Optimizing EU-NATO Institutional Synergy (hcss.nl)

• Proposed reform of the Berlin Plus Agreement
• Need for alignment in political committee mandates
• Strategic path toward balancing European autonomy with NATO dependence

"A report from the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) critiques the dysfunctional overlap between the EU and NATO. It highlights how political tensions and historical friction impede essential security goals. The authors propose concrete reforms, including revising the Berlin Plus Agreement and aligning defense planning cycles. To bolster European resilience, the report argues for a calibrated approach to strategic autonomy that complements, rather than undermines, the NATO-transatlantic framework, ultimately necessitating a shift in how Europe manages its heavy reliance on US industrial and military capability."