Germany and the European Security Identity

Abstract

The concept of a European Security Identity has evolved over a number of years and the name has undergone slight changes. It was during a meeting of the Heads of State and Governments of NATO on November 7–8, 1991, that the emergence and development of a ‘European security identity and defence role’ was acknowledged by the participants. Recognising that it was for the European NATO members to decide what arrangements were needed for the definition of a common European foreign and security policy, the hope was expressed that there would be the necessary transparency and complementarity between the European security and defence identity (ESDI) as it emerged in the European Community and the WEU on the one hand and the NATO Alliance on the other.1 Europeans living in the Community were anxious to see political union move forward as quickly as possible after the Maastricht agreement and may have looked at the emerging ESDI as an important tool to attain their goal. But the identity potential needs to be analysed carefully as to which existing structures in the EC, WEU, or perhaps CSCE would be useful for this purpose or whether new structures need to be established to make this identity a reality. It is not entirely clear, either, what kind of relationship to NATO may evolve, although the Alliance will remain a forum for consultation within Western and most likely Eastern Europe (the North Atlantic Consultation Council).