Malta and the European Union’s common security and defence policy : challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The ever increasing global challenges and threats faced by the European Union (EU) today are posing pressures on the same Union to think globally and act locally. In response to this new security context, the EU evolved its security and political dimensions. One of the tools set forth was the creation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in 1999 which since then has evolved rapidly. Malta’s accession in the European Union (EU) in 2004 meant that it had to partake in this policy framework and in virtue of this, the country’s foreign and security policy traditions had to conform to this new reality. Hence, with reference to the Meta theory of Europeanisation and following a set of interviews with key officials, this study initially uncovers how this policy domain has influenced Malta’s foreign and security policy matters and brought about adaptations at the domestic level, new ways of projecting national priorities within the EU as well as the identity reconstruction of national actors. Furthermore, this study identifies the challenges and opportunities that have surfaced and still lie ahead to Malta following this participation and finally establishes a number of ways on how the country could enhance its potential within this policy framework. The author augurs that this study provides an insight into this under researched area and will serve good for any strategic planning by policy makers.