Concept and updated in the 2022 Strategic Concept. P6F 7 P NATO maintains a broad network of partnership relations, with Euro-Atlantic countries and beyond. Over two decades, NATO developed Partner relations with over 40 countries. These are grouped in different regional frameworks: the Partnership for Peace(PfP)/Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), the Mediterranean Dialogue(MD) and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative(ICI). Partners who do not belong to any of the three formal frameworks are known as Partners across the Globe(PatG). P7F 8 P As it is stated in the news Strategic Concept“partnerships are crucial to protect the global commons, enhance our resilience and uphold the rules-based international order”. P8F 9 P While EU member countries deepen the integration in security and defense sectors, the EU has become an active player in managing conflicts, promoting security and stability in its neighborhood and around the world. The EU and NATO have enhanced their cooperation leading to the development of a broad range of tools to provide greater security sharing a common vision of how they will act together against common security threats. Both EU and NATO play an indispensable role in maintaining security and promoting stability in the Western Balkans. 7 https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2022/6/pdf/290622-strategic-concept.pdf, accessed 2022. 8 https://lc.nato.int/operations/military-partnership/nato-partnership, accessed 2022. 9 https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2022/6/pdf/290622-strategic-concept.pdf, accessed 2022. 8