The SAFE instrument or the ‘ReArm Europe’ defence plan, with a total budget of up to €950 billion, the debate over a French nuclear umbrella, Russian aggression and growing uncertainty about the future role of the US within NATO: the security situation in Europe has changed fundamentally in recent years. Against this backdrop, a debate that was long of a primarily theoretical nature has also come to the fore: does Europe now need its own defence union?

Article 42(1), first sentence, of the TEU stipulates that the “Common Security and Defence Policy […] shall be an integral part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy”. At the same time, there is disagreement over the scope and operationalisation of the provisions of Article 42 TEU, as it is widely held that this article also stipulates that European defence obligations must not take precedence over those of NATO (the “NATO first” principle). So how much room for manoeuvre does the European Union have? And are we actually moving towards a European defence union?

Prof. Dr Frank Hoffmeister, Head of the Legal Department of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Professor at the BSoG, will address these and other fascinating questions on the subject as part of his Trier Lecture on the Future of Europe.

The IRDT, in cooperation with Faculty V of the University of Trier, cordially invites all interested parties – students and non-students alike – to attend the event. There will be an opportunity for discussion following the lecture.