International studies, Vol. XII No. 1, 2012.
Review article
The Relationship Between NATO and the EU: Is There an Overlap of Roles Between NATO and the Common Defense and Security Policy of the EU?
Monika Begović
; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
European defence failed many exams in the crisis that occurred after the Cold War. There were chances where it could have shown its determination to be involved in the crisis in Southeast Europe, but did not react in time. The violation of international security forced the United States of America to intervene in the crises and demonstrate their superiority. Their role is almost always manifested through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO, through which they strengthened their position within Europe, and also demonstrated their power within the Alliance.
Nevertheless, Europeans did not give up and the European Union made a lot of efforts in building its own defence and security policy. In this process, many theorists wonder whether the NATO is a collective security system or an instrument of the American foreign policy, since the US has the biggest influence in that Euro-Atlantic Alliance, and they also wonder whether the roles of NATO and CSDP are duplicating. NATO still remains the fundamental pillar of the European security architecture, since the role of CSDP in the preservation of European security is intertwined with the NATO's, even after the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and after more than 20 missions have been taken in almost 10 years of its operational existence, it has reasons for existence.
Keywords
european defence; EU Common Security and Defence Policy; NATO; EU
Hrčak ID:
291661
URI
Publication date:
15.5.2012.
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