Nina Græger

Still a “Strategic” EU–NATO Partnership? Bridging Governance Challenges through Practical Cooperation

The EU and NATO share a common interest in responding effectively to threats posed by Russia in the east and by Islamic extremist to the south of Europe. However, bilateral issues and the pursuit of national interests, especially those involving Cyprus and Turkey, as well as a general lack of strategic convergence have limited theeffectiveness of both organisations’ crisis-management capabilities. In times of a deteriorating security environment these limitations will be even more detrimental for Euro - Atlantic security. Poland and Norway, participants in both the EU and NATO missions and two principal countries of the GoodGov project are well positioned to break this institutional deadlock.

En fremtidig vernepliktsordning. Anbefaling fra vernepliktsutvalget 2015

From ‘forces for good’ to ‘forces for status'?: Small state military status-seeking

In the field of security and defencece states seek and maintain status internationally and political support nationally by pursuing a competitive defence policy through defence procurement and military contributions to international peacekeeping and military operations. Status is here understood as issue-specific and relational, which means that which military ‘hardware’ gives status is contextual and may change over time. Whereas the literature has tended to focus on the status-seeking of great powers, this chapter focuses on small powers. Drawing on the case of Norway it asks: To what extent have troop contributions and procurement policy been sought converted into status? How has status-seeking or status-driven activity in this field been communicated to domestic and international audiences, and with what results? Is status within defence compatible with the ‘soft-power’ status that Norway holds in development aid and peace facilitation – or might it jeopardize the latter? The chapter shows how also small states use ‘hard’ capabilities and resources in status-seeking activities internationally and vis-à-vis central allies. Although a competitive defence policy is important for status-seeking and can enhance the status of small states that have resources, status trade-offs in other policy fields should also be expected.

Security. EU–NATO Relations: Informal Cooperation as a Common Lifestyle

The European Union has developed and strengthened its relations with various international organisations as part of its ambitious foreign and security policy agenda, including with NATO. EU-NATO relations have been studied in several ways, including through the lens of their meaning for both organisations’ performance in the field. The current chapter departs from a different angle by looking at the long-term effects of EU/NATO interactions, where the focus is on the everyday practices – and not on one-shot performances or fulfilment of pre-set goals – of both organisations, whether formal or informal. In particular, it studies how the political paralysis in the formal cooperation between the EU and NATO under the ‘Berlin Plus’ agreement has over time contributed to the strengthening of informal, ad hoc cooperation among diplomats, military personnel and the international staff of both organisations, in Brussels and in the field. These evolving EU-NATO informal practices seem to be detached from institutional or national belonging, with implications for the understanding of inter-organisational cooperation.