Civil or Military? The Evolving Nature of EU Power

The European Union is increasingly taking responsibility for peace-keeping missions throughout the world. The operations Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Concordia in Macedonia and Artemis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lend credence to the idea that EU is evolving towards a more military power. This transformation seems welcomed by most of the EU member states, but it is still unclear whether the development of EU military power will compete with or complement the actions of other international organisations such as NATO. Further, it is not determined whether the emergence of the military dimension will strengthen the EU’s soft power facets. Finally, the EU security strategy is beset with a lack of structural investments. How will this affect its military aspirations?

The aim of the conference is to assess the extent to which potential EU military intervention shapes the international system. How will this evolving military power interact with softer components of its political ambitions in international relations? How might we expect security organisations such as NATO to respond to this pattern of action?

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Civil or Military ? The Evolving Nature of EU Power