Category: Policy Papers
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The Diplomatic Role of the European Parliament’s Parliamentary Groups
The political groups of the European Parliament (EP) play a diplomatic role in terms of the EP’s legislative powers, their rhetorical role in European Union (EU) foreign policy, and through direct diplomatic action in third countries. It is therefore surprising to observe that the parliamentary diplomacy of the political groups…
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Autonomy without Autarky: An EU ‘Roadmap’ for Security of Supply
The disruption of the defence supply chain and the inability to replace or reproduce equipment: a nightmarish prospect for any military planner. To allay such fears, states have, whenever possible, sought to lower dependence on third-country suppliers by favouring national industry. Yet complete autarky is impossible to achieve in today’s…
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The Three Effects of Dual-Use: Firms, Capabilities and Governance
It is easy to overlook the fact that many of the products and technologies we use on a daily basis – and now take for granted – have their origins in the defence sector. GPS navigation units, the internet, touch screens, digital cameras, and even microwaves, were all, in one…
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One Size to Fit All? Setting Standards for European Defence
Abstract While the crisis in Ukraine may contribute to a revision of defence expenditures in a number of European countries, the task of finding the right balance between cost-effective and strategically-relevant defence spending in Europe is still critical. As defence expenditure generally remains in decline across Europe, a range of…
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No TTIP-ing Point for European Defence?
Abstract The EU-US Summit on 26 March will mark eight months since the partners decided to formally launch negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The aim of the TTIP – if finalised – is to remove tariffs, align regulatory standards and open up government procurement. Born out…
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An Industrious European Council on Defence?
The December 2013 Council meeting set in motion a number of important “roadmaps” for defence-industrial policy in Europe. Now the member states, the European Defence Agency and European Commission need to be aware of the potential roadblocks ahead. Egmont Institute, 2014, No. 53 Read it here
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The Sahel Crisis: Where do European and African Perspectives Meet?
The crisis in Mali has brought the Sahel to the centre of international attention. This fragile region not only suffers from longstanding development challenges, but also from an acute security vacuum that has triggered military intervention. Many questions have arisen as a consequence of the crisis. Has the European Union…
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Safeguarding the EDTIB: the Case for Supervising non-EU FDI in the Defence Sector
It is time for the EU member states to start collectively supervising non-EU FDI in Europe’s defence industries and infrastructures. This should be a prudent element of the nascent EDTIB and a way to maintain European security by encouraging greater coordination between the national supervisory frameworks. Egmont Institute, 2012, No.…
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The French White Paper on Defence and National Security: NATO, Nuclear Weapons and Space
The 17 June unveiling of the French White Paper on Defence and National Security2 comes at a period of evolution in French defence and security policy. Reformation of its armed forces, its ambitions to re-integrate into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) military command and its plans to enhance the…
Daniel Fiott 