ABSTRACT
This chapter has investigated the profiles, characteristics and working practices of national officials participating in the committees and parties of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). It has contributed to a deeper knowledge of European Union (EU) foreign and defence policies, by investigating one of the most relevant actors, CFSP and CSDP officials. The officials play a relevant role indeed in the production and management of EU foreign and defence policy, as they prepare and finalize most of the documents of the Council of Foreign Affairs (CFA). In this context, the preparatory bodies, in charge of drafting statements and proposals for CFA, acquired a greater role, and became very important actors, in the CFSP decision-making process. The analysis has confirmed that CFSP and CSDP is a dense and institutionalized policy regime; and it has revealed some interesting features of these officials, as well as of EU foreign and defence policy.
