Publication

This paper analyzes the characteristics of EU and NATO rapid response forces as well as the strategic context in which they act. It argues that the ongoing rivalries between NATO and the EU and the shortage of deployable forces increasingly question the added value of such standby forces and their apparent duplication. While they share similar origins and purposes, the NATO Response Force and EU Battlegroups not only display different characteristics, but also have different effects. The paper concludes that the effectiveness and legitimacy of both organizations cannot be guaranteed by abandoning or reforming one of the initiatives.