The EU as black widow; Devouring the WEU to give birth to a European Security and Defence Policy

The Treaty of Nice will finally turn the European Union into a security and defence organisation. Alongside its tasks in all other areas the Union will be given the competence to strengthen its contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the UN Charter. This Chapter deals with the development of a European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) over the past few years with particular focus on the international legal aspects of the relationship of the EU with the Western European Union (WEU). The EU courted the WEU for ten years. This finally seems to have paid off with the birth of an early and fragile European Security and Defence Policy, albeit at the price of sacrificing the WEU.