What Role for Europe? National Responses to the EU’s Security and Defence Policy.

At the heart of the EU?s problems in turning its European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) into an effective crisis management instrument are differences among EU member states about what role the EU should play as a security actor in a changing international context, what kind of instruments are to be used in what situation, and what the role of the military should be in all of this? This paper will analyse national responses to ESDP. The central argument presented is that while all EU members face the same pressures emanating from the international environment and ESDP, their responses are culturally conditioned. Growing convergence among EU member governments about the security challenges the EU is facing therefore does not produce convergence with regards to how to address them. The results are conflicting visions about the EU?s role in the world and the function ESDP should perform as an instrument at the EU?s disposal. I will briefly summarize external pressures expected to trigger policy change in EU member states. Second, I will outline a framework for comparative analysis, to examine how EU member states respond to these adaptation pressures. Finally, I will apply this framework to the case of Germany. An appendix sketches initial thoughts on the cases of Austria, France and the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]