Žaneta OzoliņaUniversity of Latvia

Issues to be addressed

What does pooling and sharing mean? Why now? What has been congratulated so far? Issues of concern

Is it a new concept?

“there is need for burden sharing, adequate defense expenditures, and increased cooperation”

When was it stated?

- 1988

What does P&S mean?

Sharing of capabilities: Member States provide national capabilities to common use without multinational overhead or integrated structure

Pooling of capabilities: National capabilities for common use with multinational overhead or integrated structure

What does P&S mean?

Pooling through acquisition: national capabilities do not exist and are substituted in favour of multilateral capabilities, and the multilateral organization owns the assets

Role sharing:national capabilities are relinguished on the assumption that another country will make it available when necessary. Pooling of EU Member States Assets in the Implementation

of ESDP, 2008.

Is there something new? Two substantial questions

Operational effectiveness - Does the common activity lead to the same or higher degree of operational effect

Economic efficiency - Does the common activity lead to an economically constant or even more efficient use of resources compared to a national approach?

What is the position of Member States?

France – supportive and critical about EU nations that “slash military spending”

Britain hesitant and skeptical (EDA) Majority neutral – “wait and see” policy All critical about Mrs Ashton

Why now?

Financial crisis In-put/out-put logic Increasing tasks/decreasing funds Transformation of defence forces Transformation of institutional arrangements

and their responsibilities Strengthening national capabilities

One example of the impact of financial crisis

Crisis – perspective is lost

What has been congratulated so far?

Regional initiatives (NORDEFCO)

List of common projects

Audit of capabilities

Top 10 priorities defined Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Medical Support Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Increased Availability of Helicopters Cyber Defence Multinational Logistic Suppor CSDP Information Exchange Strategic and Tactical Airlift Management Fuel and Energy Mobility Assurance

Issues of concern

Diversity of views on CSDP – ranging from criticism that the Member States are not delivering the military capabilities they have promised, to concern about the creeping militarisation of EU crisis management.

The EU has never deployed the EU Battlegroups. Capability generation and force generation are still not linked up.

Issues of concern

The success of the EDA is limited. Started with a broad mandate, but the

Member States imposed range of limitations.

The tiny operational budget - gives limited room for maneuver.

Issues of concern

The EU is losing its strategic scope. Member States still answer the question “why European security?” in different ways.

EEAS does not help to answer this question. Cooperation with NATO is decisive. What is the added value? How strategic is EU CFSP and CSDP?

Instead of conclusions

Each Member State should consider three key questions:

- Can national objectives be achieved without a common EU defence capacity?

- How should growing interdependencies be addressed?

- What is the price to pay to preserve national sovereignty through national capabilities?

- How to ensure effective cooperation with NATO?