Increasing Importance of the European Union for Security and Defence

Abstract

While Europe still tries to recover from the economic crisis, strategic thinkers in Brussels start to realise that a next crisis might develop in security and defence. Since tensions around Europe increase and the United States had to move priority to the Pacific, it becomes clear that Europe needs to be better prepared to take care of its own security. The author discusses the need to enhance the Common Security and Defence Policy into a broader comprehensive approach to crisis management and capability development. What does this mean for the EU Battle Groups, or even the need for a European Army ? How do the developments in the EU relate to NATO ? What do they mean for EU Member States and NATO Partner Countries like Austria ?1