Nadtochey Yury Ivanovich – Ph.D. in History, Senior Researcher, INION RAS
The article examines export control (EC) regime of the European Union as a key element of European and international security policy, external economic activity, and the EU’s strategic positioning. Particular attention is paid to the dual nature of the European model of EC, which combines national and supranational regulatory practices. The article analyzes the transformation of EU policy in the context of slowing globalization, intensifying geopolitical competition, and the crisis of multilateral control regimes, which stimulate Brussels to reinforce the concept of «strategic autonomy». It is shown that the regulation of military exports and dual-use goods remains a contested domain, where the interests of EU member states, EU institutions, and external actors are deeply intertwined. The study considers key documents and initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency and harmonizing national practices. It is noted that despite the existence of a common regulatory framework, EU member states retain broad autonomy, which prevents full synchronization of export control practices at the EU level. The article highlights the challenges arising from the rapid development of high-tech industries (including cyber-surveillance tools), the growth of internal defense demand, and the simultaneous maintenance of strong export activity by Europe’s leading arms manufacturers. Special attention is given to the dilemma between normative and pragmatic approaches: the declining role of human rights criteria in licensing is accompanied by the growing priority of geoeconomic and geopolitical factors. Using the examples of arms exports to Israel, Ukraine, and Middle Eastern states, the article demonstrates how European countries maneuver between declarations of «normative power» and the practice of supporting national industries while seeking to contribute to international peace and security. It is concluded that the current EU export control regime increasingly functions not only as an instrument of «ethical filtering», but also as a mechanism of protectionism and strategic response to the challenges of a multipolar world. Its future evolution will be shaped by the balance between the need for institutional consolidation and the persistence of national specificities, which calls into question the possibility of turning the EU into a model system of export controls for other international actors, whether states or regional integration groupings.
European Union, export control, multilateral export control regimes, arms exports, normative power, human rights, dual-use goods, strategic autonomy, economic security.
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