The story so far: In a historic referendum in Denmark, two-thirds of Danish voters supported abandoning a 30-year-old waiver that has kept the country out of the European Union’s (EU) Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said on June 2 that he expects Denmark to join the framework around July 1.
At the end of the counting of votes, 66.9 per cent voted to get rid of the opt-out while 33.1 per cent were against this, according to figures from Statistics Denmark. Voter turnout for the referendum stood at 65.76 per cent.
Experts believe that Denmark’s decision to abandon the waiver is a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the result of the referendum is “a clear signal” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“With the decision we have made, we show that when Mr. Putin invades a free and independent country and threatens peace and stability, we will move closer together,” Ms. Frederiksen said.
Nordic countries Sweden and Finland have also applied to be members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) following the invasion of Ukraine, deviating from their decades-old stand of military non-alignment.
What is the CSDP?
The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is a framework for cooperation among the EU member states to conduct peace-keeping and international security operations in developing countries using civil and military assets provided by the states.
CSDP missions and operations contribute to global security abroad and within the EU. They aim to help prevent or resolve conflicts and crises and enhance the capacities of allies.
History of the CSDP
Europe first considered setting up a consolidated security and defence architecture after World War II. The first landmark achievement in this direction was the signing of the Brussels Treaty in 1948 that paved the way for the formation of the NATO.
The European Political Cooperation (EPC) was presented in the 1970 Davignon Report, which outlined facilitating consultation among members of the European Community (EC) as one of the objectives of the EPC.
Timeline of landmark defence-related events in Europe | Photo Credit: Handbook on CSDP, volume I
EPC served as the foundation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) introduced in the Maastricht Treaty, which came into force on November 1, 1993, and created a single institutional framework – the European Union (EU).
Concrete provisions for a common European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) were introduced in the late 1990s, in the aftermath of wars in the Balkans.
The ESDP became operational in 2003. Since then the EU has initiated more than 35 crisis management missions and operations. After the signing of the Lisbon Treaty on December 1, 2009, the ESDP was renamed the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
The oldest CSDP operation was launched in 2004 in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Since then, deployments have been sent to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Central African Republic, and Mali, among other countries.
As of March 2022, there are 18 ongoing CSDP missions and operations – 11 civilian, and seven military.
What does Denmark’s opt-in mean for the EU?
Ending Denmark’s waiver will have little impact on Europe’s security architecture. Once Denmark joins CSDP, its officials will be allowed to stay in the room when EU officials conduct defence-related discussions, and Danish troops will be allowed to participate in EU military operations.
Christine Nissen, a researcher with the Danish Institute for International Studies, said both Denmark’s referendum to end the waiver, and Sweden and Finland’s application to join NATO were “part of the same story,” and would strengthen military cooperation in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)
