Category: Policy Papers
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A Maltese View on French-German Leadership
Pour Malte, il n’y a pas d’alternative au moteur franco-allemand, explique Daniel Fiott dans le 7ème épisode de notre cycle « Vous avez dit leadership ? ». En tant qu’État insulaire particulièrement sensible aux intérêts des pays à la périphérie de l’Europe, Malte occupe une position clé en termes de…
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How Europe is preparing for Trump II
The US Presidential elections has cast a shadow over Europe. Although still more than half a year away and with an uncertain outcome, the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House is widely viewed by politicians, officials, experts and the public across Europe as a challenge for international…
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In Whose Interests? Regulating Europe’s Defence Industry and the Politics of Exemptions
The European Union (EU) needs to ramp-up its defence-industrial production and it is looking to do this with a new financial tool termed the European Defence Investment Programme (EDIP). The introduction of the EDIP will raise questions about the European Commission’s commitment to market liberalisation in the defence sector. Joint…
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Military Attacks and the European Union
The EU’s “Mutual Assistance Clause” is designed to ensure an EU-wide response in case of an act of armed aggression against any member state. Yet, the treaties are unclear about what a response should look like in practice, even though the unique character of individual member states is maintained. As…
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The Turning Tide? A European Agenda for the Washington Summit
War has raged in Ukraine for close to two years now, and Russia’s illegal war continues to pose a strategic dilemma for NATO and the European Union. Although allies are producing more ammunition and equipment, there is a risk that Europeans do too little, too late. There may only be…
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Defence Matters: Ten Years of European Defence and What Has Really Been Achieved?
Ten years ago to the day, Heads of State and Government met at a specially designated session of the European Council: the focus, European defence. As the meeting conclusions make clear, the leaders saw defence as a critical area of EU policy and they proclaimed their readiness to increase defence budgets, de-fragment European…
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The EU and the Military Dimensions of Ukraine’s Recovery
When accepting the Charlemagne Prize of Aachen on behalf of the Ukrainian people in May 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy boldly proclaimed that ‘Ukraini- ans will always make Europe stronger’. He also cautiously warned that while history is built on victories, it also remembers defeats. It is clear that European leaders…
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Purchasing Power: Towards Joint Procurement and Planning in European Defence?
Since 2016, the European Union has financially supported the joint development of defence innovation and capabilities. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however, the Union sought to develop its defence industrial base for the production ammunition and equipment. This step comes with an emphasis on “joint-ness”: the idea that Europeans need…
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NATO and the Current Security Context
In many respects, the NATO Vilnius Summit of 11-12 July 2023 revealed one of the core issues facing the alliance today: how, when and if to enlarge to include Ukraine. Enlargement has always been a sensitive and contested issue for NATO, but the prospect of taking on a country that…
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In Orbit: The European Union, Defence and Space Domain Awareness
Following the March 2023 publication of the European Union’s Space Strategy for Security and Defence, the Union has moved into new conceptual territory. In thinking about how to ensure its security and defence in outer space, the Union has emphasised the importance of “Space Domain Awareness”. The meaning of this…
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Votes, Vetoes, Values: Foreign Interference, QMV and EU Foreign Policy in a Competitive Age
Abstract In early May 2023, a group of nine European Union countries called for reform of the way the Union takes decisions in its foreign and security policy. Traditionally a field where consensus and unanimity are the norm, pleas in favour of Qualified Majority Voting – where a single state…
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Cooperation in an Era of Strategic Competition: EU-NATO Relations in the Context of War and Rivalry
This Policy Brief looks at the growing relations and cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). It does so in the context of a return to war in Europe and growing strategic rivalry between the United States (US) and China. Europeans have long been…
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Disorder: the War and Russia’s Economic Statecraft
Abstract Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the West has looked to support Kyiv and impose crushing economic measures on the Russian economy. Sanctions and divestment have punctured a hole in Russia’s war fighting machine, but there are also fears that the Kremlin has been able to use…
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Counter-order: Chinese Power, the West and Geo-economics
Abstract The United States (US)-led world order that has prevailed for the past few decades is being contested by rival powers such as China. A crucial aspect of great power competition is economic statecraft and China is skilfully fusing various aspects of its economic diplomacy and financial strength to undermine…
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Order: the Financing of Alliances and Western Power
Abstract Russia’s war on Ukraine and the rise of China are raising serious questions about order in international politics. If the West is to have a fighting chance at maintaining its military supremacy and upholding global order, it needs to answer some fundamental questions about the United States (US)-led alliance…
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Secuelas y réplicas: Europa tras la guerra
Desde que hace ahora un año Vladimir Putin ordenara invadir su país vecino, la guerra en Ucrania se ha convertido en la cuestión central del panorama estratégico europeo y en uno de los eventos que más ha convulsionado el orden -o el desorden- internacionaldesde el fin de la Guerra Fría.…
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Annus Horribilis: Russia’s War, Ukraine’s Struggle, Europe’s Future
Abstract One year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe continues to support Kyiv with military equipment and financial and political support. The bravery of Ukrainians is unparalleled, but, to truly support Ukraine, Europe needs to answer serious questions about its defence. Potential future turbulence in the transatlantic relationship means…
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A Stellar Moment? Spain, Strategy and European Space
This analysis looks at the shifting nature of space, security and defence in the EU. It provides an account of the growing geopolitical contest in space and stresses the vital importance of space for Europe’s strategic autonomy. What is more, the analysis looks at Spain’s approach to space, security and…
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Rethinking the EU’s Approach to Space: The Case of Security and Defence
Russia’s attack on Ukraine has sent shockwaves across Europe and the world. While the current war is a geopolitical turning point, it remains unclear whether it will trigger a quantum leap forward for European defence policies and for the role of the European Union as a security provider. This Report investigates whether we…
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L’Union européenne et la Boussole stratégique : un moment décisif ?
