EUROPEAN UNION BATTLEGROUPS – A DILLUSION CORNERSTONE OF THE EU MILITARY CAPABILITIES

Abstract

This article aims at pointing out the role that could be played by the European Union Battlegroups in building its political and military potential. The article discusses the genesis of the battlegroups, their types, principles of operation and composition. It continues with the evaluation of the decision-making process regarding the use of battlegroups, their tasks and objectives. The article also provides the analysis of the actual use of the EU Battlegroups and ends up with the discussion of the causes of the system weakness. It tries to provide an answer to the following question: what is the contribution of the battle-groups to building the European Union’s potential and strengthening its position on the international arena?