The surprise decision of nine EU states to form a rapid intervention force for responding to crises near the bloc's borders looks like a redundant attempt to build a mini-NATO.
Although something of the sort had been talked about for a while now and other regional security structures already exist on the continent, the timing and membership of the European Intervention Force (EIF) speaks to its possible purpose in distinguishing it from all others. France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, and the UK all came together less than a week before the upcoming EU Summit that's expected to intensely focus on migration, and with Italy's new government not yet ruling out membership, it looks likely that the EIF will attempt to become a more effective instrument for responding to this crisis.
In addition, the EIF is for the most part a bloc of Western European countries that have come to represent so-called “Old Europe”, with the exception of Estonia of course, which represents a more concentrated regional military focus than the EU-wide PESCO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised the initiative for having the potential to improve Europeans' military readiness, while French Defense Minister Florence Parly highlighted its intent in creating a “European strategic culture” that can contribute to “anticipating crisis and responding quickly and effectively”. From…
