EU security cooperation and the transatlantic relationship

Abstract

The transatlantic relationship has been at the top of the foreign policy and security agenda both of the United States and the European Union. This dissertation intends to examine the state of this relationship in view of the recent developments of the EU's security and defence policy (ESDP). The dissertation will first examine the nature and structure of ESDP and of the security policy objectives of the U.S. It will then give an account of the historical and current state of the transatlantic relations. The study will then propose that, in spite of several minor, and not so minor rifts, the transatlantic relationship remained solid and has better prospects for the future. In addition, by examining the relations of France and Poland with the U.S, the dissertation will indicate that, although there are differences in the bilateral relations of individual EU member states with the U.S, such bilateral relations stand to gain from the over-arching EU-US relationship.