The McAllister report seeks to examine the very difficult foreign and security choices that lie ahead for Europe at a time of real authoritarian threats to the multilateral rules-based post-Second World War order. By 2050, Europe will constitute a much smaller part of the world’s population, economy and military prowess, and Brexit tragically removes a big player from the EU security equation, weakening both parties.
Therefore, in future the EU needs to act together in projecting its external policies, but of course, there are real national sovereignty concerns about moving towards QMV in CFSP and CSDP. Nevertheless, I personally strongly support the EU priorities, including maintaining the JCPOA after US withdrawal, containing Russian expansionism, understanding Chinese global ambitions, fighting international terrorism, finding a peaceful solution in Syria and Yemen, and making PESCO a political reality. I also welcome some of the innovative thinking in foreign and security policy from President Macron and Chancellor Merkel for the future.
