The strategic culture of the European Union: a progress report

Abstract

This article re‐examines the EU's character and potential as a strategic actor, setting that analysis in the context of the debate on strategic culture. The definition of strategic culture as the political and institutional confidence and processes to manage and deploy military force, coupled with external recognition of the EU as a legitimate actor in the military sphere, lends itself to a reappraisal around four core questions. First, military capabilities: establishing a European strategic culture is vital in order to rationalize the acquisition of capabilities necessary for the range of humanitarian and peacekeeping tasks envisaged. Equally, without military capabilities, all talk of a strategic culture would ring hollow. This article discusses how much closer the EU has come to acquiring those essential capabilities. Second, while the EU has gained significant experience of, albeit limited, military/policing experiences and established a growing reputation and some credibility for ad hoc action, to what extent and in what quarters have these experiences engendered a sense of reliability and legitimacy for autonomous EU action? Third, given that so far operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Balkans have depended on an integrated civil–military effort, do the policy‐making processes of the EU now ensure the appropriate level and depth of civil–military integration? Finally, considering that EU operations have been limited in time and scope, and that much of the EU's work in the Balkans has depended upon cooperation with NATO, what can be said of the evolving relationship between the EU and NATO?

The European Defence Agency and Permanent Structured Cooperation: Are We Heading Towards Another Missed Opportunity?

“…Equally, without military capabilities, all talk of a strategic culture would ring hollow'. 13 Whilst convergence has taken place between the EU Member States concerning the security threats that the EU is facing, as highlighted in the European Security Strategy, there is no agreement concerning how they should be dealt with. This has led to ad hoc decision-making concerning potential military operations.…”

Differing member state approaches to the development of the EU Battlegroup Concept: implications for CSDP

“…Opinion is divided with Cornish and Edwards, Meyer and Reis suggesting that an EU strategic culture is beginning to emerge while Heiselberg, Rynning and Baun argue that there is not enough convergence at the EU level on the use of force to facilitate one (Baun 2005;Cornish and Edwards 2005;Heiselberg 2003;Meyer 2006;Reis 2009;Rynning 2003).…”

The EU as an International Security Provider: The Need for a Mid-range Theory

“…Some scholars have also U in this regard across various regions of the world 2012) or discussed it in the context of (grand) strategy (Biscop 2009;Howorth 2010; Smith 2011) and strategic culture (Bonvicini and Regelsberger 2007, Chappell 2009, Cornish and Edwards 2005, Moustakis and Violakis 2008, Quille 2004. Another strand in the literature has focused on particular conceptions of security, such as human security or comprehensive security, and how they are reflected in EU policy (Matlary 2008, Kaldor 2007, Manners 2006) (Gebhard and Norheim-Martinsen 2011).…”