It was in 1970 that the Member States of the European Communities first began to cooperate and work together in confronting the major problems of international politics. At the time, however, that collaboration took place at intergovernmental level as “European political cooperation.” It was the Single European Act of 1986 which formalised that intergovernmental cooperation, without changing either its nature or its working methods. The changes came with Maastricht, when for the first time the Member States set down in the Treaty the aim of a “common foreign policy.”

It was with the Maastricht Treaty’s entry into force on 1 November 1993 that the EU acquired the right to make its own voice heard on the international scene, expressing its position on armed conflicts, on Human rights and on any other issue relating to the fundamental principles and shared values in which the EU has its roots and which it has undertaken to defend.
The rules governing the CFSP were revised by the Treaty of Amsterdam, which came into force in 1999, and Articles 11 and 28 of the Treaty on European Union deal specifically with the CFSP.

Under Article 11 of the Treaty the objectives of the CFSP are as follows:

- to safeguard the common values, fundamental interests, independence and integrity of the Union in conformity with the principles of the United Nations Charter,
- to strengthen the security of the Union in all ways,
- to preserve peace and strengthen international security, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter, as well as the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and the objectives of the Paris Charter, including those on external borders,
- to promote international cooperation,
- to develop and consolidate democracy and the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The CFSP has numerous legal instruments by which it can pursue the aims. These include in particular the Common Strategy, the Common Position and the Common Action, which as a rule are adopted unanimously by the Council. At sessions of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, conclusions are also approved on certain of the main foreign policy issues being debated.

The Treaty of Amsterdam also established the post of High Representative for the CFSP, which is combined with that of Secretary-General of the Council. Under Article 26 of the Treaty, it is his task to assist the Council in matters coming within the scope of the CFSP, in particular through contributing to the formulation, preparation and implementation of policy decisions, and, when appropriate and acting on behalf of the Council at the request of the Presidency, through conducting political dialogue with third parties. This political dialogue, normally in troika format; can take place not only at political level but in the form of contacts between senior officials or experts. It is worth noting also that its is for the HR/SG to coordinate the activities of the EU’s Special Representatives, who have a mandate to deal with specific policies (Sudan, Great Lakes, Moldova, Southern Caucasus, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Middle East, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

The Political and Security Committee (COPS), established by the Treaty of Nice, contributes to the definition of policies by delivering opinions to the Council at the request of the Council or on its own initiative, without prejudice to the role of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) in preparing Council sessions. Under the responsibility of the Council the COPS also exercises political control and strategic direction of crisis management operations.