Evaluating the European Security Strategy (ESS)

The research at hand is based on the premise that only a security strategy resting upon empirical findings addressing the European Union''s (EU) capacities and capabilities in crisis management can contribute effectively to the future performance of the EU as a strategic external actor. If future strategies fail to incorporate evaluation results and analyses of EU crisis management they will become symbolic paper tigers detached from actual European external action. The findings presented in this book demonstrate that the EU has the capabilities and capacities to engage as a strategic external actor but so far lacks the will to do so.