A Common European Defence Policy

This volume analyzes the recent trends towards multinational co-operation and asks whether these are consistent with the Maastricht plan for a progression to common defence for Europe. With further commitments to European defence integration under review at intergovernmental level, this book examines the decision-making processes at work in the EU and other integrative defence relations at work in Europe, including NATO/WEU relations and defence industrial policy. It also considers the implications of EU expansion and enlargement. It argues that Britain will be faced, for an extended period of time, with managing a "limited common defence" role with its EU partners, and that this will increasingly be perceived as an intrinsic part of transatlantic relations. The book offers a view of both the intentions and the practical experience of security integration, defence co-operation and peacekeeping strategy. It concludes that current developments in defence co-operation are not well captured by the language of sovereignty and supranationality. Rather, the important political questions are addressed within a context of overlapping regimes.
 
This volume analyzes the recent trends towards multinational co-operation and asks whether these are consistent with the Maastricht plan for a progression to common defence for Europe. With further commitments to European defence integration under review at intergovernmental level, this book examines the decision-making processes at work in the EU and other integrative defence relations at work in Europe, including NATO/WEU relations and defence industrial policy. It also considers the implications of EU expansion and enlargement. It argues that Britain will be faced, for an extended period of time, with managing a "limited common defence" role with its EU partners, and that this will increasingly be perceived as an intrinsic part of transatlantic relations. The book offers a view of both the intentions and the practical experience of security integration, defence co-operation and peacekeeping strategy. It concludes that current developments in defence co-operation are not well captured by the language of sovereignty and supranationality. Rather, the important political questions are addressed within a context of overlapping regimes.