At arm’s length. The European Union and Europe’s defence industry

Book abstract:

This book examines the extent of the EU's influence at the intersection of high and low politics: defence industrial policies. While the integration of most economic and industrial sectors would normally be considered an issue of low politics, the defence industry is different. Long considered a vital link to national security, national defence industries are subject to an unique political economy that acknowledges their strategic value.

The involvement of the EU in defence industrial matters is puzzling. Member States are reluctant to cede their sovereignty over the production and trade of arms, so they block many initiatives that would expand the EU's role in this policy area. However, there are several factors suggesting that defence industrial restructuring and related government policies must move from the national to the regional level. These factors include the post-Cold War political environment, international competition in the armaments industry (especially from American companies), lobbying efforts by some European defence firms and interest groups, attempts by the European Commission and Parliament to broaden the EU's policy-making agenda, and the integrative forces unleashed by the Single European Act and Maastricht Treaty.

This book explains the evolution of the 'arm's length' relationship between the EU and Europe's defence industry by describing the development of the Institutions' powers in this area, and the forces facilitating and impeding their expansion.

Guay, Terrence R.
At arm's length. The European Union and Europe's defence industry
Macmillan, 1998
ISBN: 0-333-72069-5
Price: £45.00