14 European Security & Defence 2015
European defence policy
Rebuilding institutions, cementing structures (BSC/Minister Dr Lubomír Zaorálek*) Not even the largest,
In the pursuit of this aim, the new strategy should have a grea-
most populous and economically most powerful countries of
ter reach than the ESS by incorporating other external policies
the European Union can stand in isolation. Coping with the
within the competence of the European Commission, as this
fundamental challenges faced by Europe today – including
would assuredly contribute to a more consistent approach
the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the refugee crisis and the
towards foreign policy.
massive problems with unemployment, particularly among
In my view, it is the way in which we face up to European
the young and especially in the south of the Union – requires
neighbourhood in the new strategy that will be central to the
commitment from the European Union as a whole.
future of the EU as a global power. At any rate, I believe it
The Euro-Atlantic Alliance has long been a “firm anchor” for
would be appropriate for the EU to renew its commitment to
the Czech Republic. It is through that Alliance that we aspire
supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neigh-
not only to protect common global interests by a show of po-
bours.
wer, but also to promote shared values – a liberal democracy, the universality of human rights of all generations, and the rule
As for capacity building, I am convinced that the EU set out on the right track in the conclusions reached by the European
of law.
Council in Decem-
Today, as European
ber 2013 and the
Union members, we
Foreign Affairs
can see the inadequa-
Council in May 2015,
cy of some of the Union structures. Design defects, precipitated perhaps by nothing
“The EU needs to build both military and civilian capacities, the latter in particular representing a unique EU instrument.”
in which it studiously dwelt on the issue of filling the gaps in capacity. In view
more than our lack of
of the sophistica-
vision as the architects
ted concept of its
of European edifices have surfaced in the crises plaguing the
comprehensive approach, the EU needs to build both military
euro area. In the face of the refugee crisis, we are aiming at
and civilian capacities, the latter in particular representing a
addressing serious deficiencies that put the overall functio-
unique EU instrument.
ning of the Schengen area at risk. The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), as a
We also need to make considerable headway in the financing of missions and operations. I am confident that, with
fundamental component of the EU’s Common Foreign and
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on
Security Policy, merits equal attention, not just because Eu-
board, we will achieve the more flexible institutional mindset
rope needs to underpin its political significance with credible
required for defence funding. Accompanied by a reversal in
military capability – alongside economic weight and functional
the national defence spending trends of most Member States,
diplomacy – in order to engage fully in the international arena,
including the Czech Republic, this could prompt a qualitative
but also because we will have to take more account of the link
leap forward in the development of CSDP capacities.
between the internal and external security of the EU and its Member States. European defence features permanently on the European
Faced with scarce resources, numerous Member States and allies, including the Czech Republic, have had to build capacities in such a way that they can be used in both a European
Council agenda. The urgency and complexity of the challen-
and Alliance context. For us, this is an additional pragmatic
ges that lie ahead of us were factors in the decision, endorsed
reason why we have long pursued – as one of the Czech
by the conclusions of the June European Council Summit, to
priorities – the intensification and deepening of cooperation
revise the 2003 European Security Strategy (ESS).
between the EU and NATO. This stands alongside the belief
The new European Global Strategy of the Foreign and Se-
that only strategic and operational coherence, rather than
curity Policy should primarily define, as precisely as possible,
competition and the duplication of the forces of both key orga-
the extent of the EU’s political ambitions in responding to the
nisations safeguarding security in Europe, makes sense.
security threats that have been identified and in safeguarding
I am conscious of the fact that attempts to converge the
its own security, which includes wielding an active influence
two organisations and define their relations have yielded little
over developments in the Union’s immediate neighbourhood.
progress for us since the 1990s. The strategic partnership di-
