A Call for European Security and Resilience: A Pragmatic Path Forward

Following Donald Trump's recent statements questioning the United States' commitment to European security and NATO, it has become imperative for Europe to reflect on its future regarding security and defence. This is not about undermining national sovereignties, national armies, or existing alliances, but about promoting common solutions to shared problems.

Security Challenges Facing Europe

European security is not merely a military issue; it is also about protecting our populations from real and everyday threats:

• Natural disasters (including forest fires, floods, and other extreme events) that are increasingly devastating due to climate change;
• Maritime accidents and incidents that endanger lives and ecosystems;
• Irregular immigration and human trafficking networks exploiting the weaknesses of our external borders;
• Sabotage or hybrid attacks on critical infrastructures, such as pipelines and energy networks.

A Pragmatic and Complementary Approach

Addressing these challenges requires cooperation. I propose a pragmatic path forward that respects existing balances and does not interfere with national militaries or NATO commitments:

1. Strengthening the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism

Reinforcing this mechanism is essential to coordinate and expedite responses to natural disasters and emergency situations across Europe, promoting solidarity and increasing collective resilience.

Next Step: A Permanent European Emergency and Resilience Force

This mechanism should evolve into a permanent force equipped with its own resources, capable of responding swiftly to natural disasters, border emergencies, and the protection of critical infrastructures. This would not replace national armies but would act as a specialized civil-operational body for immediate response.

2. Establishing a European Coast Guard

A joint fleet, coordinated from Brussels, composed of Member States' assets, capable of patrolling European waters, rescuing lives, combating human trafficking, and protecting critical maritime infrastructures. This Coast Guard could, in the future, be integrated into the structure of the Permanent Emergency and Resilience Force, ensuring swift and effective joint operations.

3. Enhancing FRONTEX into a European Border Police

Transform FRONTEX into a true European force for the protection of external borders, equipped with its own resources and capable of intervening in migration pressure zones or humanitarian crises.

4. Creating a European Air Surveillance and Rapid Response Unit

An air patrol and surveillance force to monitor European airspace, especially against drones and hybrid threats, with the capacity to protect critical infrastructures and respond rapidly to emergencies. Like the Coast Guard, this unit could eventually be integrated into the Permanent Emergency and Resilience Force, contributing to a joint European capability across land, sea, and air.

Why a Permanent European Force?

The establishment of a Permanent European Emergency and Resilience Force would ensure that Europe has a rapid-response capability, independent of national political processes and resource availability. Such a force would:

• Ensure immediate response to crises;
• Reduce dependency on voluntary national contributions;
• Achieve economies of scale with shared assets;
• Reinforce European unity and visibility in times of crisis.

This force would not replace national military forces or NATO; rather, it would complement them by addressing civil and hybrid threats that require non-military, rapid, and coordinated intervention.

Final Considerations

More than an ideological debate about a European army, what is proposed is the reinforcement of collective security in areas of common interest. It is the security of citizens that is at stake.

The time has come for Europe to act. Our security cannot depend on political fluctuations across the Atlantic. A united and pragmatic response is the best guarantee of our sovereignty and the future of the European project.

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