The European Union as a Global Security Actor.

There is no doubt that the security issue is of utmost importance at the moment: in an era of uncertainty and fear disturbing the peace of the international community, the major question is whether the European Union can respond to the current security threats and how it can put in practice its competencies in the defence field. Divided into three sections, this dissertation will show in its first chapter a comprehensive overview of the EU's progression in such matters. The journey starts from the very basis of the European integration with the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Economic Community; to continue with the entry into force of the Treaty of Rome in 1958, which laid the foundations for what will be later achieved with the Treaties of Maastricht in 1992 and of Lisbon in 2007. After taking into consideration the key Treaties giving competencies to the EU, in order to perfectly grasp the foundations of such system, this paper will provide the background upon which the current legal and operational framework depends on. In this vein, the thesis will mention the Western European Union and the Petersberg Declaration, later incorporated into the EU Treaty structure, expanding the scope of the missions and operations of the EU. Subsequently, the analysis will be channelled to the case study of the civilian mission EULEX in Kosovo, and the military operation EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting some complications that may arise when it comes to aligning the interests and priorities of the Member states, as in the case of Operation Atalanta. In these circumstances, there will be a shift toward the new measures initiated in the last years, including the Permanent Structured Cooperation, the European Defence Fund, and the Strategic Compass, which are all key elements in the improvement of the defence quality of the Union. Afterwards, in the last chapter, the research delves into the timeline of cooperation of the EU's engagement with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and explores areas of collaboration and differences between the two in addressing the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, with a specific focus on the Ukrainian conflict. Conclusively, as a result of this study, a future policy proposal for enhancing coordination will be developed, including improving data collaboration, developing norms in critical fields such as cybersecurity and anti-terrorism, and engaging in dialogues regarding military mobility regulations, which can help the EU tackle global threats and strengthen security.