The EU in the future of British security: Why a safer UK needs a stronger Europe

This report is intended as a counterpoint to the British government’s recent EU Balance of Competencies Review, which was commissioned to explore the areas in which the EU benefits the UK. The review drew attention to some of the benefits which the UK gains from European security cooperation, and areas in which the EU has failed to fulfil expectations but it stopped short of exploring how British security could draw greater benefit from the EU, and how the EU’s security shortcomings could be overcome. Therefore, this report aims to 1) provide an argument of why the security of the UK and its interests vitally depends on both protecting and increasing its level of military cooperation through the EU and 2) propose methods to improve the EU’s security institutions and so maximise their benefit to British security