En pleine guerre de la Russie contre l’Ukraine, l’Union européenne (UE) a publié en mars 2022 sa stratégie de sécurité et de défense tant attendue, appelé Strategic Compass, soit la Boussole stratégique. Ce document est le premier du genre pour l’UE et il peut être assimilé à ce que les États appellent…
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European Maritime Strategies for the Middle East – Struggling for Relevance?
The Middle East is a major area of maritime trade, given the vast oil supplies in the Persian Gulf region and several gas exploitation and exploration projects in the Mediterranean. The development of these prospects and maritime trade, however, are threatened by acts of piracy and terrorist attacks in the…
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Solid Foundation, Rocky Future? Assessing Transatlantic Defence and Security Ties after NATO’s Madrid Summit
Russia’s war on Ukraine has raised serious questions about European security, but it has also led to much greater transatlantic unity. This Policy Insights paper argues that the war on Ukraine has given rise to a new consensus among large parts of NATO and the EU to reinvest in collective…
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Gearing up for a Competitive Age: The EU as a Maritime Actor
With the Strategic Compass, the European Union has set itself a high level of ambition for its maritime security. The Compass calls for a higher level of investment in high-end naval capabilities and it underlines the importance of ongoing capability projects such as the European Patrol Corvette. The Strategic Compass…
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European Defense and the Security of Strategic Resources
Even before the 25 March endorsement of the EU Strategic Compass, the question of securing strategic resources was foremost on the minds of policymakers and political leaders. The experience of the lack of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic had certainly raised questions about security of supply. In particular, it…
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Rising Risks: Protecting Europe with the Strategic Compass
Abstract The Strategic Compass will guide the direction of EU security and defence until 2030, and it does so by providing a single narrative for how, why and where the EU should act to protect its interests and values. While the document is comprehensive in its understanding of the threats…
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La Brújula Estratégica y la autonomía de la UE
En plena guerra de Rusia contra Ucrania, la Unión Europea publicó en marzo su tan esperada estrategia de seguridad y defensa, denominada Brújula Estratégica. El documento es el primero de este tipo para la Unión, y puede asemejarse a lo que los Estados denominan “libro blanco” de la defensa. En…
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EU Civil-Defence Synergies: Understanding the Challenges and Drivers of Change
This paper looks at the European Union’s approach to promoting civil and defence synergies. More specifically, it focuses on the strategies and policies developed by the European Commission to help stimulate the cross-fertilisation of civil and defence research. A core part of the analysis is to show the evolution of…
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A Clash of Concepts?Making Sense of ‘European Sovereignty’ and ‘Strategic Autonomy’
Strategic autonomy has become the buzzword of the European policy scene in recent years, with a slew of reports and policy proposals dedicated to the subject, and high-level support among European leaders. But big questions remain about what the concept actually means and what its implications are for Europe and…
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Promoting Technological Sovereignty and Innovation: Emerging and Disruptive Technologies
Emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT) transcend the four-basket logic of the EU Strategic Compass as they touch on aspects of all issue areas. To break down this complex topic, the workshop was based on two input papers that focused on aspects of sovereignty and innovation. While the discussion cannot and…
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What Scope for EU-US Defence Industrial Cooperation in the 2020s?
The election of Joseph Biden as President of the United States has led to talk of a reset in the transatlantic relationship. This is the dawn of a new era where the US are more involved in NATO, the Europeans are more involved in their security with projects such as…
Daniel Fiott 