How could the EU become a more efficient player in global security?
On 1 July, Sweden takes over the Presidency of the EU. In 2008, the EU made real contributions to global efforts to stabilize and rebuild war-torn countries: for example, mounting its second peace operation outside Europe (EUFOR Tchad/RCA) and having the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia up and running within a few weeks of the end of the South Ossetia conflict. Yet the challenges are immense.
The Swedish Presidency could be an opportunity to make real progress on some key issues. For example, improving the monitoring and control of air cargo carriers. As recently revealed by SIPRI, many air cargo carriers involved in the trafficking weapons and other contraband are also regularly contracted for humanitarian tasks, but are made vulnerable by their poor safety records. There is also room to improve the EU’s work against the proliferation of WMD, through better implementation of EU export control regulations or a more committed application of the EU WMD Strategy. The EU could also more coherently apply its Code of Conduct on Arms Exports.
What are the first steps the EU should take on these issues? What concrete measures could be taken during the Swedish Presidency? What are the challenges?
In the Yearbook
Chapter 3. The legitimacy of peace operations
Appendix 3A. Multilateral peace operations, 2008
Chapter 4. Security and politics in Afghanistan (special section on the EU)
Chapter 11. Conventional arms control (special section on European arms control)
Chapter 12. Controls on security-related international transfers
Appendix 12A. Multilateral arms embargoes
SIPRI experts
Dr Gunilla Herolf, Senior Researcher, Euro-Atlantic Security Programme
Zdzislaw Lachowski, Senior Fellow, Conventional Arms Control
Dr Ian Anthony, Senior Fellow and Programme Leader, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Programme
Hugh Griffiths, Researcher, Arms Transfers Programme
