The title of this analysis is based on a book by Simon Duke dealing with the theoretical implications of a common European foreign policy in security and defense matters. The content of the book differs from the content of this paper and is not related to the questions posed in this research.1
Part II of this research gives a detailed overview of what security actually means in global politics and how key players understand it. General definitions and theory allows us to understand the major parts of this thesis (part III and IV). Part III describes different approaches to security in IR theory and explains it on the basis of European political integration. The historio-political analysis in this part shows the evolution of a CFSP and the ESDP. Institutionalization processes within the European Union explain the current status of the EU’s foreign policy, which is a status in process without having a clear and defined goal. This part includes the legal dimension of the EU’s foreign policy as well and describes the problematic situation Europeans currently have to face, namely disputes about the legal personality of the European Community and the European Union. Part IV is the second major part of the paper and deals with security challenges and the impact of the EU’s foreign policy on transatlantic relations and/or vice versa. This part has a closer look on the practical side of what the European Union is able and willing to do as a key player in the political, security and military domain in the world. It shows the relations between Europe and the United States and gives a segmentary analysis of Europe’s power in global politics...
...This research identifies the following specific hypotheses subordinated to the main hypotheses:
1.The European Union will become a global key player in the political and military domain, but will remain at the lower end of high politics for a while (ESDP police missions and military operations).
2.Transatlantic relations in the form of the Atlantic Alliance (or extended atlantic alliance) will remain of essential importance in order to achieve the EU’s foreign policy goals.
3.Cooperation in the military domain with the United States will remain the only way for Europe during the process of building up a European military.
Table of Contents
I Introduction
1.1 Object of research and structure
1.2 Main questions
1.3 Method
II General definitions and theory
2.1 Security and the concept of the state
2.2 The international state system
2.3 Global and regional institutions in the security domain
2.4 Security strategies
2.5 Security and integration: the political idea of a community
III The elusive quest for security in Europe
3.1 Realist and liberal conceptions of security
3.1.1 A realist rationality
3.1.2 A liberal argument in a post Cold War era
3.1.3 The theory of supranationalism and intergovernmentalism
3.2 Towards a European cooperation in political matters
3.2.1 From EPC to a CFSP
3.2.2 From Maastricht to Nice
3.3 Institutionalization processes
3.3.1 Major motivation for a CFSP
3.3.2 A European Common Foreign and Security Policy
3.3.3 Structure of the CFSP and the legal background
3.3.4 Development and evolution of the ESDP
3.4 The legal framework of the EU – legal personality disputes
IV Security challenges and transatlantic relations
4.1 CFSP’s structural (institutional) deficits
4.2 Transatlantic relations and security approches
4.3 European defense: a vain endeavor?
4.4 The European Union as a global actor – ESDP missions
4.5 Regional or global power? A segmentary analysis
V Concluding remarks and outlook
Objectives and Core Themes
This thesis examines the European Union's foreign policy development and its impact on transatlantic relations. It explores the EU's ongoing quest to establish itself as a coherent and effective global political and military player while navigating the complex, often paradoxical, reliance on the United States and the Atlantic Alliance for essential security capabilities.
- Theoretical frameworks of security (Realism and Liberalism) in the international state system.
- The institutional evolution and functional deficits of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
- The interdependence between European military autonomy and the necessity of the transatlantic security partnership.
- A segmentary analysis of global power dynamics, comparing the EU, the U.S., and Japan.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1 A realist rationality
The realist path to peace or road to security as it is sometimes referred to, was really dominant during the Cold War period. In this view, states are the only important and therefore major actors in global politics and their behavior is directed through their interests such as the maximization of security or the increase of power, speaking in power political terms according to Morgenthau in a world after the shock of the Second World War. So maximizing power and self-interest are the decisive drifing forces. Furthermore, sovereignty is the essential mean and basis of power for the only actor, namely the state in the form of the Westphalian authoritative political entity. Tendencies that sovereignty is eroding as postinternational politics suggests (extraterritoriality, increasingly powerful private companies such as TNCs or eroding state authorities) are not included because the state remains the final decision maker. In short, the principle of sovereignty combined with the effects of the Westphalian order include the principle of non-intervention, it is only the sovereign who decides and the principle of the equality of states. Under these states act in an “anarchical environment.” According to Hedley Bull, there is no order in this society or system. The only thing that is important is self-help for self-interested actors by having a complete absence of trust. From that point of view, we are back with the Hobbesian idea of a state of nature. A “bellum omnium contra omnes” would be the result in a world with no rules, norms or laws. This can always happen to each society.
Summary of Chapters
I Introduction: This chapter outlines the research objectives, the central hypothesis regarding Europe's transition to a global player, and the methodological approach.
II General definitions and theory: It provides a foundational overview of core concepts like state security, the international state system, and the nature of security strategies.
III The elusive quest for security in Europe: This section investigates security theories (Realism and Liberalism) and traces the institutional evolution of the EU's foreign and security policies.
IV Security challenges and transatlantic relations: The chapter analyzes structural deficits within the CFSP and the complexities of the transatlantic security partnership, including capability gaps.
V Concluding remarks and outlook: This final chapter synthesizes the findings and reinforces the argument that continued cooperation with the United States remains vital for European security.
Keywords
European Union, CFSP, ESDP, Transatlantic Relations, Security Strategy, Realism, Liberalism, Sovereignty, Global Power, Institutionalization, Interdependence, Military Capabilities, NATO, Foreign Policy, Geopolitics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work examines the development of the European Union's foreign policy and its practical implications for transatlantic relations.
What are the central thematic fields?
The thesis focuses on security theory, European political integration, the institutional structure of the CFSP/ESDP, and the balance of power between the EU, the U.S., and Japan.
What is the main research question?
The study investigates whether the European Union can evolve into a major, autonomous global player while acknowledging that transatlantic cooperation remains fundamentally necessary.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The research adopts an interdisciplinary political science approach, utilizing historical-political analysis, international relations theory, and economic analysis to evaluate the EU's foreign policy trajectory.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main sections analyze security definitions, the realist and liberal interpretations of European integration, the institutional evolution of the CFSP, and current security challenges concerning transatlantic relations.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include European Union, CFSP, ESDP, Transatlantic Relations, Security Strategy, Global Power, and Institutionalization.
How does the author define "security" in this context?
Security is defined as the preservation and protection of essential values over time, emphasizing the distinction between objective and subjective security perceptions.
What is the paradox of European security?
The paradox lies in the European ambition to act autonomously in global crises while remaining functionally dependent on American military technology and the Atlantic Alliance.
How does the thesis view the role of the "state"?
Despite post-international tendencies, the state is still considered the core element of the international system and the "ruler of last resort."
- Citar trabajo
- Harald Löberbauer (Autor), 2007, The elusive quest for security continues - The European Union's foreign policy and it's implications to transatlantic relations, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/122176
