Quo vadis Europe? Common Security in Europe in the 21st

Century

Security Policy Seminar in cooperation with the German Armed Forces

for students and politically interested participants from Hamburg

From 6th to 10th June, 2016 in Brussels

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The part of AWACS Airplane in the European Security ........................................................... - 2 -

Visit of the NATO-Headquarter – Common Security and the Cooperation of Nations ............ - 5 -

Lecture SHAPE: NATO and the Allied Command Operations ................................................. - 6 -

NATO - Tasks, Functioning and Present Challenges ................................................................ - 8 -

Brussels – Europe’s capital? ...................................................................................................... - 9 -

Thematic tour through the exposition on the World Exhibition 1958 & guided tour Atomium -

Belief in Progress and Euphoria about the Future .................................................................... - 12 -

The role of the European Commission in the European Union and its responsibilities regarding the

current refugee crisis ................................................................................................................ - 13 -

The Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union ........................................ - 14 -

The work and structure of the European Parliament ................................................................ - 15 -

The Future of European External Relations: Europe’s role in the world ................................. - 16 -

History and perspectives of the European Union – Tour at the Parlamentarium ..................... - 17 -

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The part of AWACS Airplane in the European Security

Lecturer: Captain Christoph Neckermann

Protocol: Dane Dörfert and Pieter Frusch

The first visit of the trip was to the NATO airbase in Geilenkirchen, located almost on Germany’s

western border with the Netherlands. The base is home to the NATO Airborne Early Warning &

Control System (AWACS) E-3A component.

The AWACS force has its origins in the Cold War. Ground based radars have a limited effective

range due to the curvature of the earth, especially with low flying aircraft. To increase the range

of air surveillance, airborne radars systems are used. This results in early detection and longer

response times in the case of incoming planes.

The NATO AWACS component was established in 1983. It uses the Boeing E-3 Sentry, based on

the 707 airframe. The 16 E-3s operated by NATO are the E-3A model. The planes do not have

weapons and are flown by a crew of 4 and a full mission crew consists of 14. The unique feature

of the AWACS force is that it is a collective asset; it is operated and paid for by the participating

NATO countries, currently 16. The number of staff positions is distributed based on the amount

of money that the nations pay, therefore the United States and Germany have the largest staff

contingents at the base. The airplanes are registered in Luxemburg, a country without an air force.

Besides the main operating base in Geilenkirchen, the AWACS operate from three forward

locations: Aktion (Greece), Konya (Turkey), Oerland (Norway) and Trapani (Italy). The missions

are executed from these locations, ranging from traditional strategic air surveillance to air battle

management, including air-to-air and air-to-ground control. In the context of the reassurance of

the Eastern NATO countries, many mission are now flown in Eastern Europe.

Current issues for the NATO AWACS are decreasing budgets and subsequent cuts, e.g. the

withdrawal of Canada from the force resulted in the reduction of the force by one plane. Another

issue is noise pollution, which is especially a problem in the nearby Dutch villages. The jet engines

used are relatively old and very noisy.

The visit was completed with an extensive tour of the exterior and interior of an E-3A. This part

was highly appreciated by the students and gave a unique opportunity to take a look inside a

military airplane.

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Visit of the NATO-Headquarter – Common Security and the Cooperation of Nations

Lecturer: MSGT. Miguel Palacios

Protocol: Jan Peter Gülden

The second day of our trip to Brussels started with a visit to the Supreme Headquarters Allied

Powers Europe (SHAPE). We had a very warm welcome from Mirek, a Polish Lieutenant Colonel,

and our visitors guide. Mirek showed us SHAPE’s hall of fame in the Entrance Hall and explained

to us briefly the structure of SHAPE. SHAPE is always led by a US four-star general who is

simultaneously the commanding officer of the US-troops deployed in Europe and therefore entitled

the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). He also explained SHAPE’s coat of arms:

two swords forming the letter “A”, standing for alliance, crowned by the motto “Vigilia Pretium

Libertatis” which is Latin for “The Price of Freedom is Vigilance”.

