Emerging Security Actor?   The Evolution of the EU's Institutional Identity since the Establishment of the CSDP

Since 2009, Europe has faced a diverse set of security challenges, some more novel than others. With the outbreak of a military conflict near the EU’s eastern border in 2022, there has been an increasing tendency in the discourse to describe the EU as a security actor. Nevertheless, the extent to which security has truly occupied the Union’s institutional identity remains unclear. Considering the lack of research on the identity of the EU, this thesis examines the evolution of the role of security in the institutional identity of the EU since the 2009 establishment of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The paper relies on the thematic analysis of the EU’s mission-defining documents. In particular, the instances of the State of the Union Address (SOTEU), the Political Guidelines of the Commission, and the EU Strategic Agenda are analyzed. The study shows that a clear increase in the thematic emphasis on security is absent. Instead, there appears to be a fluctuation in the...Show moreSince 2009, Europe has faced a diverse set of security challenges, some more novel than others. With the outbreak of a military conflict near the EU’s eastern border in 2022, there has been an increasing tendency in the discourse to describe the EU as a security actor. Nevertheless, the extent to which security has truly occupied the Union’s institutional identity remains unclear. Considering the lack of research on the identity of the EU, this thesis examines the evolution of the role of security in the institutional identity of the EU since the 2009 establishment of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The paper relies on the thematic analysis of the EU’s mission-defining documents. In particular, the instances of the State of the Union Address (SOTEU), the Political Guidelines of the Commission, and the EU Strategic Agenda are analyzed. The study shows that a clear increase in the thematic emphasis on security is absent. Instead, there appears to be a fluctuation in the employment of the security element, relative to other themes. What is characterized by an upward trend is the depth in which security is covered. After all, the EU’s current institutional identity is also defined by the aim to tackle cyber threats or disinformation.Show less

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Emerging Security Actor? The Evolution of the EU's Institutional Identity since the Establishment of the CSDP