What Future for EU Security and Defence Cooperation?
 

Last week, the Council approved 13 new projects under the Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security (PESCO). There are now 47 PESCO projects in total, aiming to pursue military and defence integration among the national armed forces of 25 Member States. Despite the positive developments, further progress on collective action is still crucial, as the EU has realised it can no longer rely only on its partnership with the US. 

In recent years, the EU has been stepping up cooperation in the area of security and defence within the framework of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), in an effort to create a fully-fledged European Defence Union (EDU). Together with PESCO, new instruments were put in place, such as the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), while 16 EU-led civilian and military operations have been undertaken in Europe, Africa and Asia.

The process of integration on security and defence still encounters resistance. First, defence cooperation remains entirely within individual Member States' competence. Second, it is argued that deepening security and defence cooperation may neglect the EU's commitments to NATO, a scenario harshly criticised by the US. Moreover, the UK's departure from the EU has raised concern about the consequences in terms of CSDP missions and financing, as the UK is currently the EU’s strongest defence power in terms of financial contributions. It remains to be seen how the UK will align its foreign policy with the EU's, to allow cooperation running after Brexit.

Input from the European Movement International
 

At a time when Europe cannot solely rely on transatlantic relations, we believe that the EU can offer the best forum for security and defence cooperation, by enhancing collective actions through initiatives such as the European Defence Fund and PESCO. 

In our policy position on “A Safer Europe Through Increased Security and Defence Cooperation”, we argue that a EU joint action in defence and security is the best strategy to face new and complex threats to Europe’s security, and to ensure peace on the European continent, while contributing to peace efforts worldwide. The European Movement International advocates for several pillars to deepen EU security and defence cooperation, such as, for instance, a better institutional embedding of security and defence policies, the completion of the single market for defence to foster a more competitive defence industry, and a more effective response of the EU institutions in these domains. 

Concerning the UK's departure from the EU, as stated in another policy position on “Strengthening the European Union’s Position on the Global Stage”, the EU should put in place the necessary mechanisms to enable close cooperation with the UK in the areas of security and defence after its departure from the Union.