After these general remarks, we were brought to a conference room and listened to a presentation

given by Mirek. We learned, that SHAPE hosts one of NATOs strategic commands, the Allied

Command Operations (ACO), the other being the Allied Command Transformation (ACT) in

Norfolk, Virginia. While ACT can be regarded as a think-tank that develops future strategy based

on major thread analysis, the ACO in Mons is the headquarters leading all current NATO

operations around the world. That means that the ACO is responsible for both operational planning

and the conduct of operations. We learned that the so called force generation process between

plans and conduct is very challenging for ACO because NATO does not have its own troops, but

is depending on force contributions of its member states for every single operation.

After having pointed this out, Mirek gave some impressions about the latest NATO planning after

the Russian annexation of Crimea and the impact that it has brought with it for the security of the

Eastern European Allies. He explained in detail the Readiness Action Plan (RAP) that was agreed

upon unanimously during the Wales summit in 2014 and consists of reassurance for the Baltic and

East-European states and an enhanced readiness for all member states.

To sum up, the presentation was very insightful and enhanced our knowledge about NATO and its

structures, as well as our awareness of security threats, especially in Europe. We understood the

reasons for the shift of NATOs priorities from Crisis Response Operations and Cooperative

Security to the importance of Common Defense Measures that have been underestimated during

the period of détente during the last 20 years.

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Lecture SHAPE: NATO and the Allied Command Operations

Lecturer: Mr. Eyvazov

Protocol: Mathias Krämer

For the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the partnerships with other nations and

regions are important to achieve its security goals and to conduct its actions on behalf of these

goals. Therefore, a mutual cooperation is necessary. There are three core tasks: cooperative

security, crisis response and collective defence, which constitute the concept of cooperative

security. The concept of cooperative security enables NATO to synchronize efforts to deal with

new multidimensional threats and provides a better understanding of common problems. This

concept consists of three components: (1) strengthening partnerships, (2) contributing to arms

control, non-proliferation and disarmament, and (3) assisting potential new countries to prepare

for NATO membership. NATO membership is open to every European country. At the moment

four countries are interested in becoming NATO members: Bosnia, Georgia, Macedonia, and

Montenegro. The latter has recently received a confirmation regarding its application and will be

a NATO member in 2017. In addition, NATO seeks to deepen and broaden its partnerships with

other actors to increase effectiveness. Thus, in 2011 the New Partnership Policy begun.

As a result of this effort, NATO has built a broad cooperative security network across the globe.

Some of these new initiatives are the Partnership Interoperability Initiative and Defence and

Related Security Capacity Building Initiative. NATO partners are represented through Military

Partnership Directorates and Liaison Officers at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe

(SHAPE) or at the Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation to ensure that

dialogue occurs. The objectives and priorities of those partnerships are military dialogue and

consultation, interoperability and defence reform. All Partners of NATO are subsumed under

different formal frameworks like Partnership for Peace, NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue, and

Istanbul Cooperative Initiative as well as non-formal frameworks called Partners across the globe.

As well as these frameworks, NATO has special relations with Ukraine, Georgia and Russia.

Overall seven non-member states have a special status in NATO. However, relations between

NATO and Russia are tense due to the Ukraine crisis. Nevertheless, talks took place few months

ago.

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NATO - Tasks, Functioning and Present Challenges

Lecturer: Dr. Hans-Dieter Lucas and Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann

Protocol: Katrin Pakizer and Udo Sonnenberger

Brigadier General Rainer Meyer zum Felde, Head of Defence Policy and Planning Branch,

German Permanent Mission to NATO and his Deputy introduced the organisational structure,

tasks and present challenges for NATO and Germany’s foreign and defence policy.

The German Permanent Mission is the link between the German government and the North

Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Its main task is to represent German interests and to keep ministers

and government departments informed about all discussions and processes taking place in NATO.

The delegation works in the North Atlantic Council and the Military Committee and is headed by

the Ambassador to NATO, Dr. Hans-Dieter Lucas, and the Military Representative to NATO,

Lieutenant General Hans-Werner Wiermann. Both are supported by the departments “Policy” and

“Defence Policy and Planning” as well as by four additional cross-sectional units.

Currently, a big challenge for NATO and its Committees is the tension between the Eastern

European/Baltic member states and Russia due to the Ukrainian conflict. The aim is to find a

balance between the reassurance of the member’s security through NATO’s increased presence in

Eastern Europe and the Baltic area and the upholding of a diplomatic dialogue with Russia. But it

is not the only crisis that NATO is involved as, for the first time, it has to deal with different crises

simultaneously (for instance, NATO is also involved in the Middle East, Mediterranean Sea and

North Africa). NATO handles tasks of collective defence and crisis management at the same time

which is giving the organization a more visible role, as intended by the current Secretary General

Jens Stoltenberg.

