Impulses for the June 2015 European Council 

The combination of steadily declining national defence budgets and mounting security threats puts enormous pressure on defence planning across Europe. The EU has tried to respond to the challenge by reenergising its Common Security and Defence Policy, encouraging systematic defence cooperation between the member states, opening European defence markets and creating funding opportunities for defence related research projects. This has effectively meant the evolvement of a new defence dimension in the EU, geared towards making the most of the Union’s strengths. In addition, a reassessment of the EU’s strategic priorities is under way. The European Council of June 2015 will take stock of the measures adopted so far and decide on further action. Where do the greatest challenges currently lie? What issues should the European Council pay particular attention to? [...]