European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
international security
North Korea: Possible scenarios
As the international community tries to resolve the current crisis, analysts have identified a number of possible scenarios. Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council meeting on 22-23 June 2017 and the European Council (Article 50) meeting on 22 June 2017
Written by Susanna Tenhunen and Suzana Anghel, At their meeting on 22-23 June 2017, EU leaders will focus on internal security, including, most probably, the fight against terrorism, as well as external security, when they will assess progress made in European defence cooperation. They will also review progress on deepening and modernising the Single Market, … Continue reading
The future of multilateralism: Crisis or opportunity?
Written by Elena Lazarou, Multilateralism lies at the core of the EU’s identity and of its engagement with the world. Both the 2003 European Security Strategy and the 2016 Global Strategy emphasised the importance of a rules-based global order with multilateralism as its key principle and the United Nations (UN) at its core, and made … Continue reading
Outcome of European Council meeting of 9 March 2017 and of informal meeting of the EU27 of 10 March 2017
Written by Suzana Anghel and Ralf Drachenberg, After re-electing Donald Tusk as its President, the European Council meeting of 9 March 2017 discussed the economic situation in Europe, progress on measures regarding migration, internal and external security, and external relations. In his first speech to the European Council, the recently- elected President of the European … Continue reading
EP’s last plenary session: heating up for the summer
Written by Tessa Tumbrägel Parliament is gearing up for the last plenary session before the summer recess, taking place in Strasbourg from 6-9 July. Items on the agenda include circular economy and green jobs, TTIP, the EU Emissions Trading System, copyright harmonisation, the 2016 budget and external affairs. MEPs will also have the opportunity to quiz … Continue reading
CBRN terrorism: threats and the EU response
Written by Piotr Bąkowski Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism is a form of terrorism involving the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Following 11th September 2001, the interna¬tional community came to believe there was a high probability that terrorists would make use of such weapons. The growing number of people familiar with … Continue reading
EU approach to cyber-security
Fighting cross-border crime affecting information and communications networks (cybercrime) is a priority in the EU’s internal security strategy. To counter so-called cyber-attacks in a borderless space, the European Union and the Council of Europe have drawn up common strategies, operational measures and legislation. Crimes beyond national borders National security issues The internet has opened up … Continue reading
Human rights applied to CSDP operations and missions
The European Union (EU) must not only promote the observance of human rights by other international actors, but also respect them itself in the course of all its actions abroad. However, the applicability of international human rights instruments to EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations is problematic since the EU itself, as opposed … Continue reading
Iran’s nuclear programme: 10 years of talks
On 15 October 2013, a new round of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme began between Iran and the group of major world powers known as the E3+3 (the group is also commonly referred to as the P5+1 and consists of France, Germany, the UK, China, Russia and the US). A second session was held from 7-10 November, … Continue reading
Le conflit du Cachemire: Après la reprise du dialogue indo-pakistanais
Héritage de la décolonisation, le différend opposant le Pakistan et l’Inde sur la question du Cachemire revient régulièrement dans l’attention de la communauté internationale, avec la recrudescence cyclique de la violence. Les enjeux géopolitiques sont nombreux et complexes. Le dialogue indo-pakistanais, sous la forme “du dialogue composite” structuré en plusieurs volets de négociations, a repris … Continue reading
Reform of the UN Security Council
The divergent responses of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to the crises in Syria and Libya – a veto on action in the former case contrasted with authorisation for action in the latter – have once again provided a reminder of the power of the UNSC’s veto-wielding permanent members to determine when the UN’s … Continue reading