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Brussels – Europe’s capital?

Lecturer: Malte Woydt

Protocol: Nadja Zilken

In our tour with Malte Woydt through various neighborhoods and parts of Brussels, Mr. Woydt

emphasized on stressing the complexities, diversity and contrasts between the different actors,

atmospheres and designs of Brussel’s districts. Whilst managing the traffic of central Brussels with

some difficulties, the infamous neighborhood ‘Molenbeek’ was discovered. Further sights of

notice included the immediate surroundings of the pompostious old city hall of Brussels, which

oversight over Brussels gave an overview over the course of urban development under the aspects

of industrial, natural and social factors. The ever extending outer limits of Brussels could be traced

in its historical development so far in the comparison of older to recent city maps in the former

train station of Brussels YYYY. The starkest contrasts between the various faces of Brussels, from

a residential area to the bureaucratic desert, were touched upon the bus guided city tour of Brussels.

Whilst the activities during the day, particularly at the various European Institutions, reminded the

participants of the study trip of its political relevance on the level of international politics and

cooperation, the contrasting reputation of districts in Brussels prone to social segregation and

inequalities, served almost as a reflection of the numerous tensions arising from the cohabitation

of different nationalities, ethnicities and societal classes. Much like the European Union, Brussels

is as much as beautiful, as it is in need of constant efforts to maintain and restore its full potential.

Brussels – Europe’s capital?

Lecturer: Malte Woydt

Protocol: Morgane Chouzenoux

During our stay in Brussels, we were given the chance to have a guided tour around different parts

of the city. Driving with our not exactly small bus through the narrow streets of Brussels, we were

provided with an excellent interactive presentation on the city’s history but also about the

contemporary challenges that it is currently facing. Who else better than Malte Woydt to

accomplish this task?

We were told that the period of Austrian ruling in the 18th century fostered urban development,

with the construction of squares such as Place Royale. The French Revolution inspired similar

sentiments in Brussels and the Austrians were eventually forced out by the French. They held

power until 1815 when Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and Belgium and

Luxembourg were incorporated into the newly formed United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

However, Brussel’s residents revolted in 1830 and Belgium became an independent state.

We were further informed that, since the decision of the EU member states to make Brussels the

seat of the European institutions in 1997, Brussels has become the de facto capital of Europe. In

the course of successive enlargements more and more European institutions have been established

in the Brussels Capital Region, which has created a European neighborhood in the heart of the

region.

Malte Woydt specified that the Brussels Capital Region is comprised of 19 municipalities with a

population of approximately 1.1 million inhabitants. The demographic development of Brussels

has always been strongly dominated by migration over the past century and a half originating for

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instance from Morocco, Portugal or Turkey. Brussels has experienced a rise in population over the

past few years and the population composition is highly influenced by internationalization. Malte

underlined that the composition has diversified further since then and that there has been an

increase in inhabitants from European Union countries; making Brussel the “Capital of a United

Europe”.

Driving through different areas of Brussels, our group learned that the region is characterized by

a clear spatial differentiation between the poorer districts, such as Molenbeek, mixed

neighborhoods and the affluent areas of the city. Mr. Woydt explained to us that the central area

is generally a mix of worn apartment buildings, striking gabled townhouses, offices and shopping

malls, many of the latter built in the 1970s with little concern for aesthetics. We were informed

that most of the European Union and NATO employees posted in Brussels tend to avoid the central

city when it comes to choosing where to live and usually opt for the well-kept eastern and southern

suburbs and green periphery of the Belgian capital.

We found out that the underlying structure of this spatial segregation according to socio-economic

status has deep-seated historical roots and a high level of inertia. This phenomenon reifies the

paradox of Brussels being, on the one hand, an integrated city but suffering, on the other hand,

from mutual social exclusion.

However, our guide concluded by saying that the arrival of new inhabitants, large new construction

sites within a number of districts and increasing property prices were slowly changing the

composition of the population within some areas of the city.

