Federico Fabbrini, Dublin EU-UK security cooperation after Brexit: opportunities but challenges A double paradox

A double paradox EU-UK security cooperation after Brexit: opportunities but challenges

by Federico Fabbrini, Professor of EU Law & Director of Brexit Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin

nich Security Conference, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment toward European security through NATO and expressed her wish to conclude a security treaty with the EU 2 . Later, the UK government published a presentation outlining the details of a comprehensive UK-EU security partnership. 3 On the other hand, the EU has been fairly open toward the idea of agreeing on a bespoke security deal with the UK. On 14 March 2018, the European Parliament singled-out “foreign policy, security cooperation and defence cooperation” as one of the four pillars of future EU-UK relations. 4 On 23 March 2018, the European Council affirmed its interest in pursuing “a strong EU-UK cooperation in the fields of foreign, security and defence policy”, built on dialogue, consultation, coordination, exchange of information, and cooperation mechanisms. 5 S ecurity and defence policy represents one of the key pillars of the future partnership currently being envisioned between the EU and UK. At the moment, no deal has yet been reached between them on an orderly withdrawal from the EU, due to persistent disagreement regarding Northern Ireland: while both parties are committed to avoiding a return to a hard border of the past, the Commission proposal for a backstop that would keep Northern Ireland 1 in the EU internal market and customs union has not been accepted by the UK. Nevertheless, both the UK and the EU have repeatedly voiced their interest in maintaining cooperation in the field of foreign policy, external security and defence (as well as in the field of internal security and law enforcement) after Brexit. A pillar of future EU-UK relations On the one hand, the UK has strongly pushed for an earlier agreement with the EU on a security deal. On 17 February 2018, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, speaking at the Mu“ The UK’s enthusiasm in cooperating with the EU in the fields of CFSP and CSDP post-Brexit – and the openness of the EU in welcoming these UK requests – reveals a double paradox.”

Federico Fabbrini

UK Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at the 2018 Munich Security Conference

Two Paradoxes The UK’s enthusiasm in cooperating with the EU in the fields of CFSP and CSDP post-Brexit – and the openness of the EU in welcoming these UK requests – reveals a double paradox. The first paradox is the fact that, after the decision to leave the EU, the UK seems to have all of a sudden discovered the added value of common European defence and security beyond NATO. 6 It is an open secret that the UK exercised its influence to prevent the emergence of a real European defence union. Despite be