Committee on Security and Defence
Written by: Nikola Pantelić (RS)
Relevance of the Topic
Russia’s war against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the geopolitical reality in Europe. The continent that has in recent times made a name for itself for its peacefulness is once again beating the drums of war. At the beginning of this year, Russia attacked Ukraine and put the EU 27 on the list of enemy countries. Amidst the war in Ukraine, on September 12th, Azerbaijan also carried out attacks against Armenia once again. The recent war in Ukraine and increasing global instability have, therefore, highlighted the need for further defence cooperation in Europe. Recently EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borell said: ”The speed at which the world is changing is often exceeding our capacity to cope. We need to become more agile and have a strong capacity for doing lessons learned, including in the field of security and defence. In order to protect Europe and European values, Member States of both NATO and the EU will have to fulfil all their responsibilities.” Although the EU is keen to expand defence cooperation, many EU Member States are still hesitant. Working together more could also mean ceding further sovereignty to the EU. Furthermore, the Member States’ foreign policy, and therefore defence needs, are often different and sometimes at odds. The question that arises is, should the EU cooperate further on security and mutualise its defence ambitions? How far should this cooperation go? Is a European army on the cards, or is it a bridge too far?
Key Terms & Definitions
This is the part where you will briefly mention some of the important words or phrases you will be using while writing the Topic Overview. You should mention between three and five terms that are neither organisations (actors) nor legislation. Always provide the source by hyperlinking the name of the term.
- The EU army: is the hypothetical army of the EU which would integrate Member States’ national forces into a unified European Command Structure. Currently, there is no such army, and defence is a matter solely handled by the Member States.
- Sovereignty of Member States: As a supranational organisation, the EU is composed of sovereign Member States. Sovereignty means the power that a state has over its own territory and institutions. Maintaining one’s own military force in the form of an army is seen to be a key component of a sovereign nation in International Relations.
- Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP): As part of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, the CSDP is a unified approach to military matters and crisis management. It allows for limited cooperation among Member States’ militaries and facilitates joint military and civilian missions abroad.
- European Commission: The European Commission is commonly regarded to be the executive power of the European Union. Furthermore, it can initiate laws and reforms. The current commission under President Ursula von der Leyen has put an emphasis on the EU’s geopolitical role and has called for a more comprehensive approach to European defence.
- North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO): is a security alliance between 30 member states with the purpose of preventing conflict and guaranteeing freedom and security to all its members. NATO promotes democratic values and enables its members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues. It is believed that Russia was aiming to halt the expansion of NATO with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With the exception of Austria, Cyprus and Ireland, all EU Member States are either members of NATO or in the process of becoming a member.
- The European Defence Agency (EDA): was set up in 2004. It helps its 26 Member States (all EU Member States except Denmark) to develop their military resources. It promotes collaboration, launches new initiatives and introduces solutions to improve defence capabilities.
- The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC): is responsible for the EU’s external action, which includes foreign policy, defence and security, trade, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
- The European External Action Service (EEAS): prepares acts to be adopted by the High Representative, the European Council or the European Commission while also being in charge of the EU’s diplomatic missions, Intelligence and crisis management structures. The EEAS is also responsible for managing general foreign relations and defence policies and controls the Situation Centre. Member States make the final policy decisions and the EEAS plays a part in technical implementation.
A common EU defence policy is provided for by the Treaty of Lisbon (Article 42(2) TEU). However, the treaty also clearly states the importance of national defence policy, including NATO membership or neutrality. In recent years, the EU has begun to implement ambitious initiatives to provide more resources, stimulate efficiency, facilitate cooperation and support the development of capabilities. French President Macron called for a joint European military project in 2017, while then-German chancellor Merkel said “we ought to work on the vision of one day establishing a proper European army”.
Public support vs. national interest
Three-quarters (75%) of Europeans are in favour of a common EU defence and security policy according to a special Eurobarometer on security and defence in 2017 and a majority of 55% were in favour of creating an EU army. More recently 68% of Europeans said they would like the EU to do more on defence (March 2018 Eurobarometer survey).
Although things look great in this regard for the European federalist camp, the situation is far from being easy and the other side of the coin requires recognition as well. Full integration of European defence forces holds potential negative repercussions, among other things, for the national identity of Member States and their sovereignty. Furthermore, key debates on defence matters are treated differently in the Member States and common ground on fundamental questions has not yet been found.
Inefficient military spending
Besides most Member States not living up to NATO’s goal of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, inefficient spending is also an issue. Currently, many Member States use incompatible equipment and run individual procurement sectors.
European integration in the defence sector could produce relief. By creating a common ammunition certification system or through joint procurement, Member States could save, for example, up to EUR 600 million. When added up together, EU Member States are the second largest defence spender in the world behind the US, but an estimated EUR 26.4 billion is wasted every year due to duplication, overcapacity and barriers to procurement.
Measures in place
- In 2022, the European Council approved the European Strategic Compass setting out a vision for intensified security and defence policy until 2030.
- The European Defence Fund (EDF) was launched in June 2017. It is the first time the EU budget is used to co-fund defence cooperation. On the 29th of April 2021, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) agreed to fund the flagship instrument with the financing of EUR 7.9 billion as part of the EU’s long-term budget (2021-2027). The fund will complement national investments and provide both practical and financial incentives for collaborative research, joint development and acquisition of defence equipment and technology.
- Permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) was launched in December 2017, and 25 EU Member States are participating as of October 2022. It currently operates on the basis of 47 collaborative projects with binding commitments including a European Medical Command, Maritime Surveillance System, mutual assistance for cyber-security and rapid response teams, and a Joint EU intelligence school.
- The EU strengthened cooperation with NATO on 74 projects across seven areas including cybersecurity, joint exercises and counter-terrorism.
- A plan to facilitate military mobility within and across the EU to make it possible for military personnel and equipment to act faster in response to crises.
- Individual Member States cooperate bilaterally. On a former Cold War base, German and Dutch soldiers are serving together in one tank battalion and the Dutch and Belgian navies cooperate under the BENESAM framework.
Food for thought
With Russia attacking Ukraine and peace shifting further and further away from Europe, what is the best possible way to react to potential security threats of the EU? Is a unitary response necessary in order to defend the EU and its values? With NATO being ever present on the continent, is a common military of the union necessary and what are the alternatives? What are the ways to develop smarter military budgeting strategies? And how can we make sure that defence and security ambitions do not cause negative repercussions in other political domains?
- Defence: is the EU creating a European army? – European Parliament (2021): describes the work being done and discusses military spending issues.
- Is an EU Army Coming? – Foreign Policy (2022) – Interview with Gen. Claudio Graziano, chair of the EU Military Committee wherein an EU army and European defence cooperation is discussed.
- A European Army? The Germans and Dutch Take a Small Step – The New York Times article by Katrin Bennhold (2019): showcases the steps being taken towards uniting European military forces.
- Could the EU Form its Own Army? – TLDR News EU (2022): Introduces the idea of a European army, key debates surrounding the approach, and discusses whether an implementation is likely.