Abstract

Hylke Dijkstra will present the conclusions of his new book “Policy-Making in EU Security and Defense: An Institutional Perspective” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).

EU foreign policy has long been considered the exclusive domain of member states. This book challenges such conventional state-centered wisdom by analyzing the influence of the Brussels-based EU officials in the sensitive area of security and defense. It asks why the member states have delegated important functions to the EU and continues to examine how EU civil servants affect the planning and conduct of civilian and military operations.

Using multiple case studies and unique insights from over a hundred interviews, this book shows how everyday security policy is made in practice. Whether it concerns the deployment of uniformed personnel to Aceh, Bosnia, Chad or Kosovo, the EU officials in the Council and the European External Action Service shape outcomes and make a difference. This book will be of interest to scholars, students and practitioners of EU foreign policy.