This paper will examine the EU’s role as an international security actor by focusing on the civilian aspects of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The paper will first present short review of the learning approaches in international relations theory. It will then examine their relevance in analysing the development of the CSDP from 1999 when the policy was first established to the current state, identifying the major changes in the institutional structures, conceptual thinking and operational aspects. The final part will analyse the role that learning has played in this development from the policy actors’ perspective.