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Thematic tour through the exposition on the World Exhibition 1958 & guided tour Atomium

- Belief in Progress and Euphoria about the Future

Protocol: Leeor Ohayon and Xu Huang

Lecturer: Visitors Service Atomium

The Atomium was built for Belgium’s 1958 World Fair (also known as Expo 58), in which fifty-

two countries participated. The World Fair was built on the grounds of the former gardens of the

King of Belgium, who had donated the area in his will.

Expo 58 aimed to portray ‘Happy Belgium’ which at the time was seen as a beacon of progress

and prosperity. Its goal was to depict Belgium’s progressive position on gender with its use of

female hostesses, a concept considered ground-breaking in a period where women were mostly

confined to the home.

The engineer Andre Waterkeyn and the architects Jean Polak and Andre Polak designed the

Atomium. The Atomium is ninety-two metres high and built to depict an iron crystal magnified

165 billion times. It was originally built from aluminium sheets that were then replaced with

stainless steel. The structure includes five spheres which are used for various exhibitions. The

bottom sphere is twenty-six metres wide, the top sphere is eighteen metres wide and the middle

atom is fifty metres high. Nine atom-like spheres exist in order to form a cube, strengthened by

pillars and tubes that connect to each atom.

The Atomium’s opening took place against the backdrop of new television technology and the

King’s inauguration of the structure was televised live. From the top of the Atomium it is possible

to see Mini Europe, a miniature park of various European cities built on the former grounds of the

Belgian pavilion. Of the former state pavilions only the American structure is still in place; the

building has been converted for media use. On the grounds of the former, there is a Japanese

pagoda, purchased by the former King of Belgium upon his visit to an earlier World Fair hosted

by France. The pagoda served as an exotic symbol in a time where travel abroad was limited to

the upper classes. The pagoda and the surrounding gardens were areas for picnics and celebrations.

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The role of the European Commission in the European Union and its responsibilities

regarding the current refugee crisis

Lecturer: Ludo Tegenbosch (Speaker of Directorate General for Communication)

Protocol: Lina-Marieke Hilgert

Firstly, Mr Tegenbosch gave us a brief overview of both the history and the structure of the

European Commission as well as current issues that this forum is dealing with at the moment

(TTIP, European financial and economic crisis, migration and climate change). The European

Commission is the executive body of the EU and is therefore responsible for proposing legislation,

implementing decisions and upholding the EU treaties. He explained that there are 28

commissioners (one per member state) who are bound by their oath of office to represent the

general interest of the EU rather than their home state. He also talked about their new structural

approach which consists of different “project teams” dealing with ongoing topics. Moreover, he

underlined that it is a unique value of the European Commission that it is not purely

intergovernmental but supranational as well; in addition, the EU is the only organisation which

speaks directly at the UN. Finally, Mr Tegenbosch discussed current issues with greater depth,

especially the migration and refugee crisis as well as related policy making steps, taking into

account the complicated process to enhance cohesion within both the European Commission as

well as the EU as a whole.

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The Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union

Lecturer: Mr. Van Gool

Protocol: Adrien Delafontaine

On Thursday morning we were invited to a talk about the European External Action Service at the

European Commission. The European External Action Service, established by the Treaty of

Lisbon, has been the diplomatic service of the European Union since 2010. It carries out the foreign

and security policy of the Union and is under the supervision of the High Representative of the

Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, a position currently held by Ms. Federica

Mogherini. At the end of 2015, the European External Action Service comprised 4,189 employees1

and its budget for 2014 reached 518 million euros.2 The last major event took place on the 6th of

June 2016, when the European External Action Service director for Western Europe, Western

Balkans, and Turkey met the Serbian prime minister to discuss the normalization of the relations

between Kosovo and Serbia3. The European External Action Service also covers intelligence

duties: it updates EU diplomates 24 hours a day, 7 days per week on major current events.

1http://eeas.europa.eu/background/docs/eeas_hr_report_2015.pdf (downloaded on the 11th of June 2016) 2http://eeas.europa.eu/background/docs/annual_activity_report_2014_en.pdf (downloaded on the 11th of June 2016) 3www.b92.net/eng/news/politics.php?yyyy=2016&mm=06&dd=06&nav_id=98230 (downloaded on the 11th of June 2016)

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The work and structure of the European Parliament

Lecturer: Organized by the Visitors Service of the European Parliament

Protocol: Annika Melles

On Thursday we gained comprehensive knowledge of the European Parliament (EP) with its

legislative, supervisory and budgetary responsibilities. The EP shares the power to legislate and

the authority over the EU Budget with the European Council to influence its spending and

exercises democratic supervision over all EU institutions, in particular the Commission by

appointing all Commissioners. Located in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg, the 751

members of parliament (MEPs) represent the European citizen in the EP. While the official seat

of the EP is in Strasbourg, the General Secretariat is in Luxembourg, the plenary sessions take

place both in Strasbourg and Brussels and the Committee Meetings are held in Brussels.

