European Secuirty in the XXI Century

• Main Author: Narcís Serra
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) 2000-05-01
• Series: Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals
• Online Access: http://www.cidob.org/en/content/download/5361/53301/file/49serra.pdf

In the author’s view, the great transformations at this century’s end consist in the following: the world is no longer Euro-centric, technological progress has generated globalization –which, in turn, has reduced the capacities of the nation-state– and a new egocentric and asocial individualism has been born. Globalization, arriving at the same time as the dismantling of the Communist regimes and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, has created –in matters of security, defense, risks, crisis situations– new threats and a revolution in military affairs. For this series of reasons, to talk of European security can not be limited to a simple harmonization of issues, rather it should mean reevaluating the role that Europe has to play in the world. From a European perspective, non-combat means are needed to guarantee security and, also, to tackle the issue of European fragmentation, whose solution requires very complex architecture mechanisms. In Serra’s estimate, work must be done in two directions: extending the benefits of democratic consolidation, market economy and security, while, at the same time, finding a compromise between the transatlantic link with the United States and the creation of a European security dimension. On the one hand, European security and defense needs to be more efficient, using the latest technologies and, on the other hand, it needs to demonstrate more political will in at least two ways: first, in the integration of the European defense efforts; and, second, in drawing up a position for Europe in the world in the spirit of federalism-institutionalism proposing itself, Europe, as a political unit with a political role, which improves the levels of citizenship and stands behind world governability.