GLOBAL POLITICS OF EU SECURITY &
DEFENSE
Samenvatting Silke Van Eynde schooljaar 2025-2026
OUTLINE
Read the articles in the light of the weekly questions
- Critical reading: aim of the text, question and author approach, strengthens/weaknesses?
Assessment
- Written exam 100%
- 4 concepts questions
- 3 essay questions from a listof 16 (3/16)
- There will be an exam preparation session + Q&A session
- AIM OF THE COURSE: Not explaining thé answer, or how it should be:
- But analysing, studying EU S&D in a changing world through theories and concepts
o Process European strategy formation
o Key themes: economics, defense, energy, cyber
▪ And their interlinkages, like economics-security nexus
o Key relationships: with US – China – Eastern Neighbourhood policy
o Focus: number of tools to analyse policies, critical thinking, books are not telling the
whole story
, 1. INTRODUCTION – HISTORY AND CONTESTED MEANING OF EU S&D
INTRODUCTION ACTUA
Who has the power within the EU to
provide these
documents/pillars/behaviour?
, But how to implement this?
Can EU develop its own
security?
= a structure agency question
- Economic structure
- Dependency constrains EU !!
Be aware of own constraints to
move within boundaries
EUROCLEAR: leverage of BE as a small country
<> great power bias
weaponization of financial interdependence
- Power of small actors in a changing world?
- Interdependency network
, EU confronted with inability to
regulate others in the world
Forms of power here:
➔ Normative power
➔ Regulatory power
➔…
Ai Act EU: regulate others
(datasharing)
➔ we gathered a lot of reputation
with this Act : strength
➔ we tried to be the first in the
world to regulate others in this
field
exam: analyze this theoretically, explain this phenomenon throughout diff views -> NUANCED
ANSWER
CATEGORIES
1) conventional (warships, military)
2) economic (DG Trade; expand with economic security -> policy prioritization (was there already
but now extra priority): supply chain, investment
3) digital: debate of research -> whether a cyber attack has a independent effect?
4) …
➔ New debate in S&D (fe deterrence: traditional/cyber: instant reactions, constantly so has a diff
logic, diff strategy)
➔ Which one is more relevant? Debate! (ukraine: conventional + digital)
DEFENSE
Samenvatting Silke Van Eynde schooljaar 2025-2026
OUTLINE
Read the articles in the light of the weekly questions
- Critical reading: aim of the text, question and author approach, strengthens/weaknesses?
Assessment
- Written exam 100%
- 4 concepts questions
- 3 essay questions from a listof 16 (3/16)
- There will be an exam preparation session + Q&A session
- AIM OF THE COURSE: Not explaining thé answer, or how it should be:
- But analysing, studying EU S&D in a changing world through theories and concepts
o Process European strategy formation
o Key themes: economics, defense, energy, cyber
▪ And their interlinkages, like economics-security nexus
o Key relationships: with US – China – Eastern Neighbourhood policy
o Focus: number of tools to analyse policies, critical thinking, books are not telling the
whole story
, 1. INTRODUCTION – HISTORY AND CONTESTED MEANING OF EU S&D
INTRODUCTION ACTUA
Who has the power within the EU to
provide these
documents/pillars/behaviour?
, But how to implement this?
Can EU develop its own
security?
= a structure agency question
- Economic structure
- Dependency constrains EU !!
Be aware of own constraints to
move within boundaries
EUROCLEAR: leverage of BE as a small country
<> great power bias
weaponization of financial interdependence
- Power of small actors in a changing world?
- Interdependency network
, EU confronted with inability to
regulate others in the world
Forms of power here:
➔ Normative power
➔ Regulatory power
➔…
Ai Act EU: regulate others
(datasharing)
➔ we gathered a lot of reputation
with this Act : strength
➔ we tried to be the first in the
world to regulate others in this
field
exam: analyze this theoretically, explain this phenomenon throughout diff views -> NUANCED
ANSWER
CATEGORIES
1) conventional (warships, military)
2) economic (DG Trade; expand with economic security -> policy prioritization (was there already
but now extra priority): supply chain, investment
3) digital: debate of research -> whether a cyber attack has a independent effect?
4) …
➔ New debate in S&D (fe deterrence: traditional/cyber: instant reactions, constantly so has a diff
logic, diff strategy)
➔ Which one is more relevant? Debate! (ukraine: conventional + digital)
