389 José Díaz Toribio Moving through a european defence landscape... is imperative that an analysis be carried out to assess its complementarity with the NATO projects we are participating in; calculations be made with a view to reducing acquisition, maintenance, supply and technology costs; and there must be a desire to access critical capabilities to improve our defence. It is essential that we choose cooperation initiatives and projects that allow us to cooperatively address the risks and threats that most concern us. The new national security system that has been developed in Spain over the past five years, which culminated with the approval of the “National Security Strategy” in 2013, will allow Spain to prioritise its strategic interests and responsibilities for the first time. As some authors have pointed out, the new approach is also ideal for those States that are capable of agreeing on and consolidating a long-term defence policy.52 While EU directives should be taken into account when planning our defence,53 it is also in Spain’s interest to study carefully the planning processes of neighbouring countries, as well as those of countries that have a similar strategic culture, given that these may lead to opportunities for cooperation that are likely to receive the guidance and funding of the EU. In general, it is also in Spain’s interest to exploit any opportunities that the Commission creates in the area of capabilities. Based on what we have said in this article in relation to the nature and evolution of European defence, we can conclude that over the coming years, it will be vital to carefully monitor the following processes if our defence is to develop within the Community framework: 1. The intellectual evolution of the very idea of Europe (social, political, protest and intellectual movements) that are reflected in the continent’s main political forums and bodies and, above all, the impact these will have on Community concepts and policy, particularly in the area of European defence. 2. Because of spending cuts, the evolution of European defence will depend more than ever on the policy of “the big three”. We should remain especially attentive to the changes likely to be triggered by their security and alliance policies, relations, etc. Some of the strategic options of the major European states will not be defined until at least 2017: 2016 is the final year of implementation of Franco-British cooperation; 2017 may be the year of the British referendum; as of 2015 there will be no more major military operations such as Afghanistan; around 2015-2016 the large-scale European weapons programmes will come to an end. 52 Drent, Margriet et al, Defence Cooperation in Clusters. Identifying the next steps, The Hague, 2014. Clingendael Report. Netherlands Institute of International Relations. Page 7-12. 53 The Capability Development Plan was eventually reviewed in 2014 and sixteen priority actions set. http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee
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