Discussion forum about security

This discussion forum is open to everybody who is interested in energy and security matters. The recommendations below are based on consultations made in Denmark, Finland and Germany. A few provocative ideas have been added to have a lively discussion. More recommendations based on the Estonian and Latvian consultations will follow soon.

These recommendations are only the basis for a discussion. Please tell us your opinion about them.

Recommendations about security policy

1. The European Union should focus more on soft security matters in the Baltic Sea region then on military (hard) security.
2. The pollution of the Baltic Sea represents a serious problem for the societies around the Baltic Sea. Environmental security should be in an important role when formulating security-matters in the upcoming Europe’s Strategy for the Baltic Sea region.
3. Russia should be treated as a partner in the Baltic region.
4. The Baltic States and Russia have many disputes. One of the most important is the treatment of the Russian minorities in the Baltic States. The European Union should help in resolving the various disputes between the Baltic countries and Russia.
5. The European Union should adopt a common foreign policy towards Russia, in which Russian security concerns have been taken into account.
6. The European Union should try everything possible to prevent the rearmament of the EU-Russian -border by trying to influence the decisions of the USA about building a ballistic missile defence system in Europe.
7. The European Union should try to enhance the ties between the civil societies in Russia and in EU-countries for example by making it easier for Russians to get visas to the EU-countries.
8. One threat for the security of the whole world are so called failed states. The EU should engage in crises and conflicts as well as cases of failing states outside of the EU.
9. The war in Georgia in 2008 has shown that even in today’s world in Europe military solutions are chosen as a way to solve conflicts. The European Union should do its best to strengthen its military capacity to be able to defend itself in case of an attack from outside.
10. All European Union member countries should join the NATO and the European common defence policy should be under the umbrella of NATO.
11. The European Union should build its own defence structures for military defence and pool its military capacity together for more efficiency.
12. The European Union should not have any official defence co-operation between member countries. Co-operation in defence matters should be only on volunteer basis between two or more members.

Discussion forum