Abstract

On 12 December 2003 the European Council adopted the European Security Strategy (ESS), sub-titled A Secure Europe in a Better World, the first-ever strategic document addressing EU external action in the broadest sense and therefore key to understanding the Union’s role in security. ¹ Starting from an analysis of what constitutes the core of the ESS, this chapter will argue that although it represents a milestone, it is not the alpha and omega of European strategic thinking. For it to function as a fully-fledged grand strategy, it needs to be completed and EU strategic thinking needs to be deepened, particularly in the area of security and defence.