Contents 1

Introduction 1

The EU's Bilateral Security and Defense Partnerships: A new way to outreach partner countries and beyond 2

1. The EU Security and Defense Partnerships and Its Participants 2

2. The EU Security and Defense Partnerships as a New Framework for Security and Defense Cooperation 7

3. The EU Security and Defense Partnership as a Condition for Participating in EU Defense Industry Cooperation 8

Key Characteristics of the EU Security and Defense Partnership 8

Implications of the EU SDP for Europe-Indo-Pacific Relations 11

1. Visibility of the EU as a Security and Defense Actor in the Indo-Pacific Region 11

2. Consolidating Europe-Indo-Pacific Security and Defense Cooperation Independent of the American Drive 11

3. Comparing the EU SDPs with the NATO ITPPs for Indo-Pacific Countries 13

Policy Recommendations 15

1. Expanding and Deepening Security and Defense Connectivity 15

2. Promoting the EU SDPs and NATO ITPPs in a Complementary Way 15

Table 1. Areas of cooperation covered by the EU SDPs (EU candidate countries) 3

Table 2. Areas of cooperation covered by the EU SDPs (NATO member states) 4

Table 3. Areas of cooperation covered by the EU SDPs (Indo-Pacific countries) 5

Table 4. Areas of cooperation covered by the NAT ITPP with Indo-Pacific countries and the Flagship Program 14