OVERVIEW

What is it?

The European Union has established a comprehensive policy framework to address the challenges of operating in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, grounded in its Treaty obligation to preserve peace, prevent conflict, and strengthen international security (Article 21.2 TEU). This framework acknowledges the profound interlinkages between fragility and conflict, including their underlying causes, consequences, and cyclical dynamics.

Key EU policies—such as the Integrated Approach to Conflicts and Crises and the European Consensus on Development—underscore the importance of conflict-sensitive engagement in fragile environments. Joint conflict analyses are actively promoted as a means to harmonise the understanding of such contexts among EU institutions and Member States, and to ensure that interventions contribute positively to peacebuilding efforts.

In alignment with this approach, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe requires conflict analyses in all countries affected by fragility and conflict, across every phase of the intervention cycle. This provision ensures that development programming and external action are consistently guided by a conflict-sensitive perspective. Promoting conflict sensitivity and do-no-harm approaches, including in the context of the 360° approach supporting Global Gateway investments is crucial.To implement this commitment in practice, a suite of Guidance Notes has been developed to enhance the capacity of EU Delegations and Headquarters to apply conflict sensitivity, respond effectively to early warning recommendations, and strengthen quality assurance, monitoring, and evaluation. These tools support the mainstreaming of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and resilience throughout EU development cooperation.

What can it be used for?

This set of Guidance Notes are used to help EU staff and partners:

• Integrate resilience, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding into EU strategies and programmes.
• Apply conflict sensitivity across the programme cycle to avoid harm and support peace.
• Align with key EU policy frameworks on external action in fragile contexts.
• Learn from lessons and good practices to improve programming in conflict-affected areas.

When can it be used?

This set of Guidance Notes aims to support capacities for conflict sensitivity assessments in EU Delegations and Headquarters to follow up on specific recommendations stemming from conflict analyses and other conflict prevention tools, such as the EU conflict Early Warning System (EWS).

Who can use it?

• Written by staff for staff, relevant to all EU services at the Headquarters and Delegation levels, and partners.

What are its strengths?

• This set of Guidance Notes addresses conflict and fragility both from a political point of view, and an operational perspective.
• The variety of approaches adopted (case studies, interviews, briefings) to present different topics makes it very engaging.

What are its limitations?

• As the situation on the ground constantly evolves, in response to it also the EU's approach to conflict and fragility needs to be flexible and adaptable. Hence, also the Guidance Notes may need to be updated.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Key elements

The set of guidance notes consists in three parts:

1. Situations of conflict and fragility
2. Current EU approach in situations of conflict and fragility
3. Key lessons learned from engagement in situations of conflict and fragility

It contains 14 guidance notes and a glossary:

• Guidance Note 1: The EU policy framework on fragility and conflict, resilience and peace
• Guidance Note 2: Conflict sensitivity in the programme cycle
• Guidance Note 3: Conflict prevention and peacebuilding
• Guidance Note 4: Gender
• Guidance Note 5: Democratic governance and human rights
• Guidance Note 6: Working with national actors
• Guidance Note 7: Working with international actors
• Guidance Note 8: Economic development and employment
• Guidance Note 9: Climate change, the environment and natural resources
• Guidance Note 10: Sustainable agriculture, land issues and food security
• Guidance Note 11: Conflict sensitivity and resilience implications of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Guidance Note 12: Education
• Guidance Note 13: Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration
• Guidance Note 14: Security Sector Reform[ |https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/109aee3d-2931-11ef-9290-01aa75ed71a1/language-en]
• Glossary

Requirements

Conflict sensitivity and resilience are mainstreamed in programming, formulation and implementation.

 Data/information. While different contexts may require different types of analysis, the Guidance note provides a good overview, representing over 80 staff from EC Headquarters and 18 EU Delegations. Staff from International Organisations participated in the handbook's drafting.

Time. N/A

Skills. Providing flexible and quality support in situations of conflict and fragility requires a wide range of skills and thematic expertise. In this regard, the EU also provides training programmes.

Facilities and materials. A coordinated and integrated approach among EU actors—both at Headquarters and in Delegations—is essential, particularly for processes such as conflict and resilience analysis, conflict-sensitivity assessments, recovery and peacebuilding assessments, and joint use of the EU's conflict early warning system.

Financial costs and sources.

Headquarters and EU Delegations can draw on existing mechanisms to select and contract experts who combine thematic expertise—such as conflict analysis and conflict sensitivity—with strong contextual and country knowledge. INTPA G5 Resilience, Peace and Security, in coordination with the EEAS, provides overarching guidance for conducting conflict analysis, conflict-sensitivity assessments, resilience analysis, and assessments linked to the EU EWS.

Tips and tricks.

• Conflict sensitivity applies across all fragile contexts: It is essential not only in crisis situations, but in all fragile settings—and across all types of interventions, beyond governance and security.
• Adaptability and continuous monitoring are key: Conflict-sensitive approaches require flexibility, preparedness, and ongoing monitoring of crises, shocks, and evolving risks.
• Proactively manage risks: The potential for harm or unintended negative impacts must be recognised, assessed, and addressed at every stage of the intervention cycle.

EU RESOURCES

• The European Commission (EC), 2021.
• The European Commission (EC), 2015.
• The European Commission (EC), Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), 2013.  Post Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNA)
• Capacity4dev,  Results Chain and Indicators on Resilience, Conflict Sensitivity and Peace, 2020.
• European Union External Action,  2020 Guidance note on the use of Conflict Analysis in support of EU external action.
• The European Commission (EC), DG INTPA.  U.
• INTPA/T - EU Internal Workshop on the Links between Global Gateway 360 Approach in fragile/crisis context and the HDP Nexus.
• Joint Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessments, A Practical Note to Assessment and Planning, 2017

INTPA Academy: EU Conflict Sensitivity Course.

OTHER RESOURCES

• The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank, 2017.: Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessments (RPBA)
• Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Gender, Peace and Security Toolkit:  https://www.osce.org/odihr/440831

For further information, any revision or comment, please contact INTPA-ICM-GUIDE@ec.europa.eu
Published by INTPA.D.4 - Quality and results, evaluation, knowledge management. Last update  July 2025