Strategic autonomy

Strategic autonomy is defined as the ability of a state to pursue its national interests and adopt its preferred foreign policy without depending heavily on other foreign states.[1]

In European context, strategic autonomy is the ability of the European Union to not be overly reliant on the United States, to defend Europe and act militarily in its neighborhood, for the strategic purposes of affording a political autonomy independent from US foreign policies.[2]

European Union
Strategic autonomy
European Council, 2017
Date2016 – present
ThemeGeopolitical great power competition
Participants EU

An early reference to strategic autonomy in the discussions of the European council of ministers can be dated back to December 2013. The European Council called for the development of European defense capabilities to enhance the strategic autonomy of the European Union.[3]

In 2016, strategic autonomy became part of the European Union Global Strategy doctrine to improve the defense capabilities of the European Union, including the setting up of a European Defence Fund established in 2017. Strategic autonomy became central to the European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen, who stated her intention to have a “geopolitical commission.”[4] Members of the Von der Leyen Commission including Josep Borrell and Thierry Breton claim that Europe's soft power needs to be complemented by a harder power dimension.[5]

In the aftermath of the November 2020 defeat of Donald Trump, the concept of the European strategic autonomy was inspired by France, which advocated for this strategy at the European Union level.[6] Strategic autonomy for the EU is a concept that includes economic, energy and digital policy,[7] and initiatives such as GAIA-X. European Union Member States, such as Germany, display different preferences than France when it comes to the priorities of a strategic autonomy policy.[8] Strategic autonomy expanded to the digital policy of the European Union with an objective to ascertain European sovereignty against China.[9]

Post-Trump era

As early as December 2020 strategic autonomy was a priority in European defense policy, as enunciated by HRVP Josep Borrell who saw in a retrospective speech Donald Trump as an unreliable partner.[10] The goal of strategic autonomy is however not to act alone militarily, and the European Union can be characterized as non-interventionist in nature.[7]

The election of Joe Biden in the United States brought expectations of a Euro-Atlantic unity that has to be reconciled with the strategic autonomy of the European Union.[6] The New York Times saw the election of Joe Biden as bringing discord between France and Germany over the future of European defense and strategic autonomy.[11] In November 2021 the Biden administration urged the EU to develop its own credible military capabilities.[12]

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine was perceived by Emmanuel Macron as an attack on the institutions of the EU and a test of European strategic autonomy.[13]

On 2 December 2022, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that Europe must strengthen its defences because they are currently “not strong enough” to stand up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine alone, and have been relying on American support.[14]

In April 2023, during an interview on a plane after a three-day state visit to China, Macron called for the EU to reduce its dependence on the US, so to attain European strategic autonomy away from Washington, and avoid being drawn into a confrontation between the US and China over Taiwan.[15] Macron had also advocated that Europe should become a "third superpower.”[15] According to Macron, Europe should focus on boosting its own defence industries and on reducing dependence on the extraterritoriality of the US dollar.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Aravind Devanathan asked: What is 'strategic autonomy'? How does it help India's security? | Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses". idsa.in. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  2. Erlanger, Steven (May 23, 2020). "European Defense and 'Strategic Autonomy' Are Also Coronavirus Victims". The New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  3. "Conclusions of the European Council of 19/20 December 2013" (PDF). European Council. December 20, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  4. Erlanger, Steven (March 12, 2020). "Coronavirus Tests Europe's Cohesion, Alliances and Even Democracy". The New York Times. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  5. Blockmans, Steven (September 15, 2020). "Why the EU needs a geopolitical Commission". Centre for European Policy Studies. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  6. Pagoulatos, George (November 30, 2020). "Strategic autonomy for Europe in the post-Trump era". Kathimerini. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  7. "Europe on a Power Trip". EU Scream. November 9, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  8. Tamma, Paola (November 30, 2020). "Europe wants 'strategic autonomy' — it just has to decide what that means". Politico. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  9. Grüll, Philipp (September 11, 2020). "'Geopolitical' Europe aims to extend its digital sovereignty from China". EURACTIV. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  10. Cañas, Gabriela (December 17, 2020). "Borrell: Trump has awakened us from strategic sleepwalking". EURACTIV. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  11. Erlanger, Steven (November 24, 2020). "As Trump Exits, Rifts in Europe Widen Again". The New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  12. Herszenhorn, David (19 November 2021). "Biden's team wants EU allies to get real on 'strategic autonomy'". Politico. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  13. Popp, Maximilian (25 February 2022). "Putin's Attack Is Aimed at Europe". Der Spiegel. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  14. "Finland's Sanna Marin says Europe would be in trouble without US". BCC News. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  15. Anderlini, Jamil; Caulcutt, Clea. "Europe must resist pressure to become 'America's followers,' says Macron". politico.eu. POLITICO. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
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