Small states in the EU's civilian and

military peace support operations

Maria StrömvikLund University

Reykjavik 2014-06-27

Let's start with a story...

Let's start with a story...

• Setting the scene: December 2002

• Build-up to the Iraq war

• EU dramatically split

• NATO was leaving Macedonia (FYROM)

• Setting the scene: December 2002

• Build-up to the Iraq war

• EU dramatically split

• NATO was leaving Macedonia (FYROM)

Operation ConcordiaOperation Concordia

• The EU:s first ever military operation, launched in March 2003

• Participants:

• The EU:s first ever military operation, launched in March 2003

• Participants:

So, are...So, are...

• ...troop contributions a way to influence peace support operations?

• Are troop contributions adding political capital for small states?

• ...troop contributions a way to influence peace support operations?

• Are troop contributions adding political capital for small states?

EUPMBosnia-

Herzegovina

EUFOR AltheaBosnia-

Herzegovina

OperationConcordiaMacedonia

OperationProxima

Macedonia

EUPOL COPPSPalestinianTerritories

EUBAM RafahGaza strip

EUPAT Macedonia

EULEXKosovo

EUJUST ThemisGeorgia

EUBAMMoldova/Ukraine

EUJUST Lex(for) Iraq

EU-support forAU’s mission in Darfur, Sudan

Operation Artémis

D. R. Congo

EUPOL RDCD. R. Congo

EU border support team

Georgia

EUSEC RDCD. R. Congo

EUFOR RDCD. R. Congo

AMM Aceh,

Indonesia

EUPOL AfghanistanEUFOR

Tchad/RCA

EU SSR Guinea-Bissau

EUMMGeorgia

AtalantaSomalia

EUTMSomalia

CSDP operations

CSDP operations

• Some "local", some "global"• From very small to "normal" size• Some civilian, some military, some

mixed• Some peace keeping, some peace

enforcement, some monitoring, some capacity building

• Some "local", some "global"• From very small to "normal" size• Some civilian, some military, some

mixed• Some peace keeping, some peace

enforcement, some monitoring, some capacity building

Consequences (global)

Consequences (global)

• Demand for EU has increased• In some cases, EU has been only

accepted third party• CSDP has inspired others (notably AU)• EU / CSDP has not generated any

”balancing behaviour”?

• Demand for EU has increased• In some cases, EU has been only

accepted third party• CSDP has inspired others (notably AU)• EU / CSDP has not generated any

”balancing behaviour”?

Consequences (EU)

Consequences (EU)

• EEAS role has increased?• CSDP operations have brought MS closer

together also politically? • EU members and Commission discuss

broader and more comprehensive foreign policy issues than before?

• Treaty revisions

• EEAS role has increased?• CSDP operations have brought MS closer

together also politically? • EU members and Commission discuss

broader and more comprehensive foreign policy issues than before?

• Treaty revisions

Small statesSmall states

• Small countries ”forced” to broaden their ”foreign policy outlook”– Increased pressure on small foreign ministries?– Increased pressure on inter-ministerial

coordination?– Increased demand for information and intelligence

gathering?

• Small countries ”forced” to broaden their ”foreign policy outlook”– Increased pressure on small foreign ministries?– Increased pressure on inter-ministerial

coordination?– Increased demand for information and intelligence

gathering?

Small states (cont.)

Small states (cont.)

• Revision and increased pressure on government agencies’ possibilities to provide civilian and military personnel (Swedish examples: armed forces, police authority, national rescue agency, Swedish development aid agency)?

• Markedly increased influence on international issues?

• Revision and increased pressure on government agencies’ possibilities to provide civilian and military personnel (Swedish examples: armed forces, police authority, national rescue agency, Swedish development aid agency)?

• Markedly increased influence on international issues?

Troops for influence?Troops for influence?

• Are small states willing to provide civilian personnel and troops, despite all the problems, only because they think it is needed in any given situation?

• Or are they more willing to do so because they believe it will also give them more influence?

• Are small states willing to provide civilian personnel and troops, despite all the problems, only because they think it is needed in any given situation?

• Or are they more willing to do so because they believe it will also give them more influence?

Back in FYROMBack in FYROM

• An operation that noone thought was needed

• Yet almost all EU member states and even more non-EU member states were willing to provide troops!

• How do we explain this if not with the troops for influence idea?

• An operation that noone thought was needed

• Yet almost all EU member states and even more non-EU member states were willing to provide troops!

• How do we explain this if not with the troops for influence idea?