Transatlantic homeland security cooperation: the promise of new modes of governance in global affairs

Abstract

This article investigates the development of transatlantic cooperation on homeland security. It analyses the extent to which existing forms of cooperation between states were suitable to deal with new security challenges as exemplified by the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks and investigates what solutions were elaborated to address potential handicaps. It demonstrates how existing legal and political instruments limited the effective international cooperation in the field of homeland security (i.e. flexibility, adjustability and speed of action). This led to adjustments and emergence of new modes of governance in three realms: policy; polity; and politics. Three policy areas inform the conclusions reached in this article: data protection; container security; and mutual legal assistance.