There is no doubt that the European security scenario has changed dramatically. As Europeans, we face growing threats both from inside and outside our societies, generating fear and uncertainty. It is important to take these feelings and the disorientation they express seriously and act consequently.

European nations must come up with effective answers to our citizens’ growing concerns, starting with an increased effort to provide advanced but realistic solutions for common security and defense.

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Italy believes that the European Union needs a new political vision to address these problems, as well as the ability to innovate institutions related to its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and a "blueprint for action" to achieve required capabilities.

Reinforcing our common defense would bolster our capacity to project stability in areas and regions critical to our security, as well as make the use of our resources more efficient and effective. Also, it would demonstrate a European willingness to strengthen the transatlantic link and to assume a greater responsibility in sharing the costs of security and defense, providing NATO with a more homogeneous, usable and sustainable set of capabilities.

Developing a new European defense dimension, therefore, means improving the ability to operate together within CSDP missions and operations; building a credible set of capabilities, even in common, when the goal exceeds the capabilities of a single nation; and ensuring a robust industrial and technological base. It also means laying out the political conditions, based on a shared, strategic approach, for the employment of our capabilities within the frame of the Atlantic alliance or in full "complementarity of action," meaning coping with risks, threats and challenges in areas or situations where the alliance cannot act or will not desire to act.

Improving the ability to operate together implies better planning by taking advantage of existing but fractioned structures and procedures. A higher degree of system standardization and a commonly agreed set of regulations will also enhance the usability and the effectiveness of our forces, reducing overall costs.

In term of capabilities, the EU has already proven that specific pooling and sharing initiatives, like the European Air Transport Command, can provide more capabilities; and joint projects like the Tornado, the Eurofighter or the future EU-MALE can enable effective cooperation among national industries on large and expensive projects. Italy believes that such initiatives should be replicated in other areas, like logistic support and training and education.

From an industrial and technological point of view, Europe also needs to further enhance and reinforce its competencies, to sustain capability development and to enable a dynamic role in the competitive environment of its industrial defense sector. The existing European Defence Action Plan is a good framework to promote the interest of member states. It could be reinforced by establishing a dedicated, long-term European defense research program and by facilitating cooperative, dual-use projects on key strategic activities through fiscal and financial incentives and EU funds.

European states willing to increase defense cooperation should probably be prepared to bear the initial burden, in the belief that starting costs and efforts will be repai  by a more efficient and effective ability to shape our security environment. These efforts should not detract resources from ongoing commitments, but rather reinforce the European ability to contribute to the defense of the European region and project stability in areas critical to our common security.

The long-term result will be a more powerful and usable European set of capabilities that will also reinforce the Atlantic alliance.

Roberta Pinotti is Italy's minister of defense and a senator for the Democratic Party. She was involved in a variety of parliamentary initiatives, including the reform of the Military Criminal Code and legislation on international missions.

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