Given the diverse nature of the issues covered in this learning unit as well as the different stages of technological development, it is hard to summarise the EU’s activities with regard to emerging technologies. Some of the issues covered in this unit have not yet led to a systematic and comprehensive review by EU institutions.
Others, however, like drones, AI and LAWS, have received more attention over time. After all, the EU is also interested in quantum technology and nanotechnology, but only for peaceful purposes. Military issues or matters related to preventive arms control are not discussed in these areas. However, this is not surprising, since, as described above, there has been no international discourse on any form of regulation in this area to date. And different actors had different perspectives, of course. The European Parliament (EP) started focusing on drones and drone warfare very early. On 27 February 2014, the EP already adopted Resolution 2014/2567(RSP) on the use of armed drones, drawing attention to the increase in extraterritorial lethal operations by drones and the resulting civilian death toll, calling
‘drone strikes outside a declared war by a state on the territory of another state without the consent of the latter or of the UN Security Council […] a violation of international law’.
European Parliament resolution of 27 February 2014 on the use of armed drones (2014/2567(RSP))
In contrast, the Commission did not take a position on armed drones or their worldwide use and focused mainly on the civilian use of unmanned systems.
In the LAWS sector, however, the European actors are more in agreement.
Notably, in its 2014 resolution, the EP also called for a ‘ban [on] the development, production and use of fully autonomous weapons which enable strikes to be carried out without human intervention’. In 2018, the EP adopted a resolution on autonomous weapons systems (2018/2752(RSP)), stressing, inter alia, that
‘EU policies and actions are guided by the principles of human rights and respect for human dignity, the principles of the UN Charter and international law; whereas these principles should be applied in order to preserve peace, prevent conflicts and strengthen international security’
European Parliament resolution of 12 September 2018 on autonomous weapon systems (2018/2752(RSP))
and that
‘human involvement and oversight are central to the lethal decision-making process, since it is humans who remain accountable for decisions concerning life and death.’
European Parliament resolution of 12 September 2018 on autonomous weapon systems (2018/2752(RSP))
In 2021, the EO adopted another resolution (2020/2013(INI)), this time with a broader perspective on artificial intelligence and international law, which referred to both civilian and military use, but also directly addressed the issue of LAWS and, as in 2018, emphasised ‘the need for an EU-wide strategy against LAWS and a ban on so-called “killer robots”’.
The official representatives of the EU delegation to the United Nations in Geneva did not want to go as far as the EP, but nevertheless emphasised the importance of human controls and the limits set by international law. In 2023 amd again in 2024, an EU representative and official participant in the GGE negotiations on LAWS stated1
‘that human beings must make decisions with regard to the use of force, exert control over weapons systems that they use and remain accountable for decisions over the use of force in order to ensure compliance with International Law, in particular International Humanitarian Law (IHL), taking into account ethical considerations.’
Finally, the EU is also interested in quantum technology and nanotechnology, but only for peaceful purposes. Military issues or questions of preventive arms control are not discussed in these areas. However, this is not surprising since no international discourse on any form of regulation has taken place in this area to date.
Further reading
- Sauer, Frank. 2022. “The military rationale for AI”, in: Schörnig, Niklas/Reinhold, Thomas (eds): Armament, Arms Control and Artificial Intelligence: The Impact of Software, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence on Armament and Arms Control, 27–38.
- Rosert, Elvira/Sauer, Frank. 2021. “How (not) to stop the killer robots: A comparative analysis of humanitarian disarmament campaign strategies”, in: Contemporary Security Policy 42 (1): 4–29.
- Sauer, Frank. 2021. “Stepping back from the brink: Why multilateral regulation of autonomy in weapons systems is difficult, yet imperative and feasible”, in: International Review of the Red Cross 102 (913): 235–59.
- Boulanin, Vincent/Davison, Neil/Goussac, Netta/Peldán Carlsson, Moa. 2020. Limits on Autonomy in Weapon Systems: Identifying Practical Elements of Human Control, SIPRI and ICRC.
- Scharre, Paul. 2018. Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War.
- Göttsche, Malte/Daase, Christopher. 2024. CNTR Monitor 2024. Perspectives on Dual Use
- CNTR Monitor 2024. Perspectives on Dual Use
Internet resources
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