Daniel Fiott

Journal Articles

  • The European Defence Union: An Article-by-Article Commentary

    The European Defence Union: An Article-by-Article Commentary

    The European Defence Union has been under construction for several years within a worrying security context. It depends fundamentally on EU law: i.e. both the rules laid down by the Member States in the Treaties and those adopted by the European institutions, as the European Union’s approach is no longer limited to the highly intergovernmental… Read more

  • Between the Berlaymont and the Glass Palace: The Relative Roles of the EU and NATO in European Defence

    Between the Berlaymont and the Glass Palace: The Relative Roles of the EU and NATO in European Defence

    Europe’s defence landscape is complex, and the relationship between the European Union and NATO is a prime example. Though only five kilometres apart in Brussels, the EU and NATO often appear worlds apart in practice. This new HCSS report by Davis Ellison and Daniel Fiott offers a clear-eyed assessment of this relationship and a roadmap for improvement.   Persistent political tensions, overlapping memberships,… Read more

  • What Role for European Economic and Military Enablement in Deterrence?

    What Role for European Economic and Military Enablement in Deterrence?

    Dans un environnement marqué par la superposition des crises, l’intensification des interdépendances et le retour assumé du rapport de force, les vulnérabilités des systèmes – énergétiques, informationnels, économiques, climatiques, logistiques – ne sont plus seulement des facteurs de fragilité : elles deviennent tout autant de leviers de conflictualité. Ce dossier propose d’interroger cette « guerre… Read more

  • Controlled Adaptation and Integration: Defence AI in Belgium

    Controlled Adaptation and Integration: Defence AI in Belgium

    Belgium’s engagement with artificial intelligence (AI) in defence is best understood not as a dramatic technological leap, but as a series of pragmatic, institutionally embedded steps shaped by alliance politics, budgetary realism and an enduring preference for multinational solutions. Rather than positioning itself as an AI front-runner, Belgium has sought to integrate AI-enabled capabilities where… Read more

  • Up in the Air: What Could FCAS Mean for Common EU Defence Projects?

    Up in the Air: What Could FCAS Mean for Common EU Defence Projects?

    The FCAS project appears to be over, at least in its original incarnation, although technological elements of the project may be salvaged, such as the development of a combat cloud. The case of FCAS serves as a cautionary tale for how to develop collaborative defence industrial programmes in Europe, especially when these projects involve large… Read more

  • Europe’s Rearmament Dilemmas

    Europe’s Rearmament Dilemmas

    Europe has entered a profound rearmament cycle driven by Russia’s war on Ukraine, sharpening US strategic conditionality, and intensifying global geopolitical rivalry. After decades of underinvestment, European states are attempting to rebuild depleted stockpiles, scale up industrial production, and reconcile defense investments with fiscal, political, and technological constraints. The European Union has emerged as an… Read more