CSDP | European Union Institute for Security Studies

Defence readiness beyond the EU: How enlargement partners underpin European security

Europe's drive to rearm cannot stop at its borders. The Western Balkans can bolster EU defence readiness – through industrial cooperation, military mobility and regional stability – if deeper integration is matched by governance reform and credible enlargement incentives.

Analysis

17 February, 2026 By: Bojana Zorić, Iliriana Gjoni
A European Security Council: Between strategic need and institutional realities

The renewed debate over a European Security Council underscores Europe’s search for more effective decision-making in security policy. The most realistic way forward is strengthening existing formats rather than constructing an entirely new institution.

Commentary

11 February, 2026 By: Luigi Scazzieri
Navigating the grey zone: Readiness, solidarity and resolve

Russia's hybrid warfare against the EU has escalated in recent weeks, revealing a pattern of coercive probing designed to test Europe's defences and unity. The challenge for Europeans is to demonstrate to Russia that they are capable of deterring future provocations.

Commentary

29 October, 2025 By: Luigi Scazzieri
Rebuilding Europe's defences: How to unlock a coordinated defence surge

The EU can help drive a European defence surge, both by unlocking additional funding and fostering deeper cooperation.

Briefs

23 September, 2025 By: Luigi Scazzieri
Into the breach! EU military CSDP missions and operations

For more than 20 years, the EU has deployed troops beyond its borders. But what has been the impact? At a time when the EU is faced with the challenge of taking on a larger role in security and defence, this Brief presents three alternatives for future EU military CSDP missions...

Briefs

7 March, 2024 By: Jan Joel Andersson
Yearbook of European Security 2023

The 2023 Yearbook of European Security provides an overview of events in 2022 that were significant for European security – in particular, inevitably, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Books

2 August 2023 Edited By: Jan Joel Andersson, Clara Sophie Cramer
The new civilian CSDP compact

This book presents 38 contributions from EU civilian crisis management experts, which fed into the policymaking process leading to the adoption of the new Civilian CSDP Compact in May 2023.

Books

17 May 2023 Edited by: Giovanni Faleg, Volker Jacoby, Karin Limdal, Marleen de Haan, Patrick von Rakowski
Yearbook of European Security 2022

The 2022 Yearbook of European Security provides an overview of events in 2021 that were significant for European security. The book charts major developments in the EU’s external action and security and defence policy.

Books

21 December 2022 Edited By: Daniel Fiott, Linnéa Cullman
The impact of Covid-19 on CSDP

CSDP missions and operations, including the steering bodies in Brussels, were severely affected by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This Brief examines the impact that Covid-19 has had on the CSDP and points to some lessons which can be drawn from the experiences of dealing...

Briefs

2 September, 2021 Edited By: Tobias Pietz
Uncharted territory? Towards a common threat analysis and a Strategic Compass for EU security and defence

Despite the direction offered by the EU Global Strategy, there is as yet no common approach to how member state governments understand threats to the EU’s security. Under the new Strategic Compass initiative – designed to provide enhanced politico-strategic direction for EU...

Briefs

9 July, 2020 By: Daniel Fiott