Revista del Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos n.º 13 - Año: 2019 - Págs.: 243 a 274 261 Bernardo González-Lázaro Sueiras Defense cooperation between Portugal… PORTUGAL SPAIN Conceito Estratégico da Defesa Nacional (2013) Modelo de Defesa Nacional DEFESA 2020 (2013) Lei de Defesa Nacional (2015) A Defesa de Portugal (2012) Directiva de Defensa Nacional (2012) Estrategia de Seguridad Nacional (2017) Ley de Seguridad Nacional (2015) Estrategia de Acción Exterior (2014) Ley de Acción y Servicio Exterior del Estado (2015) Table III– Key documents for security, defense and foreign action Source: Elaborated by the author. Nevertheless, justification for the need of peninsular cooperation in defense matters is not due only to the economic crisis. Thus, for example, the Directiva de Defensa Nacional (National Defense Directive) of 2012 explicitly states that Spain will actively and respon-sibly participate in NATO initiatives that favor national and collective interests; in the configuration and advance of the CSDP and the PESCO; and that it will strengthen bi-lateral relations with those actors holding shared threats and interests, who could provide stability in their context of proximity or improve the strategic position of the country. It seems relevant for this study to carry out a comparative analysis of the essential documents on security and defense matters of Portugal and of Spain (Table III), con-trasting their interests, threats, strengths, weaknesses, and international contexts of action in order to understand the causes that justify the implementation of bilateral cooperation and the mutual benefit to be obtained. The approach taken by each of the two countries holds certain differences. Portugal uses a key document, the Conceito Estratégico de la Defensa Nacional (National Defense Strategic Concept), to set forth all aspects regarding the State’s defense and foreign ac-tion. For its part, Spain uses two documents, the Estrategia de Seguridad Nacional (Na-tional Security Strategy) and the Estrategia de Acción Exterior (Foreign Action Strategy), which take the form of interministerial systems defined by specific laws. PORTUGAL SPAIN INTERESTS 6. Assert its presence in the world. 7. Consolidate its integration in a sol-id network of alliances. 8. Defend the legitimacy and foreign credibility of the State 9. Value the Portuguese communities. 10. Contribute to promoting interna-tional peace and security. 8. State Defense: territory, access, population, consti-tutional order, sovereignty and independence. 9. Factors deriving from Spain’s geographic situation and maritime condition. 10. Use of maritime and air communication routes. 11. Supply of basic resources. 12. Peace and stability in the Mediterranean. 13. Cooperation with Latin America 14. Promotion of international peace and security. THREATS 10. Terrorism. 11. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). 12. Transnational organized crime. 13. Cybercrime. 14. Piracy. 15. Climate changes, environmental and seismic risks. 16. Ocurrence of heat and cold waves. 17. Attacks on land and marine eco-systems. 18. Pandemic and other health risks. 13. Terrorism. 14. Proliferation of WMD. 15. Transnational organized crime 16. Cybercrime 17. Armed conflicts. 18. Vulnerabiliity of maritime space. 19. Vulnerability of critical infrastructures and essen-tial services. 20. Economic and financial instability. 21. Energy vulnerability. 22. Irregular migration flows. 23. Espionage. 24. Emergencies and catastrophies. Table IV – Comparison of interests and threats. Source: Elaborated by the author based on Foreign Action Strategy (2014) and National Defense Strategic Concept (2013).
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