Europeiska rådet om försvar 2013 och framtiden för GSFP

Today CSDP is often considered eviscerated and fragmented. The financial crisis, defence budget cuts, U.S. talk of rebalancing and increasing demands for Europe to take responsibility have made the contrast between expectations, aspirations and achievements even greater. Moreover there is no consensus on where CSDP is heading among Europe's three major military powers - the UK, Germany and France. Against this rather gloomy background, the EU and CSDP could be at an important juncture when the EU heads of state and government meet in December 2013 at the European Council to discuss defence and CSDP's future. This report analyses and compares different perspectives on the future of CSDP, both in the longer term and in a shorter time for the European Council in December 2013. The report shows that the political leadership will be a key issue for what happens to the CSDP and therefore remains one of the most urgent. While researchers in Europe call for a thorough strategic discussion on CSDP the member states are more cautious and take a practical approach. Regarding the European Council, the report states that both researchers and member states have described the upcoming meeting as very important. However, there are low expectations for concrete results from the meeting and the hopes that were on the process leading up to the meeting has largely come to naught. The hope now is instead of regular meetings and a process to keep the defence issue high on the agenda of the EU.