The European Commission's position in the field of security and defence : an unconventional actor at a meeting point
License
Access Rights
Cadmus Permanent Link
Full-text via DOI
ISBN
ISSN
1570-5854
Issue Date
Type of Publication
Keyword(s)
LC Subject Heading
Other Topic(s)
EUI Research Cluster(s)
Initial version
Published version
Succeeding version
Preceding version
Published version part
Earlier different version
Initial format
Author(s)
Citation
Perspectives on European politics and society, 2011, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 371-389
Cite
LAVALLÉE, Chantal, The European Commission’s position in the field of security and defence : an unconventional actor at a meeting point, Perspectives on European politics and society, 2011, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 371-389 - https://hdl.handle.net/1814/33760
Abstract
Abstract Due to its indirect role in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the European Commission seems to be a marginal actor in European security governance. As a result, there is little analysis of its role in this field. This approach is somewhat misleading because the EU policy-making process is more complex than it appears. The interdependence between the EU's external policies has increased the interaction between supranational institutions and national governments. Moreover, developments in security and defence at the EU level have opened up a window of opportunity for several actors. This paper will show that the structuring of the European field of security and defence is the result of interaction among various actors. From a sociological standpoint, the paper aims to understand the role of the Commission by shedding light, not only on its position in the field, but also on its relations with the other actors, both state and non-state, involved in EU security governance. Using this relational approach, the paper will argue that the Commission is the meeting point for the actors in the field, playing a coordinating role on the one hand, but facing many challenges on the other.