Publication

Since the Nice European Council in December 2000, significant progress has been made in furthering the defense capabilities of the EU. Institutional planning structures have been established and a number of measures introduced to promote the development of military and civilian crisis management assets, including the creation of the European Defence Agency. The European Commission has also introduced measures to facilitate harmonisation of the defense market in Europe. This paper examines these developments and looks at the prospect for taking European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) proposals forward outside the framework of the EU Constitution.