European Defence Cooperation: A Symbol of the Future of European Integration?
Defence is the field in which the most progress has been made since the UK referendum. In a year and a half, the EU will have been able to successfully put together the non-executive mission’s HQ, PESCO, CARD, and an expanded role for the European Defence Agency. However, the speed at which progress has been made could be a validation of the fears about two-speed Europe, and of the way future integration will be drawn up: a French-German led initiative that other countries outside of the “core” have the choice – or not? – to join, at the risk of being left out? Is this a viable model that can be transposed for other issues? On principle, all countries who sign up to PESCO agree about the fact that the goals of its numerous projects is to reach European strategic autonomy. But how can we reconcile different priorities within PESCO, countries who see it as an opportunity to reinforce their territorial sovereignty and fight against migration, others who see it as enabling European intervention forces?
Steven Blockmans, Senior Research Fellow and Head of EU Foreign Policy Unit, Centre for European Policy Studies
Alice-Billon Galland, Policy Fellow, European Leadership Network
Filomena Chirico, Member of the Cabinet of Commission Vice President J. Katainen, European Commission
Jan Macháček, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Institute for Politics and Society Bram Vranken, Researcher and Campaigner, Vredesactie
Chair: Matthew Karnitschnig, Chief Europe Correspondent, Politico
