The European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy at a Crossroads: What lessons to be learnt and which futures to prepare for?

Chair: Benedetta Voltolini and Christoph Meyer

The European Union has been trying for years to become more strategic and forward-looking as well as more capable and effective in foreign policy, security and defence matters. Currently, member states officials are discussing a new European security strategy – the so-called Strategic Compass – which is meant to be adopted by March 2022. No doubt, the Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine will affect the content of the document and what the practical meaning of key concepts such as European strategic autonomy or sovereignty: in areas such as defence spending and procurement , energy and food security, technological-industrial base, societal resilience and more. Yet, the invasion arguably reinforces rather than challenges lessons that the EU has been learning through a succession of crises albeit in a rather unstructured fashion. The EU is also increasingly embracing foresight approaches to think more systemically about possible, probable and desirable futures and draw conclusions for policy-planning and conflict prevention. Simultaneously, the Conference on the Future of Europe involving citizens panels is wrapping up and may pave the way for proposals to change the EU’s treaties. The EU is therefore at a moment when critical and long-term decisions are being taken about its values, beliefs and goals, its constitution, identity and culture, and the means through which it seeks to act. The online discussion panel will focus on the lessons that the EU has learnt and should have learnt for its foreign and security policy and how it should adapt to the challenges of the future.

SPEAKERS

Guiseppe Famà, Head of EU Affairs, International Crisis Group

Giuseppe Famà is the Head of EU Affairs at the International Crisis Group, where he has worked since 2018. In his role, Giuseppe steers Crisis Group’s work on and engagement with the EU, including the analysis of the EU's foreign, security, development and humanitarian policy and its conflict prevention and crisis response efforts. Prior to joining Crisis Group, Giuseppe Famà was a seconded national expert to EU civilian missions in Mali and Libya and worked on institutional negotiations for the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, serving during the 2014 Italian presidency of the EU Council. He also worked for the European Commission (Foreign Policy Instruments), the Italian ministry of foreign affairs in Brussels, and as an analyst. Giuseppe holds an MA in international relations and diplomatic affairs from the University of Bologna, Forlì.

Nikki Ikani, Assistant Professor of Intelligence and Security, Leiden Institute of Security and Global Affairs

Nikki Ikani conducts her research at the intersection of intelligence studies, public policy studies and EU foreign policy. Using literature on policy learning and knowledge use in policy making, she connects questions of intelligence/knowledge production to questions of intelligence use and receptivity to intelligence by policymakers, in Brussels and in European capitals. A related area of inquiry she focuses on concerns the governance of crisis, particularly at the European level. Her recent book, 'Crisis and change in European Union foreign policy', provides a novel analytical framework that serves to investigate the way in which the EU changes its foreign policy after crisis.

Gustav Lindstrom, Director of the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)

Gustav Lindstrom is the Director of the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) – the European Union’s Agency analysing foreign, security and defence policy issues. In his capacity as director, he also chairs the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific – EU Committee (CSCAP-EU). He holds a doctorate in Policy Analysis from the RAND Graduate School and MA in International Policy Studies from Stanford University.