Fall in Line or Fall Behind? : Cooperation in cyberspace between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the European Union.

Abstract: This study explores the relationship between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the European Union in cyberspace. The two organisations have differing approaches to combat threats from cyberspace but are continuously deepening their cooperative efforts. The former is arguably militarising the domain and is less inclined to share information with outside parties, while the latter is more willing in this respect but is struggling to balance a free and open Internet with a secure one. NATO’s focus on cyber defence and the EU’s focus on cyber security is connected to the organisations’ different identities as security actors. The difference is identifiable in the Joint Declaration on EU-NATO Cooperation established in 2016. While cyber defence and cyber security are notable in texts, it is yet to be determined how the respective organisations’ differing focus impacts their cooperation in cyberspace. The purpose of this study is thus to investigate the continuation of the Joint-Declaration given NATO and the EU’s different frameworks to combat cyberthreats. The study will use Michel Foucault’s Security Dispositive theory by looking at normalising discourses within the organisations’ respective agendas influenced by various cyberattacks in the 21st century. NATO focuses on developing offensive as well as defensive cyber capabilities while the EU primarily presents a more passive strategy. Considering the Alliance’s ability to set demands on partner actors, results suggested that the Joint Declaration is able to continue if the EU falls in line with the precedent set by NATO as the organisation continues to expand its militarising discourse of cyberspace.