedoms as defined by the UN Charter and relevant conventions. COSAC

supports the development of the EU cooperation with regional and international

partners to that end. COSAC condemns in the strongest possible terms all forms

of antisemitism.