European security has historically been linked to the expectations-capabilities gap of the European Union (EU) as well as the EU’s role as a normative power reflected by the conscious choices made by European leaderships. Treaties have been the defining parameters of the operational ability, cognitive potential and institutional capacity of Europe to play a normative role in world politics. The Arab Spring phenomenon has illustrated the actual potential of the EU to act in unity. It has also shown that when inherent European idealism clashes with the realities of international politics, securitized idealism becomes the only viable choice. The concept bears a value-fact (security) oxymoron and is based on the need to balance security needs with the desire to spill over democracy in the Arab world.

European security and defence has historically been linked to the institutional evolution of the EU, as refected by the choices made by EU leaders. Treaties and institutional changes have always been the defning parameters of the ability and institutional capacity of Europe to play an active role in world politics. The Arab Spring phenomenon has illustrated the actual potential of the EU to act in a uniform way.

The EU has not been perceived as reacting very rapidly or effectively to the so-called Arab Spring. Events do appear to validate the idea underpinning the European Security Strategy (ESS) and the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP): only where governments guarantee to their citizens security, prosperity, freedom and equality, can peace and stability last – otherwise, people will revolt. But in practice, in its southern neighborhood the EU has acted in precisely the opposite manner, so the Arab Spring is occurring in spite of rather than thanks to EU policy. The ENP stands at a crossroads therefore: Can a new start be made? Which instruments and, in times of austerity, which means can the EU apply to consolidate democratization? And, finally, can the EU continue to wage an ENP without addressing the hard security dimension, especially as the US seem to be withdrawing from crisis management in the region – or shall it continue to leave that to others?