Conference 2019 04 25 - IRSD-KHID-RHID

European Defence: the capability issue

Since 2016 the capability issue is ubiquitous within the EU bodies. Although the topic is not new, it becomes vital now if Europeans – through the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) – really want to give credibility to European defence through integration of instruments, means and capabilities.

A window of opportunity seems to have recently opened up to achieving a major qualitative leap in this matter. The long-awaited launch of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the Capability Development Plan (CDP), the definition of Key Strategic Activities (KSA) (skills, industrial capacities) by the European Defence Agency, the coordinated annual review on defence (CARD), the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), the Commission’s new role in funding defence activities; so many new promising avenues for cooperations, but so many projects in which Member States will have difficulties to leave their national reflex behind.

In a context disrupted by Brexit and shaken up by Russia’s stance, transatlantic trade tensions and national financial priorities, the capability issue – whether it is, for example, expressed in a trilateral (Future Combat Air System – FCAS), collective (Airbus A-400M) or « à la carte » cooperation framework – represents nowadays the major challenge the EU has to respond to in order to reduce the waste of resources and harmonise military programmes while hoping to reach a strategic autonomy.

In order to shed light on the capability approach within the European Defence framework, we are pleased to welcome Mr Jean-Pierre Maulny, deputy director of IRIS, l’Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques.

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Research lines: Security and defence architecture ; Europe and Eastern neighbourhood