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The development in Europe of a vast array of new structures of cooperation -- both public and private -- has left analysts reaching for conceptual tools with which to frame these phenomena. The rapid emergence of new policy regimes within the European Union has been complemented by the appearance of parallel structures in civil society to create a multi-layered, interdependent mosaic of structural cooperation that invites fresh efforts of conceptual understanding. The authors develop a variable geometry model that builds on analyses offered by both practitioners and academics to help explain diverse forms of cooperation. First, we briefly outline variable geometry approaches to policy making within the process of European integration. Second, we examine the changes in Europe’s security envrionment that have prompted a greater reliance upon variable geometry strategies, most notably in ESDP initiatives. Finally, the paper surveys the new structures of cooperation emerging to serve the ESDP as well as the norms and methods that sustain those structures. Besides the documentary record, the research upon which the analysis is based includes recent interviews with EU, NATO and national officials as well as with corporate representatives in the area of high technology research and production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the present challenges facing the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) of the European Union through an analysis of the first three years of the European Union Police Mission (EUPM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Two kinds of primary sources are used for this study: longitudinal data derived from annual meetings with national, EU, international agency and member state officials and official documents from the EU and its first ESDP mission, EUPM. There are primarily two weaknesses revealed by recent EU field operations in BiH. First, is the need for the recruitment, training and assignment of appropriate personnel to support the military and civilian officers in multinational operations. Second, is the need to create, field-test and implement new kinds of coordination among EU instruments of all kinds – coordination appropriate to the actual challenges faced by the missions in the field. The credibility of future ESDP operations will depend on timely responses to these evident weaknesses. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]