The European Union Response to Regional Conflicts

Abstract

The European Union (EU) is a major power on the international scene. Firmly committed to fostering stability and security, it has conceived a creative mixture of civilian and military resources to deal with regional crises using a holistic approach. Throughout the time which has passed since the EU Common Security and Defense was created, EU capabilities in security and defense have improved progressively and become rooted, permitting the EU to carry out more that 25 missions on three continents. The EU s main strength as an actor in conflict resolution relies on a diverse array of tools, normally not accessible to other countries and multinational organizations. The EU s main weaknesses include the difficulty to build consensus between Member States and its incapacity to act quickly and with cohesion. In order to become a real global actor in the security and defense arena the EU must properly improve its aspirations, which should include stronger strategic guidance, policy consistency, credible civilian and military resources, solid political will and a common level of aspiration.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA588581

Entities

People

  • Alfonso B. Mestanza

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Continents
  • Crisis Management
  • Eastern Europe
  • European Union
  • Governments
  • Health Services
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • Military Capabilities
  • Military Operations
  • Security
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution