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European Union
This article is part of the series: Foreign relations of the European Union
Foreign policy High Representative Javier Solana ER Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner European Parliament AFET Committee Economic Relations Diplomatic Missions Eurosphere
Security policy Defence Initiative Synch. Armed Forces Europe Defence Procurement Petersberg tasks Helsinki Headline Goal Structures Political and Security Committee Military Committee Military Staff Operations Centre Security & Defence College Defence Agency Institute for Security Studies Satellite Centre Military forces Eurofor Battlegroup Gendarmerie Eurocorps Deployments
Enlargement Candidates Croatia Republic of Macedonia Turkey Applied or SAA Albania (applied) Bosnia and Herzegovina Iceland (applied) Kosovo Montenegro (applied) Serbia
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The European Defence Initiative is a proposal for enhanced European Union defence cooperation presented by France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg in Brussels on 29 April 2004. It was based on the reinforced cooperation principle and aimed for better reactivity under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). Some critics felt that this intra-European process would be a source of tension in the transatlantic arena with NATO and some felt that this was a duplication of existing means with the call for a distinct European headquarters. There were also some concerns about a multi-speed Europe. The UK was initially opposed to the concept but subsequently modified its position in favour.

It is sometimes referred to as the "Initiative of the Four".

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