Read more about the article Humanitarian Aid and European Defence: Legal Status and Budget Allocations
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Humanitarian Aid and European Defence: Legal Status and Budget Allocations

Humanitarian relief is a significant issue and a prominent concern for actors in our societies, particularly non-governmental organisations, governments, and individuals, as the ongoing crisis in Ukraine has demonstrated. Many people do not have access to basic supplies and could have to move due to natural or man-made disasters. The European Union (EU) has responded by devoting significant resources in line with its responsibility to aid those in need (European Commission, n.d.-c). Nevertheless, how does the EU distribute aid, and under what criteria does it operate? This article analyses the internal humanitarian aid system of the EU by looking at the key organisations responsible for managing these programmes and the funding structure that supports them. Moreover, it will address the fundamental principles that guide the EU's assistance distribution strategy to guarantee that aid reaches the most disadvantaged. Although, the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine emphasises the need for adequate assistance, it is simply one aspect of a global issue. This article will also evaluate the EU's role in the global humanitarian arena, highlighting its continuous efforts to maximise the effectiveness of its assistance in an international context where crises are happening increasingly often.

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22 July 2024
Read more about the article The Role of the EU in Arctic Security
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The Role of the EU in Arctic Security

Arguably, the Arctic region has always been an area of interest to the world’s countries. Despite its location and harsh arctic climate, the region opens opportunities for exploring new territories, trading routes, rich natural resources, and raw materials. According to the research on Arctic warming, by 2040, the melted ice in some parts of the Arctic will provide a new prospect for commercial shipping, shortening the transit time between Europe, the United States and Asia (Rantanen et al., 2022). Nevertheless, these changes open not only new opportunities for economic development but also threaten the global environment. As a result, the Arctic becomes a playground of conflict of interests of many international actors, creating new challenges to the region’s stability and security. In addition, due to its strategic importance, the region has begun to attract the attention of various actors. Since 2008, the EU has actively shown interest in Arctic issues, trying to strengthen its influence on Arctic affairs and emphasising the importance of its participation in solving the problems of the region to ensure its stability and development. Today’s interests of the EU in the Arctic region include the region’s sustainable development, security concerns, and climate change issues (The EU in the Arctic, 2024).

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17 July 2024
Read more about the article European Defence giants Leonardo and Rheinmetall form a 50/50 Joint Venture for the development of the next Land Defence Systems
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European Defence giants Leonardo and Rheinmetall form a 50/50 Joint Venture for the development of the next Land Defence Systems

The Italian manufacturer Leonardo and the German arms maker Rheinmetall signed a strategic partnership on 3 July 2024 to establish a 50/50 joint venture for the industrial development and the subsequent commercialisation of a new battle tank for the Italian Army’s ground system programs. The new-born entity will be based in Italy, where 60 % of the overall production will take place (Leonardo, 2024). Over the next ten years, the two industrial groups aim to win contracts worth an estimated 20 billion euros from the Italian Army (Dragoni, 2024). The terms of the agreement will have a positive impact on the Italian supply chain as a whole and could capitalise more than 50 billion US dollars on the European market, as preannounced by Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger (Reuters, 2024). The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two counterparts is now subject to approval by the European Commission and national competition authorities.

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15 July 2024
Read more about the article What is in the Inbox of the EU’s Next Foreign Policy Representative, Kaja Kallas?
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What is in the Inbox of the EU’s Next Foreign Policy Representative, Kaja Kallas?

At the European Council Summit in Brussels on the 27th of June, EU leaders gathered to approve the bloc’s new leadership following the outcome of the European elections. Among the appointments, Kaja Kallas was tapped as the EU’s next High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, succeeding the Spanish Josep Borrell. Currently the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kallas recognised the “enormous responsibility” she is entrusted with and reiterated her commitment to strengthening the EU’s defence capabilities (Kallas, 2024). Before being talked about for this position, her name had floated to lead NATO, as well as for the proposed role of EU Defense Commissioner, which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to create if re-elected (McElvoy, 2024). Just like Von der Leyen and future EU Council President Antonio Costa, Kallas will need to get formal approval from EU lawmakers and the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in the next fall (Nardelli and Tammik, 2024).

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5 July 2024
Read more about the article Moldova and the EU: a Comprehensive Overview of Security and Defence Partnership
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Moldova and the EU: a Comprehensive Overview of Security and Defence Partnership

On the occasion of the establishment of the civilian CSDP EU Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova (EUPM) in April 2023, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP) noted: “As one of the countries most affected by the fallout of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we witness increased and continued Russian attempts to destabilise Moldova with hybrid actions” (Council of the EU, 2023). In light of geopolitical tensions and persistent threats from Russia, Moldova and the EU are seeking to establish greater cooperation in the field of security in defence. After the deployment of the EUPM in May 2023, the representatives from the EU and Moldova signed the Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) on 21 May 2024. Moldova is the first third state to sign such an agreement with the EU (Euractiv, 2024). The Partnership is envisaged to enhance the resilience of the country, allowing the EU and Moldova to jointly address shared security challenges and explore new areas of cooperation and dialogue (EEAS, 2024). The EU’s goal is to create a network of selected partners in the field of security and defence, boosting cooperation in fields ranging from cyber security, hybrid threats, disinformation, training, and capacity building (Benakis, 2024; Euractiv, 2024). Moldova’s alignment with European standards, fostering interoperability and robust cooperation, is important for reinforcing regional security and advancing Moldova’s European integration aspirations. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of EU-Moldova cooperation in security and defence. It proceeds as follows: The first section briefly outlines the relations between Moldova and the EU against the background of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The second part explores and contextualizes the newly established Security and Defence Partnership.

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18 June 2024