This blog is an abbreviated version of a Policy Brief by the same title published in August Security and defence policy in the EU has long been surrounded by a sense of disillusionment and a lack of energy.
In response to rising threat levels, mounting pressure by the United States and increasing doubts about the U. But if Europeans thought that their initiatives would be met with nothing but applause in Washington, they should have thought twice. The revitalisation of EU security and defence saw the simultaneous resurgence of concerns about its effects on the transatlantic bond, on defence industrial protectionism and cooperation within NATO.
When the ambition was first voiced at St. The recent revival of the EU defence project has seen a — albeit less pronounced — return of these concerns. While transatlantic relations have weathered many storms, it is difficult to overlook the fact that since the end of the Cold War the structural foundations of strong security cooperation have been affected.
Over the years the notion of strategic autonomy has received the characteristics of a mantra: many documents repeat its necessity, nobody really specifies what it means and it has thereby gained an almost symbolic status. Leaving all kinds of ambiguity is of course not a new phenomenon for processes related to European integration. It serves a purpose to leave a concept somewhat vague, as it relieves the Member States of the obligation to address the differences of opinion on the matter.
Only France has provided a clear-cut definition of what it means by strategic autonomy: the ability to decide and to act freely in an interdependent world.
