European Security and Defense Policy : The State of Play

This EUSA Review Forum examines an increasingly important aspect of the EU’s global role: its pursuit of a common foreign, security, and (potentially) defense policy. Although the EU has made great strides in foreign policy cooperation over the past few decades, especially when compared to similar efforts in other regional organizations, it still faces a number of challenges in attempting to enhance its foreign policy capabilities in light of the current debate on the EU’s constitutional structure. The following essays by four EUSA members provide various perspectives on some of these challenges, focusing on the complex interplay between policy outcomes, institutional arrangements, and the EU’s growing ambitions in security/defense affairs.