Towards a military union? The role of the military within the EU

Since 2001, the European Union Military Staff (EUMS) has provided strategic military expertise and advice on all matters related to EU security and defence. But what exactly is the role of this institution within the broader EU framework? How is the Union’s approach to defence evolving in light of today’s rapidly deteriorating global security environment?

In this talk, Coenraad Reumer, Political Advisor to the Director General of the EUMS and reserve Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Netherlands Army, will examine the EU’s growing ambition to take greater responsibility for its own security, its support to Ukraine, and the evolution of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), under which EU Missions and Operations are deployed across the globe.

Offering a rare insider’s perspective, this discussion will provide unique insight into the internal deliberations and strategic thinking shaping Europe’s emerging defence posture.