Report
Published:
Collective defence in Europe: What place for the EU?
Summary:
Collective defence is the cornerstone of Europe’s security architecture, anchored in NATO’s Article 5
stating that an attack against one ally is an attack against all. With the deteriorating security environment in Europe, questions have been asked about whether, and if so how, the EU’s clause on mutual defence – article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union – could be operationalized and perhaps be a supplement to NATO’s article 5 as a guarantor of collective defence in Europe. The debate is driven by perceived limits in NATO’s ability to deal with hybrid threats, the broader implications of Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the necessity for European states to take more responsibility for their security. For EU member states to
succeed with its collective defence obligations within the union, political will, legal interoperability with NATO and capability development should be addressed further.
stating that an attack against one ally is an attack against all. With the deteriorating security environment in Europe, questions have been asked about whether, and if so how, the EU’s clause on mutual defence – article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union – could be operationalized and perhaps be a supplement to NATO’s article 5 as a guarantor of collective defence in Europe. The debate is driven by perceived limits in NATO’s ability to deal with hybrid threats, the broader implications of Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the necessity for European states to take more responsibility for their security. For EU member states to
succeed with its collective defence obligations within the union, political will, legal interoperability with NATO and capability development should be addressed further.
- Published year: 2023
- Publisher: NUPI
- Page count: 4
- Language: English
Written by
Øyvind Svendsen
Senior Research Fellow