冷戰結束後，安全和防衛政策躍升為歐盟歐洲統合之路的主要議題之一。一九九一年，歐盟馬斯垂克高峰會議正式決定建立和發展共同外交暨安全政策，並在適當的時候，發展共同防衛政策。馬斯垂克決議不僅是歐盟對冷戰結束後歐洲情勢變遷的反應，更將歐洲統合運動過程正式導入國家主權的敏感領域－外交、安全和防衛。歐盟發展共同外交、安全和防衛政策的目的在於讓歐盟有能力以國際行為者的身份，於國際舞臺上扮演符合其經濟實力的角色。 　　然而，歐盟是一個經濟組織，而非軍事聯盟，它在後馬斯垂克時期所做的改善和增進行動能力的努力卻是貶多於褒。歐盟一直被批評既缺乏政治意願，也缺乏貫徹意願的工具。這兩項缺失成為歐盟在國際舞臺上無能發揮影響力，解決衝突和處理危機的主要因素。一九九九年可說是一個重大的轉捩點，歐盟會員國展現對外行動的政治意願，也允諾建立一支快速反應部隊。然而，由於美國對歐盟建立自主行動能力的質疑，再加上歐盟內部特有的問題，歐盟要能實際運用自主的行動能力，還有好長的一段路要走。

　　　　　Since the end of the Cold War, a security and defense policy has become one of the most discussed issues within the EU. In 1999, the EU Maastricht Summit formally decided to form and develop a Common Foreign and Security Policy and, at the proper time, to develop a common defense policy. The decisions made in Maastricht not only demonstrated the EU’s responses to the challenges derived from the end of Cold War confrontation, but also brought the European integrative process into the sensitive zone of national sovereignty – foreign policies, security and defense. The aim of developing a common foreign, security and defense policy is to make the EU capable of playing an international role comparable to its economic performance. The EU is an economic organization, not a military alliance. What it did in Post-Maastricht in trying to improve its action capability has received more criticism than applause. It has been criticized for lack of political will and instruments. Hence, the EU has failed to respond to Post-Cold War challenges and to resolve the conflicts in Europe. The year 1999 was a turning point, at which time the EU member states expressed clearly their political will in developing autonomous action capability by pledging to construct a rapid-action force which can implement the Petersberg Tasks. Nonetheless, due to the Americans’ suspicion about the European attempts to develop autonomous action capability and due to the specific problems the Europeans encountered, the EU has a long way to go until it can actually make use of its autonomous action capability to implement the Petersberg Tasks.