Political and Security Wings of EU

The EU attempts to explore its vision from economic and political perspectives to international issues of conflicts and security. Now the discussion comes to its foreign and security capabilities that will show how it works on international politics. There are two important EU institutions responsible for security and foreign measures: first is CFSP and second is its subsidiary CSDP.

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)

Political integration in the EU has inspired a complex debate over decades. The EU is in its context, an economic bloc and most of member states became its part on the economic ties. As we described in the previous chapter that there have been many failed attempts for establishing the political and defence institutions in the early 1950s and 1970s. The proponents of EU were willing to establish EDC and EPC, but their efforts were abandoned. One reason behind that failure was the ongoing Cold War. The EC countries relied on the NATO for their defence and security. If they could establish their own defence and security institutions, the NATO would not have been protecting them from the Soviet threat. They were the ally of the USA and were not able to abandon this alliance. Although the idea of EPC could not be successful in 1970s, but it does not mean that the intention of creating a political and security policy disappeared. The main activity of EPC was reborn during the Middle East crisis in 1980s.²¹ It was still under the umbrella of NATO because of the fear of the Cold War. As a matter of fact, EC has to be an active player of international politics during the Cold War. The end of Soviet Union was the phenomenon that has changed the whole picture not only the world politics but Europe as well. After the fall of Soviet Union there has been a change in international issues, such as international crime, ethnic conflicts, terrorism, spread of nuclear weapons, environmental issues, humanitarian crises etc. Similarly, the debate over new statue of Europe arose. That was the time when Europe began to think independently. The statement ofJacques Poos, Foreign Minister ofLuxembourg in 1991, is very important to mark it.²²