European Foreign and Security Policy after September 2001

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels
Building D, room D.2.01, every Thursday 18:00-20:00

The Institute for European Studies is organising a lecture series during the first semester of the academic year 2005-2006 to address the changing nature of European security after September 2001. The aim of this lecture series is to explore the impact of 9/11 and the Western wars against ‘international terrorism’ and ‘rogue states’ on the conduct of European foreign and security policy and its underlying norms. Taking into account the international trends that were present prior to September 2001 and the internal dynamics of the European integration process, to what extent was European foreign and security policy substantially transformed by events and decisions taken over the past years? Are we witnessing the creation of a new form of European consensus around the need to fight ‘international terrorism’, deal with ‘failed states’ while simultaneously addressing the deep-rooted causes of external conflicts? Is the EU seeking to reconstruct the international system on the basis of cosmopolitan principles enshrined in international law or is the EU contributing to undermining these principles?

To explore these questions the lecture series will be organized around three overall themes that cover doctrinal and normative issues, relations with other international security institutions, regions and powers.

Doctrinal and normative issues

The lecture series will examine the extent to which EU foreign policy makers are adopting the doctrines of ‘pre-emptive and preventive actions’ that were originally formulated in Washington and London between 2001 and 2002. It will ask the following questions: Is the EU supporting a reform of the UN system to legitimise the doctrines of ‘preventive’ and ‘pre-emptive military action’ or is the EU resisting such changes with a new vision of world order? Through the development of the doctrine of ‘Right to Protect’ are Brussels-based EU institutions involved in developing an EU ‘ethical foreign policy’? What are the positions of Brussels-based institutions and EU capitals toward the conduct of the wars in Afghanistan and in the Middle East?

The EU, NATO, the UN and ‘the fight against terrorism’

The lecture series will explore the manner in which the events of September 11 and the subsequent wars against ‘terrorism’ and ‘failed states’ have changed the relationship between the EU, NATO and the UN in crisis management. We will address the following questions: Is the division of labour established between the EU and NATO in Afghanistan a model for future Western engagements in the Middle East? Is the EU supporting a central role for the UN in the fight against international terrorism as suggested by the High Level Panel’s report presented in December 2004? Is the fight against international terrorism becoming a key focus for the national security strategies of EU member states and of EU institutions?

EU policies towards conflict areas and other powers: reformulation or status quo?

Since the events of September 2001 are we witnessing significant modifications in European foreign and security policy toward the Middle East and other regions? If there is a process of substantial rethinking, is the reformulation of policies linked to the doctrinal debates? Or is it driven by other factors, such as pragmatism, specific geographical and economic interests of some European member states? Or is it mainly driven by the agenda of other non-EU countries?

Thursday 6 October, 18:00: "European foreign and security policy since September 2001: examining dominant trends", by Prof. Mike Smith, Jean Monnet Professor of European Politics, Loughborough University & respondent Dr. Antonio Missiroli, European Policy Centre

Thursday 13 October, 18:00: "China and the EU: a beneficial partnership", by Dr. Men Jing, Renmin University / VUB

Thursday 20 October, 18:00: "The doctrines of 'preventive and pre-emptive' action in EU and UN crisis management - is there an emerging concensus?", by Dr.Thierry Tardy (Geneva Centre for Security Studies)

Thursday 27 October, 18:00: "The reform of the United Nations and the EU: impact on legal rules governing humanitarian interventions", by Dr. Martin Ortega (Institute for European Studies, Paris)

Thursday 3 November, 18:00: "The new US administration's Iranian policy and the EU", by Dr. Hooman Peimani (University of Bradford)

Thursday 10 November, 18:00: "European Strategies towards the Arab world after the Iraq crisis", by Dr. Alexander Stutzmann (European Parliament)

Thursday 17 November, 18:00: "The EU and Bosnia Ten Years after Dayton: The reform of international policy towards Bosnia and the Balkan region", by Dr. David Chandler (Centre for the Study of Democracy, Westminister University)

Thursday 1 December, 18:00: "The EU and Africa: how are Western security issues affecting policies towards the African continent? ", by Dr. Gorm Rye Olsen (Danish Institute for International Studies)

Thursday 8 December, 18:00: "The ‘new wars’ following 9/11: comparing European approaches", by Dr. Ståle Ulriksen (Norwegian Institute for International Affairs)

Thursday 15 December, 18:00: "EU and NATO since the launch of the ‘war on terrorism’: an emerging new consensus for cooperation in subordination?", by Prof. Michael Cox (London School of Economics)

To register, please send an e-mail to ies@vub.ac.be. Please indicate whether you want to follow the full lecture series, or state the selection of lectures you want to attend

For more information, contact the Institute for European Studies, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels. Information on the content of the lectures can be obtained from giovanna.bono@vub.ac.be