The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is a policy still marked by intergouvernmentalism. Thus, it is the member states that play a crucial role in the decision-making process. Usually, publications dealing with the positions of member states in CSDP focus on the “Big Three”, France, Britain and Germany. In contrast, the smaller member states are usually neglected. However, the majority of EU member states are small states and each of them can play an important role in CSDP. For example, they can veto ist missions and operations. But how can we understand the behaviour of small states in CSDP? The paper analyses if an approach stemming from Foreign Policy Analysis called Foreign Policy Role Conceptions could offer an insight. Based on role conceptions, it presents a framework of analysis that allows for the comparative analysis of the CSDP-politics of small member states.
