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The EU has always been portrayed as an economic power. Military matters were not its business, and it spread its message using soft power tools. But recent years have seen closer and closer cooperation between EU states, leading to debate over the rival roles of the EU and NATO.

This paper looks at the responses of non-EU forces to Operation Atalanta, the first European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) naval mission, and claims that the international impact of this operation has been more positive than anticipated. It views the non-EU reactions as further evidence that the EU is becoming more than simply an economic power devoid of strategic muscle.

Laurence McGivern is studying an MA in International Relations and European Studies at the Central European University, Budapest.

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February 14, 2011

Rachel J Emery, University of Waterloo, (9)

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I like this comment! What's this?

I agree that it is becoming more than an economic power, but are its military facets necessarily in competition with Nato ? Can they not both exist ?

February 16, 2011

Colie Colburn, DePaul University, (7)

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I like this comment! What's this?

They can both exist but does it really make sense for the EU to compete or to match NATO in areas that it is not responding?
In terms of raw military capability, might it make more sense for the EU to work with NATO, and thus the US?
The US is by far in the lead in military spending, equipment and capacity , but this can be utilized by the EU, as they could stand to benefit from working with them and opening up more formal relations with NATO

March 1, 2011

Angelina Harutyunyan, Yerevan State University, Bronze Contributor (15)

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I like this comment! What's this?

The EU and NATO are not competing structures, they complement each other. Sure, NATO as an international actor has more capacities, but that does not prevent the EU to have own capability to respond to international crisis if it has such a potential.

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