Conceptualizing EU Crisis Management

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to contribute to the conceptual framework of EU crisis management. As an evolving and politically sensitive concept EU crisis management still lacks a solid conceptual and theoretical basis which undermines its credibility and performance. The research hypothesis is that the conceptual deficit in EU crisis management is first and foremost an ideological issue. EU crisis management has no adequate ideological basis and, subsequently, no adequate conceptual and strategic framework. The theoretical approach to define EU crisis management within the liberal school of international relations is examined and critically assessed. The main conclusion is that strengthening the ideological basis is a must for more effective conceptual, strategic and institutional development of EU crisis management. Finally, a Methodology for the validation of novel crisis management concepts is proposed. By testing alternative conceptual and governance models the innovative Methodology for strategic-level Concept Development and Experimentation (CD&E) could provide scientific support for the establishment of the European Union's crisis management system.