Publication details
Dis-intergation amidst increased EU defence cooperation: EU arms export controls harmonization
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Since 2016, the Europeanization of defence cooperation within the EU has produced unprecedented results in the materialisation of new programmes, initiatives, funding, and institutional competences centralized in Brussels. The area of arms exports controls has so far remained immune to harmonization. In fact, we argue that within the same period, and despite the increased public attention to the topic (due to Saudi Arabia and exports to Syria), EU arms export controls have started to dis-integrate. We provide evidence based on export licencing, execution, reporting, collaborative controls, strategies of key arms producers, and defence industrial policies in the context of the Common Position 2008/944/CFSP and ATT. A relative gains theoretical explanation is investigated as the best explanation for this counter-trend challenging neo-functionalist and institutionalist approaches to further Europeanization in defence cooperation. |