Sailing Through Dangerous Waves: The EU’s Expanding Toolbox at Sea

By Piero Barlucchi

12.7.2024

European Student Think Tank

The EU strives to address maritime insecurity through a comprehensive and distinctive approach. This paper analyses the evolving approach of the Union in maritime affairs over the last two decades. In doing so, it highlights the progression from a limited initial interest up to a holistic approach aiming to tackle maritime threats and pursue the status of a “global maritime security provider”. The analysis begins with a thorough overview of the various EU’s strategic documents and policy developments, identifying key tenets and milestones in the maritime security journey. It then turns to primary sources of insecurity for the EU at sea and relates them to the enlarging toolbox that the Union developed to tackle such issues in the past two decades. Lastly, the paper highlights the main deficiencies and areas of future improvement to provide a comprehensive picture of the EU’s pursuit of maritime security.

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