Conference 2020 01 23 - IRSD-KHID-RHID

The British stance on military issues is strongly interlinked with the Anglo-American and NATO framework. The country’s participation in the EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) has always been quite modest, as the United Kingdom objects to allowing this policy to gain prominence and to lead to a form of federalisation of the European defence.

Brexit would definitely not mean the end of cooperation agreements, whether bilateral (Anglo-French “entente cordiale” resulting from the Lancaster House Treaties, Anglo-Dutch agreements, etc.) or trilateral (involving France, United Kingdom and Germany), nor affect UK’s choice to participate in ad hoc military coalitions or crisis management missions. Similarly, the UK could still participate, as a third country, in CSDP missions and operations, as well as in industrial cooperation programmes in the field of security and defence.

Even if the United Kingdom intends to remain a key player in military matters, budgetary constraints persist: choices will still need to be made in this field if it wants to rebuild its military forces, which have been badly affected in recent years. What will be the impact of Brexit on the CSDP, as the UK is the only European country – together with France – to have the largest range of means of warfare, including high-intensity means and the “capacity to enter first”?

In order to shed light on the British stance on military issues and the impact of Brexit on the European defence, we will be pleased to welcome Mr Yves Boyer, Professor Emeritus from the École polytechnique and former Deputy Director of the internationally renowned French think tank Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (FRS).

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Research lines: Security and defence architecture ; Europe