FEDERALIST DEBATE
2 June 2015 | Brussels

AN EU ARMY: FANTASY OR POLITICAL PROJECT?
Short, Medium and Long Term Perspectives for European Security and Defence

On the 2 June 2015 and following recent comments on the creation of an EU army by the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and the German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, the UEF hosted a debate on the future of European security and defence.

President Juncker's comments in particular helped to re-opened a debate that is long overdue. The security threats at the border of Europe, from the Middle East to Russia, should lead to a serious reflection on ways to enhance European security and defence policy. Today EU’s defence policies remain national, essentially based on an intergovernmental approach, and completely dependent on the US, leading the EU to be indecisive, slow, uncoordinated and ineffective when reacting to external crisis.

This debate brought together MEPs and experts to discuss the advantages and potential of the creation of a common EU army. What would the first steps be considering the possibilities and constraints of the Lisbon Treaty? In the longer-term, what would the project of an EU army entail in terms of European military capabilities, relations with national military capabilities, relations with NATO? And what would it require in terms of evolution of the EU as a political entity?

You can find more information about the speakers' contributions in our report.