Strengthening Security and Defence – What Is the Relative Power of the European Union vis-à-vis the Member States?

Glišić, Miroslav and Đorđević, Branislav and Stojković, Dejan (2021) Strengthening Security and Defence – What Is the Relative Power of the European Union vis-à-vis the Member States? In: Europe in changes: The old continent at a new crossroads. Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade; Faculty of Security Studies at the University of Belgrade, Belgrade, pp. 37-62. ISBN 978-86-7067-282-6

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Abstract

The implementation process of A Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy has triggered significant dynamism into the security and defence domain. This paper deals with the research question of how strengthening the European Union security and defence affects possible shifting preferences between supranationalism and intergovernmentalism. The authors analyse new initiatives and tools launched to strengthen the European Union’s cooperation on defence and integration in the defence domains well as the role of the European Union and the Member States in these processes. The tested general hypothesis within this research is the following: Despite the importance of ongoing strengthening of the European Union’s cooperation on defence and integration in the defence domain, the development process of almost all new initiatives and tools in this domain is in the hands of the Member States. Taking into consideration the above-mentioned, this paper seeks to explain how the Member States are central decision-makers within the processes related to the defence matters within the European Union. Using the Intergovernmentalist Theoretical Framework, it can be concluded that strengthening the European Union’s cooperation on defence and integration in the defence domain is the product of bargains amongst member countries that is driven by the domestic policy while supranational institutions have limited importance. The content analysis method in this paper is based on the documents and academic articles mainly related to the defence matters within the European Union and the EU’s Global Strategy.

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