Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Antoine, French Army, Strategic Plans and Policy
Published on 06 April 2014
NATO and the European Union share 22 members, the same fundamental values, and the same challenges. Nations use a single set of forces to achieve EU and/or NATO ambitions. Each decision taken by a Nation to commit under one banner has an impact on its ability to commit under the other banner. NATO and EU member States support each other (Turkey is the third contributor of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). NATO and EU operate in similar or complementary fields of expertise. Take Afghanistan, for instance, where the EU has been involved in the institutional reform of the Ministry of Interior, alongside NATO. Finally, NATO and EU address their specific capabilities shortfalls through cooperation.
Since 2003, NATO and the EU are unified by a “Strategic Partnership”. The initial intent was to facilitate exchanges and increase cooperation in several domains of common interest. This cooperation was hampered however, by persistent political issues. As a result, NATO and EU kept working side by side rather than hand in hand.
In December 2013, the European Council held a Summit focused on defence and security matters. EU Heads of States and Government called for a greater international cooperation, especially with NATO. As a guest of honour, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen replied to these expectations in a very positive way, saying that “we must develop real capabilities, those capabilities that our nations need (…) This requires greater cooperation, coordination and cohesion”.
The Conceptual Domain Offers Opportunities To Meet Emerging Challenges In A More Coherent And Efficient Way.
The maritime domain draws more and more attention. The complexity of cyber threats and defence requires exploiting all opportunities and expertise, such as Centres of Excellence. Defence and Related Security Capacity Building is an efficient way for Nations to project stability beyond their borders and act to prevent crisis.
There is room for greater cooperation between organisations, especially with the EU.
Increasing the focus on specific key capabilities could revitalise industrial cooperation and contribute to defining defence industrial standards, common procedures and certification that reduce costs. Harmonizing defence planning processes and the identification of common capability requirements could better facilitate potential industrial collaboration in the long-term and in a more systematic way. Replicating and expanding the already successful multinational cooperation models could finally help better manage the existing shortfalls in the short and mid-term.
http://www.act.nato.int/article-2014-1-10
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