Read more about the article The EU in Kosovo*: Consolidating European Military and Defence Identity
Food For Thought

The EU in Kosovo*: Consolidating European Military and Defence Identity

For decades, the European security policy has been an open question, as its highly political relevance never conceded a fully supranational approach that would enable comprehensive interoperability. All security aspects are grounded in an intergovernmental logic dating back to the conception of the ‘second pillar’ established in Maastricht in 1992. The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) remains ‘common’ only in some aspects, leaving wide discretion to a single MS. The same was likely to be the case for the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Being specifically designed as the military component of the CFSP, the CSDP was decisive in offering Europe the opportunity of independently taking charge of its security issues on the military level by enhancing interoperable mechanisms among national forces.

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13 October 2021
Read more about the article Collaborative Procurement and European Defence Fund in the context of Strategic Autonomy Case Study on Autonomous Weapons
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Collaborative Procurement and European Defence Fund in the context of Strategic Autonomy Case Study on Autonomous Weapons

The European Union’s foreign policy affairs and security and defence matters have always been the areas in which progressing and ad- vancing has proved to be a challenging task. Despite the integration achievements accom- plished in other EU fields, such as the Sin- gle Market, the European Monetary Union, or the Common Agriculture Policy; the cul- tural, identity, historical, and geographical differences between the MS have prevented the consolidation of a common strategic cul- ture. In this context, as the main international events of the last years have proved, the EU is still unable to carry out military operations outside its borders, not even when the stabili- ty of the European project itself is being called into question and challenged.

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6 October 2021
Read more about the article From Sharpshooter to Sniper: The Evolution of Snipers in the Modern Battlefield
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From Sharpshooter to Sniper: The Evolution of Snipers in the Modern Battlefield

Over the centuries, the use of snipers in com- bat has evolved from a peripheral practice to a widespread feature of modern warfare. Rifle and optical technology have undergone huge advancements that have helped marksmen emerge as integral parts of offensive and de- fensive strategies. Today, snipers continue to impact combat in ways that far eclipse the sum of casualties caused. A powerful tool in stifling enemy morale, snipers are best de- scribed as specialists in precision shooting and as resilient, highly skilled masters of stealth.

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29 September 2021
Read more about the article Energy Security in the EU: How Energy Affects the Union’s Military Operations
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Energy Security in the EU: How Energy Affects the Union’s Military Operations

From a geopolitical perspective, the major actor crowding EU policymakers’ minds is Russia, as the EU imports around 30% of its oil and 40% of its gas from there. This de- pendence, however, is not distributed evenly. Certain member states (MS) import almost all their energy from Russia, especially in Eastern Europe, while others are exporters themselves.

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23 September 2021
Read more about the article Europe’s Role in the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force
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Europe’s Role in the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force

Targeted interoperability may be understood through the ongoing development of NATO's Very High Readiness Joint Task Force. This brigade-size rapid response force is designed to deploy its lead elements within 48 hours, ensuring prompt response to conflict. This multinational unit is unique in its very tight deployment timeline, which implies functional interoperability between several alliance members to a degree so far unseen within NATO.

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15 September 2021