The European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) came into being on July 20 2001 as a replacement to the Western European Union Institute for Security Studies, and thus represents a part of the transfer of functions from the Western European Union (WEU) to the European Union EU, and more specifically to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), under whose auspices it is an autonomous agency with intellectual freedom. It seeks to find a common security policy for the EU. It both researches and debates issues, and engages in dialogue with other European non-member nations and with Canada and the United States of America. The institute also offers analyses to the Council of the European Union and to Javier Solana, High representative of the CFSP.