Current geostrategic environment creates wide range of substantial challenges for the EU. While its capacity to tackle challenging developments directly affect its leverage at the global scale, the complexity of its decision-making mechanisms and different foreign policy interests of member states represent a serious obstacle to synergy of the EU as a whole in the field of foreign and security policy. The systemic competition with other actors that are becoming increasingly assertive is representing another source of complexity, which is growing even more fierce with the outbreak of pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccine race. While still trying to exert its transformative power in its close vicinity and beyond, the EU is confronted with the competing models and visions. The Chinese influence is governed foremost by the economic interest in Europe, whereas Russia is focused on energy and foreign policy influence. The USA’s interests lie within the security and stability sphere and its policies during previous administration have shown capacity to significantly divert from the transatlantic concept of cooperative security. A new interesting player is undoubtedly post-Brexit UK which, while not being an ideological foe, will be a strong competitor in many fields.
What are the perspectives of development in the field of EU CSDP? How will the EU perceive its role and define implementable capacities in order to build and fortify its status at the international level? What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for the EU in the period to come? What type of action and strategic positioning can EU expect from other relevant global players? Where is a functional co-operation possible and where is conflict (in any form) imminent? What can EU do to adapt to the new strategic environment? These are the questions that would be in focus of our discussion.
The aim of a half-day conference is to discuss these questions with relevant stakeholders in the EU, its members states, representatives of academic sector, think tanks and media.

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