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| Updated: 07-Dec-2000 | NATO Articles |
First published
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Why NATO Supports a Stronger EuropeArticle by NATO Secretary General Lord RobertsonOn September 19th 2000, NATO's Council held its first meeting with the EU's Interim Political and Security Committee. This was, by any standards, an historic event: the first-ever political meeting between NATO and the European Union on security issues. For some observers, this meeting was cause for concern. Why? Because for many critics of ESDI, European defence capabilities and the transatlantic relationship seem to be a "zero-sum game ", whereby any gain by Europe must be, by definition, a loss for North America, and a detriment to the relationship between the two. Indeed, many people who call themselves "Atlanticists" seem to believe that the relationship between North America and Europe should never change from what it was during the Cold War. This is simply impossible. In European defence, and in the transatlantic relationship, change is inevitable. The Cold War is over, and Europe is as wealthy as the United States; in those circumstances the old status quo was simply out of date. The relationship between North America and Europe has simply had to evolve, if it is to be preserved in the long term. And the change that makes the most sense, for both sides of the Atlantic, is for Europe to become stronger. There are two main reasons. First, because Europe needs to make a stronger contribution to NATO operations. For NATO to remain politically balanced in the future, a rich and secure Europe has to take a greater share of the military burden. The EU's recent and ongoing efforts to improve its capacities will help meet this requirement. Europe will be able to do more within NATO operations, and thereby answer any questions about fairness within the Alliance. A stronger and more capable Europe is good for the transatlantic relationship in a second way. With the Cold War over, every security issue in or around Europe will not necessarily engage the strategic interests of the United States. Europe must therefore be able to consider taking the lead. A stronger Europe won't mean less NATO, but it will mean that Europe and North America will have more flexibility in choosing a response. Again, a win-win situation on both sides of the Atlantic. It was for both of these reasons
that NATO has always supported the project of
developing the European Security and Defence
Identity. And that is why NATO is preparing
to make its assets - including planning, strategic
lift, and satellite intelligence - available
to the EU, in situations where NATO does not
want to take the lead. In this way, NATO helps
the EU overcome its limitations as a security For European defence to deliver both increased flexibility and enhanced capability, NATO and the EU must develop close working relations - and we are already making progress. The institutional relationship between NATO and the EU is already taking shape. Formal relations have been established. We have an agreement on sharing classified documents. NATO-EU Ad Hoc Working Groups have been set up to examine how NATO could support the EU operationally when Europe takes the lead in handling crises. And we are working hard to ensure that non-EU members of NATO are included in EU-led operation to the satisfaction of all concerned. All in all, concrete progress in addressing some of our important challenges, as ESDI takes shape. As we enter the 21st Century, the transatlantic security relationship is being successfully adapted, to make it more equitable and more appropriate for the security environment of today. This success is no surprise, because NATO remains what it has always been: a flexible community of like-minded nations that is adjusting to, and shaping, the evolving Euro-Atlantic security environment. ESDI will not change that. It will only help the Alliance deal even more effectively with the challenges ahead- and that is good for Europe and North America together. 
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