Archive of European Integration (AEI) (University of Pittsburgh) · 2009 · 10 citations · 0 references
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Social SciencesPolitical ScienceStrategyEuropean StudiesGlobal GovernanceSecurity PolicyEuropean GovernanceEuropean IntegrationEuropean PoliticsEuropean Union InstitutionsGrand StrategySecurity StrategyEuropean Security PolicyEuropean Security RelationsGrand Strategy ChangeGrand Strategy EvaluationGrand Strategy FormationGrand Strategy ImplementationLisbon SystemNato Security Relations
[From the Introduction]. In its 2003 European Security Strategy (ESS), the EU has a grand strategy, embracing all instruments and resources at the disposal of the Union and the Member States, but a partial one. The ESS tells us how to do things – in a preventive, holistic and multilateral way – but it is much vaguer on what to do: what are the concrete objectives and priorities of the EU as a global actor? The recent debate about the ESS, resulting in the 2008 Report about the Implementation of the European Security Strategy, failed to answer this question. Offering little in terms of recommendations for the future, the Report creates an impression of unfinished business, which the EU can ill afford now that the Lisbon Treaty will change the institutional set-up of its foreign and security policy, NATO has launched a strategic debate of its own to which an EU contribution is essential, and the EU risks being overshadowed by the much more purposive emerging powers or BRICs. Regardless of one’s initial opinion about its opportunity, a fully-fledged strategic review is now in order, with the aim of completing the ESS.