Transatlantic Security Task Force

Confronting Perspectives and Developing New Ideas

Created in 2011 and led by the GMF Paris office, the Transatlantic Security Task Force (TSTF) aims at developing new ideas for transatlantic security and defense cooperation. Bringing together a group of 25 to 30 high-level US and European security experts, strategic thinkers, senior policymakers, and private sector representatives, the TSTF highlights national perspectives and priorities and provides concrete recommendations to strengthen policy coordination. The working sessions address global geopolitical issues as well as more topical crises, and their innovative methods foster out-of-the-box thinking and original ideas for policymakers and experts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Transatlantic Security Task Force convenes twice a year around high-level workshops and scenario-exercises, held under Chatham House rule. The format of the events allows for an open, frank discussion and is meant to help address sensitive issues and policy misunderstandings among transatlantic partners. GMF ensures that the conclusions are appropriately disseminated to various stakeholders of the transatlantic relationship and are further discussed and debated in the other forums organized by GMF.

Adapting Strategic Thinking to a New Transatlantic Context

The format and the objectives of the program fit increasing European and US demand to strengthen transatlantic understanding and cooperation in the security field. As both Europe and the United States aim to better adapt their political, economic, and military priorities to their strategic environment, the political consensus between both sides of the Atlantic can no longer be guaranteed. The TSTF addresses both issues of grand strategy, such as US-China competition, transatlantic burden-sharing, the future of multilateralism, and European strategic autonomy, as well as more specific and regional challenges like military cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea, governance of the Arctic, and defense industrial competition. These challenges are not singular snapshots in time but extend and often overlap, converge, and reinforce one another, giving rise to a greater urgency in reinvigorating the transatlantic security dialogue—and this is what the Transatlantic Security Task Force aims to provide.

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