Fighting Someone Else's Battles? Norway's Cooperation with the European Union on Security and Defence

Abstract

While not a member of the European Union, Norway is the non-member that contributes to most of its operations. Traditionally, the level of democratic control has been lower in security and defence policies because it has been the preserve of the executive, and because an effective policy requires secrecy and flexibility. However, there has been a democratic turn in security studies the last couple of decades. One result is that some argue that it is as relevant to examine the degree of democracy in foreign, security and defence policies as in any other areas. One of the goals defined in Norwegian security policy is to maintain Norwegian sovereignty and manoeuvrability. The Norwegian Armed Forces are subject to civilian control, and by having a political leader there is a clear link to the principle of democratic control over the military powers. Nevertheless, not many questions are raised concerning the democratic legitimacy of Norway s cooperation with the EU on security and defence. This thesis draws on different methodological approaches in order to get a fuller picture of the cooperation, asking whether the political or the military aspect of the cooperation has the biggest democratic weaknesses and what might explain the further will to cooperate.