The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, presides over a multi-party chamber,

the two largest groups being the Group of the European People's Party (EPP-215 seats) and the

Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D-190 seats). The seats are allocated among

the Member States on the basis of their share of the EU population which is agreed upon in the

Lisbon Treaty. Nevertheless, to create equal opportunities for minorities, even the smallest country

(Malta) is represented by six MEPs.

Overall, the MEPs are organized into eight political groups: Group of the European People's Party

(Christian Democrats), 215 seats; Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

in the European Parliament, 189 seats; European Conservatives and Reformists Group, 73 seats;

Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, 70 seats; Confederal Group of the

European United Left and Nordic Green Left, 52 seats; Group of the Greens/European Free

Alliance, 50 seats; Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group, 46 seats; Europe of Nations

and Freedom Group, 38 seats and 16 non-attached members.

The Parliament has 20 Standing Committees consisting of 25 to 71 MEPs each, including a chair,

a bureau and secretariat. Speakers in the European Parliament are entitled to speak in any of the

24 official languages of the European Union. Therefore, simultaneous interpreting is offered in

plenary sessions and final texts of legislation are translated into every official language. Usually,

a language is first translated from a foreign tongue into English and then into the native speaker’s

language.

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The Future of European External Relations: Europe’s role in the world

Lecturer: Oliver Krentz, Policy Advisor at the European Parliament.

Protocol: Alexander Ovsienko

The Committee on Foreign Affairs within the European Parliament (EP) has a supervisory function

over the competencies of the European External Actions Services (EEAS) . It acts in the field of

political agenda setting for the parliament and deals with the development of the aid programs of

the European Union as well as with the neighborhood policies of the European Union, trade

agreements and the association process of countries who want to join the European Union.

After a short introduction, Mr. Krentz gave us an insight into the current challenges facing the EU

today. The top priority of the European Union is the relationship with Russia and specifically how

to deal with the threat of the Russian foreign policy especially towards Poland and the Baltic States.

Furthermore, Mr. Krentz was discussion the issue of finding a common response by the EU to the

global crises such as the refugee crisis or international terrorism. In his speech he also mentioned

the attempt to create a common European Army and the challenges that this attempt is facing,

considering individual agendas of the member states.

In his speech Mr.Krentz also mentioned the EU foreign policy towards Libya and Syria, stating

that the European Union is not considering military involvement in these countries but trying to

find out how to solve the crisis in the Middle East through non-military means.

At the end of his speech replying to the questions of the group, he talked about the relationship

between European Union and Ukraine, saying that the EU is now not considering Ukraine as a

membership candidate for the European Union and stating that he is not in a position to know the

exact date when citizens of Ukraine will not need visas anymore to travel to the European Union,

only stating that the EU is currently working on this issue.

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History and perspectives of the European Union – Tour at the Parlamentarium

Protocol: Helge Martin, Cassandra Schützko

On Thursday afternoon we had the opportunity to visit the European Parliament's Visitors' Centre

“Parlamentaruim” with an interactive audio guide and were free to explore the exhibition by

ourselves.

The exhibition starts with the long history of conflicts in Europe illustrated by photographs in

combination with quotations of influential thinkers demanding for a peaceful framework or union

in Europe. This section was followed by the history and the changing character of the European

Union and its predecessors, embedded in an overview of relevant political events since the 1950’s

up until the present.

After this historical introduction, the European Parliament was presented through a 360-degree

digital surround screen simulation which offered some insights into the parliaments work.

In the next room there was a big open space with the map of Europe and mobile screens to move

around the floor. One could move the screens to any bigger European city and then one received

information through an audio voice about the location and its relevance for Europe or the EU on

the mobile screen.

At the end of the exhibition one could experience how the European Union directly affects

European citizens by watching video interviews with individuals from all over Europe.

The “Parlamentaruim” was an insightful part of the programme which broadened our focus from

a narrow security policy perspective to the overall European idea.