The Council appointed Markus Ritter from Germany as Head of mission. He will lead a team of up to 35 EU experts.

The Council launched a new civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) mission in Iraq. The mission will focus on assisting the Iraqi authorities in the implementation of the civilian aspects of the Iraqi national security strategy.

 They will provide advice and assistance in priority work areas responding to the needs of the relevant authorities. The mission is expected to be deployed to Baghdad by the end of the year. The Council allocated a budget of €14 million to the mission for one year.

The aim of the Iraqi national security strategy is to build state institutions capable of consolidating security, peace and preventing conflicts, whilst adhering to the rule of law and human rights standards. It outlines a number of urgent threats to national security, including terrorism, corruption, political instability and ethnic and sectarian polarisation, which the CSDP mission will help to address.

The mission will work in close coordination with the EU delegation to Iraq as well as international partners also present, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), NATO and the global coalition against Daesh.