EUROPEAN SECURITY AND DEFENCE – KEY ELEMENTS OF DEEP INTEGRATION AT THE LEVEL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

The purpose of this article is to highlight the key elements in European security and defence that enables a deeper integration within the European Union. The security and defence represent a fundamental domain in the European architecture, a benchmark, and a challenge regarding the loyal cooperation between Member States.The methodology used is represented by a synthetic qualitative documentary analysis with an additional quantitative support.The research hypothesis is related to the correlation of key elements in the field of security and defence with the development of a deeper integration of Member States into the European project. As their own defence and security policies belong to the Member States, the research question will provide the answer to whether key elements in European security and defence generate better cooperation between Member States and deeper integration.This article aims to provide a profound understanding of the obligations, challenges, and the impact on the Member States policy on common defence. Following the latest developments in implementing the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, new steps should be taken to achieve the common defence goal.The presentation will also seek to highlight whether the coherence of Member States policies on achieving the common goal is linked to their deeper integration into the European project.