Die Gemeinsame Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik in der Krise? Nationale Rollenkonzepte und Souveränität als Herausforderung europäischer Handlungsfähigkeit

The objective of this paper is to identify sources of the challenges faced by the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the European Union. Based on an actorness approach, the paper offers a systematic and theory-driven framework for the analysis of these challenges. Their investigation is based on publications of thirteen think tanks that were published in the context of the December summit of the European Council in 2013. The paper identifies two main sources at a national level. First, it shows that the significance of national sovereignty in the sensitive domain of security and defence policy is an obstacle to the development of the CSDP. Second, the analysis reveals that foreign policy role conceptions are a fundamental factor: different role conceptions of member states result in a lack of mutual understanding, in missing trust, and finally, in the unwillingness to transfer actorness to the EU level despite a common set of basic interests and values. Yet, the political will of member states will be decisive for the future development of the CSDP.