The European Union and the Changing International Order: The Example of the SAFE Initiative.

The aim of this paper is to present the European Union's response to changes in the international order, particularly in the area of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The SAFE initiative will be analysed in detail as an example of the EU's response to growing security threats that could lead to unfavourable for the EU changes in the international order. The research questions for this analysis address the following issues. First, does the SAFE instrument supports the security of the eastern flank of the EU and NATO? Second, does the instrument break or rather strengthen centre-periphery dependencies in the EU? Third, does this instrument increase the centralization and federalization of the EU, and in particular strengthen the Common Security and Defence Policy? Fourth, is this cooperation supranational or still strongly intergovernmental, particularly remaining within the domain of the largest member states? Fifth, does the SAFE instrument strengthen transatlantic relations and therefore also be properly coordinated with activities undertaken within NATO? The research methodology is based on the analysis of regulations, EU documents, and on interviews with experts and decision-makers. The main theoretical approach are the perspectives of liberal intergovernmentalism and neofunctionalism in European studies.