Anchoring Strategic Autonomy in the Maritime Domain: the European context

This paper analyses European perspectives on the link between strategic autonomy and the maritime domain. It does this by conducting a qualitative thematic analysis of newspaper articles on the level of individual Member States. The discussion is further enriched by taking relevant EU-level policy documents into account. As such, the research explores similarities and differences between a diverse range of European perspectives on how to balance both strategic maritime interests and economic openness to global trade and cooperation. This study aims to create more clarity on how the EU as a whole seeks to navigate the complex dynamics between strategic autonomy and the maritime domain.