Does the EU need a “Strategic Compass” to
guide the implementation of the security and
defence dimension of the European Union
Global Strategy (EUGS)? Does it need a
military strategy perhaps? And what about a
review of the EUGS itself? As Josep Borrell
has assumed the post of High
Representative, various proposals by
Member States and EU institutional actors
are being discussed in Brussels. The wish for
more strategic documents may reflect the
complexity of the challenges that the EU is
facing. It may also result from the inability to
fully implement existing strategies.
Producing new documents can be a way of
forging a deal between Member States on
foreign policy priorities for the next five years.
But it could also be window-dressing,
occupying the machinery and deluding
ourselves that we are active. How to take EU
strategy and its implementation forward